Art Directors pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $88,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $277,730 or more. The middle half of art directors in San Francisco earn between $122,350 and $208,960.
- $88K10th
- $122K25th
- $165KMedian
- $209K75th
- $278K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $169,940 | $14,162 | $81.70 |
| Median | $165,210 | $13,768 | $79.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $122,350 | $10,196 | $58.82 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $208,960 | $17,413 | $100.46 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Art directors in San Francisco earn 9% more than the California average ($156,060) and 31% more than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is +44% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $169,940 | $165,210 | $88,460 | $277,730 | 2,390 |
| California | $156,060 | $137,780 | $81,500 | $249,210 | 12,430 |
| 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 San Francisco
On the average salary of $169,940, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $115,708 a year, or $9,642 a month and $4,450 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $169,940 buys what about $146,990 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 12 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($182,620).
- San Jose$182,620
- San Francisco$169,940
- Los Angeles$156,680
- Stockton$147,650
- Santa Cruz$144,450
- San Diego$137,320
- Oxnard$130,960
- Fresno$123,560
- Santa Maria$121,830
- Riverside$120,670
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 San Francisco: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in San Francisco?
$81.70 an hour on average, and $79.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $88,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $122,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $115,708 a year ($9,642 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $169,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do art directors earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% more 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.95, this job is 3.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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