Art Directors pay in California
$156,060avg. a year
$75.03 an hour · 12,430 employed
Art Directors in California earn an average of $156,060 a year. That is $26,620 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $129,440. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $182,620.
$137,780Median pay
$75.03Average hourly
+11%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 46 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for art directors by metro area. Swipe to see all 12.
1600 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$182,620
$87.80 an hour
22,390 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$169,940
$81.70 an hour
36,590 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$156,680
$75.33 an hour
430 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$147,650
$70.98 an hour
540 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$144,450
$69.45 an hour
6630 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$137,320
$66.02 an hour
7100 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$130,960
$62.96 an hour
860 jobs
Fresno, CA
$123,560
$59.41 an hour
950 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$121,830
$58.57 an hour
10320 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$120,670
$58.01 an hour
11310 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$119,720
$57.56 an hour
1240 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$113,570
$54.60 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Art Directors pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California art directors work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
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Under $90k$90k–$103k$103k–$115k$115k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $129,440 | $62.23 |
| California | $156,060 | $75.03 |
| Oregon | $152,490 | $73.31 |
| Nevada | $111,350 | $53.54 |
Related jobs in California
- Graphic Designers$86,800
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$49,090
- Interior Designers$89,740
- Floral Designers$48,540
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$108,400
- Special Effects Artists and Animators$134,360
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do art directors make in California?
The average is $156,060 a year, and the median is $137,780. That is $26,620 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $129,440.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$75.03 an hour on average; the median is $66.24.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,620), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($169,940). The lowest average among 12 metro areas with data is Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA ($113,570).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 46 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-1011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national art directors page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.