CDCareer Decision

Art Directors Salary in CA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Art Directors in CA have a median annual salary of $137,780, with 12,430 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $81,500 at the 10th percentile to $249,210 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$137,780

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$66.24

Employment

12,430

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$81,500
10th
$106,470
25th
$137,780
Median
$192,380
75th
$249,210
90th

Local compared with national

CA

$137,780

Median annual · 2025

United States

$114,850

Median annual · 2025

The CA median is 20.0% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $22,930).

Top skills

  1. 1.Active ListeningImportance 4.0
  2. 2.SpeakingImportance 4.0
  3. 3.Reading ComprehensionImportance 3.8
  4. 4.Critical ThinkingImportance 3.8
  5. 5.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 3.8
  6. 6.CoordinationImportance 3.6
  7. 7.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.6
  8. 8.Time ManagementImportance 3.6
  9. 9.WritingImportance 3.4
  10. 10.PersuasionImportance 3.4
  11. 11.Operations AnalysisImportance 3.4
  12. 12.Active LearningImportance 3.3

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
Job zone
4

Technology used

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe ActionScript
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Adobe Director
  • Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe ImageReady
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
  • AJAX
  • Apache Flex
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Apple iWork Keynote

Common tasks

  • Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
  • Present final layouts to clients for approval.
  • Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
  • Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
  • Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
  • Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
  • Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
  • Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.
  • Attend photo shoots and printing sessions to ensure that the products needed are obtained.
  • Review illustrative material to determine if it conforms to standards and specifications.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Art Directors salary in other locations

Other occupations in CA