Art Directors pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $91,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $243,160 or more. The middle half of art directors in Santa Cruz earn between $103,440 and $171,750.
- $92K10th
- $103K25th
- $126KMedian
- $172K75th
- $243K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $144,450 | $12,038 | $69.45 |
| Median | $126,410 | $10,534 | $60.77 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $103,440 | $8,620 | $49.73 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $171,750 | $14,312 | $82.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Art directors in Santa Cruz earn 7% less than the California average ($156,060) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is +10% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $144,450 | $126,410 | $91,510 | $243,160 | 40 |
| California | $156,060 | $137,780 | $81,500 | $249,210 | 12,430 |
| United States | $129,440 | $114,850 | $64,900 | $213,050 | 53,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Art Directors salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $144,450, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $100,656 a year, or $8,388 a month and $3,871 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $144,450 buys what about $131,442 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 5th of 12 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($182,620).
- San Jose$182,620
- San Francisco$169,940
- Los Angeles$156,680
- Stockton$147,650
- Santa Cruz$144,450
- San Diego$137,320
- Oxnard$130,960
- Fresno$123,560
- Santa Maria$121,830
- Riverside$120,670
Highest-paying cities for art directors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($182,620).
- San Jose, CA$182,620
- San Francisco, CA$169,940
- New York, NY$161,120
- Portland, OR$158,630
- Los Angeles, CA$156,680
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Art Directors salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$69.45 an hour on average, and $60.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $91,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,440, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $100,656 a year ($8,388 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $144,450. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do art directors earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($129,440).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1011; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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