Art Directors pay range in Milwaukee
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,770 a year or less, while the top 10% make $125,900 or more. The middle half of art directors in Milwaukee earn between $72,890 and $114,550.
- $63K10th
- $73K25th
- $91KMedian
- $115K75th
- $126K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,250 | $8,271 | $47.72 |
| Median | $91,260 | $7,605 | $43.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $72,890 | $6,074 | $35.04 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $114,550 | $9,546 | $55.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Art directors in Milwaukee earn 4% more than the Wisconsin average ($95,070) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -21% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $99,250 | $91,260 | $62,770 | $125,900 | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $95,070 | $81,130 | $58,470 | $131,850 | 730 |
| 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 Milwaukee
On the average salary of $99,250, a single filer in Milwaukee takes home about $74,269 a year, or $6,189 a month and $2,857 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 Milwaukee a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Milwaukee area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.9), so the average $99,250 buys what about $102,386 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Milwaukee ($51,160). A typical home costs $390,238, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Wisconsin cities
Milwaukee ranks 1st of 3 Wisconsin metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Milwaukee: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Milwaukee?
$47.72 an hour on average, and $43.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Milwaukee?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,770 a year and the 25th percentile is $72,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Milwaukee?
About $74,269 a year ($6,189 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,250.
Do art directors earn more in Milwaukee than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (33340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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