Art Directors pay range in Baltimore
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $159,070 or more. The middle half of art directors in Baltimore earn between $74,790 and $124,120.
- $59K10th
- $75K25th
- $97KMedian
- $124K75th
- $159K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $105,160 | $8,763 | $50.56 |
| Median | $97,460 | $8,122 | $46.86 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $74,790 | $6,232 | $35.96 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $124,120 | $10,343 | $59.67 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Baltimore vs. Maryland and the U.S.
Art directors in Baltimore earn 5% less than the Maryland average ($110,790) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $105,160 | $97,460 | $59,310 | $159,070 | 230 |
| Maryland | $110,790 | $98,400 | $61,160 | $175,690 | 570 |
| 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 Baltimore
On the average salary of $105,160, a single filer in Baltimore takes home about $78,022 a year, or $6,502 a month and $3,001 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Is Baltimore a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Baltimore area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.5), so the average $105,160 buys what about $100,644 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Baltimore ($59,070). A typical home costs $405,877, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in nearby metro areas
- Lancaster, PA$90,940
- Washington, DC$111,400
- Harrisburg, PA$98,280
- Philadelphia, PA$110,300
- Atlantic City, NJ$114,670
- Trenton, NJ$128,590
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 Baltimore: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Baltimore?
$50.56 an hour on average, and $46.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Baltimore?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $74,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Baltimore?
About $78,022 a year ($6,502 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $105,160. Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Do art directors earn more in Baltimore than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (12580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.0%.
- 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). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.50, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.50).
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