Art Directors pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $165,920 or more. The middle half of art directors in Portland earn between $79,760 and $141,970.
- $55K10th
- $80K25th
- $110KMedian
- $142K75th
- $166K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $115,360 | $9,613 | $55.46 |
| Median | $110,420 | $9,202 | $53.09 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $79,760 | $6,647 | $38.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $141,970 | $11,831 | $68.25 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Portland vs. Maine and the U.S.
Art directors in Portland earn 12% more than the Maine average ($102,820) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $115,360 | $110,420 | $54,530 | $165,920 | 40 |
| Maine | $102,820 | $100,300 | $39,950 | $161,030 | n/a |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $115,360, a single filer in Portland takes home about $83,759 a year, or $6,980 a month and $3,221 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Is Portland a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.9), so the average $115,360 buys what about $113,256 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($56,960). A typical home costs $542,063, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in nearby metro areas
- Manchester, NH$87,370
- Boston, MA$147,730
- Worcester, MA$133,850
- Providence, RI$104,400
- Burlington, VT$130,330
- Hartford, CT$119,660
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 Portland: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Portland?
$55.46 an hour on average, and $53.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $79,760, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Portland?
About $83,759 a year ($6,980 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $115,360. Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Do art directors earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less 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 Portland-South Portland, ME (38860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.45, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.45).
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