National Salary Info » Art Directors

Highest Paying Industries for Art Directors

The top 100 highest paying industries for art directors (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $120,240, research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences is the highest paying industry for art directors. It is followed by software publishers industry (average annual salary $117,240). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of art directors in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Art Directors

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$120,240	$66,640	50
2	Software Publishers	$117,240	$63,470	450
3	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	$111,740	$64,690	70
4	Scientific Research and Development Services	$111,290	$65,710	60
5	Apparel Manufacturing	$109,160	$63,360	70
6	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$108,090	$52,490	40
7	Other Information Services	$105,110	$53,440	520
8	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$102,750	$59,590	410
9	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$101,650	$63,370	130
10	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$101,310	$48,230	50
11	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$101,260	$53,740	830
12	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$101,080	$48,030	2,390
13	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)	$100,040	$50,690	40
14	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$99,820	$47,540	2,450
15	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$99,590	$52,740	30
16	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$97,680	$48,860	240
17	Photographic Services	$96,880	$24,550	40
18	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$96,340	$60,460	120
19	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$96,270	$55,510	710
20	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$94,270	$54,180	1,440
21	Specialized Design Services	$93,590	$53,530	2,870
22	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$92,260	$53,900	60
23	Wholesale Trade	$92,120	$52,440	1,180
24	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$92,080	$48,460	90
25	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$90,940	$31,960	80
26	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$90,190	$47,990	17,020
27	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$89,060	$46,170	11,500
28	Employment Services	$88,790	$53,270	100
29	Finance and Insurance	$88,070	$55,370	210
30	Paper Manufacturing	$87,760	$54,200	30
31	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$87,250	$55,340	50
32	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$86,750	$53,640	30
33	Spectator Sports	$86,740	$43,640	60
34	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$86,600	$61,810	40
35	Amusement Parks and Arcades	$85,960	$46,040	90
36	Temporary Help Services	$85,530	$53,730	50
37	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$85,270	$48,940	1,380
38	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$85,190	$55,460	110
39	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$85,040	$55,350	110
40	Insurance Carriers	$84,510	$55,180	100
41	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$84,180	$54,670	40
42	Information	$83,430	$42,740	7,970
43	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$83,350	$56,090	50
44	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$83,210	$43,640	580
45	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$83,030	$56,440	120
46	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$82,780	$46,430	160
47	Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$82,040	$46,320	150
48	Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services	$81,990	$51,670	n/a
49	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$81,960	$48,510	130
50	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$81,670	$43,670	110
51	Administrative and Support Services	$81,420	$32,260	320
52	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$81,420	$32,260	320
53	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$79,380	$42,170	150
54	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$78,510	$48,220	190
55	Television Broadcasting	$78,000	$41,720	390
56	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$77,830	$52,090	60
57	Chemical Manufacturing	$77,800	$51,980	70
58	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$77,620	$51,880	130
59	Nonstore Retailers	$77,580	$42,240	370
60	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$77,320	$42,070	360
61	Health Care and Social Assistance	$77,000	$50,810	70
62	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$76,640	$40,150	180
63	Federal, State, and Local Government	$76,640	$40,150	180
64	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$76,160	$41,780	450
65	Manufacturing	$76,070	$41,690	1,230
66	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$75,880	$47,790	50
67	Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events	$75,870	$48,310	160
68	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$75,420	$42,880	360
69	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$74,690	$50,620	230
70	Social Advocacy Organizations	$74,420	$45,020	80
71	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$73,020	$46,740	30
72	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$72,830	$39,720	4,290
73	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$72,730	$44,040	270
74	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$72,420	$44,220	280
75	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$72,150	$37,660	1,190
76	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$71,830	$37,040	900
77	Educational Services - Local government owned	$71,230	$48,520	60
78	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$69,460	$38,500	190
79	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$69,340	$38,900	3,840
80	Radio Broadcasting	$69,160	$41,980	60
81	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$68,660	$42,000	280
82	Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores	$68,500	$43,380	40
83	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$67,640	$41,760	470
84	Furniture Stores	$66,770	$41,950	40
85	Retail Trade	$65,250	$41,270	1,190
86	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$65,160	$41,740	490
87	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$64,920	$42,670	60
88	Educational Services - Privately owned	$64,530	$35,080	440
89	Printing and Related Support Activities	$64,160	$35,050	600
90	Educational Services	$63,530	$38,920	720
91	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$61,130	$41,510	210
92	Educational Services - State government owned	$61,070	$41,570	210
93	Sound Recording Industries	$60,970	$37,550	60
94	Performing Arts Companies	$59,810	$28,530	290
95	State government, including schools and hospitals	$58,950	$39,570	260
96	Other Schools and Instruction	$55,580	$16,980	110
97	Other schools and instruction - Privately owned	$55,350	$16,930	110
98	Civic and Social Organizations	$55,200	$36,470	30
99	Newspaper Publishers	$54,860	$31,540	950
100	Religious Organizations	$54,540	$33,460	40