Art Directors pay range in Raleigh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,490 a year or less, while the top 10% make $175,130 or more. The middle half of art directors in Raleigh earn between $74,470 and $138,630.
- $52K10th
- $74K25th
- $104KMedian
- $139K75th
- $175K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $113,550 | $9,462 | $54.59 |
| Median | $103,990 | $8,666 | $50.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $74,470 | $6,206 | $35.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $138,630 | $11,552 | $66.65 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Raleigh vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Art directors in Raleigh earn 19% more than the North Carolina average ($95,460) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $113,550 | $103,990 | $52,490 | $175,130 | 200 |
| North Carolina | $95,460 | $90,000 | $56,460 | $142,740 | 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 Raleigh
On the average salary of $113,550, a single filer in Raleigh takes home about $84,690 a year, or $7,058 a month and $3,257 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Raleigh a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Raleigh area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.2), so the average $113,550 buys what about $115,682 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Raleigh ($51,990). A typical home costs $438,364, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other North Carolina cities
Raleigh ranks 1st of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Raleigh$113,550
- Greensboro$100,380
- Charlotte$97,260
- Durham$95,580
- Wilmington$91,870
- Winston-Salem$90,800
- Asheville$74,360
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 Raleigh: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Raleigh?
$54.59 an hour on average, and $50.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Raleigh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,490 a year and the 25th percentile is $74,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Raleigh?
About $84,690 a year ($7,058 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $113,550.
Do art directors earn more in Raleigh than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (39580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.7%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.78, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.78).
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