Art Directors pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,930 a year or less, while the top 10% make $160,330 or more. The middle half of art directors in Denver earn between $81,910 and $123,480.
- $74K10th
- $82K25th
- $100KMedian
- $123K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $112,360 | $9,363 | $54.02 |
| Median | $99,990 | $8,332 | $48.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $81,910 | $6,826 | $39.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $123,480 | $10,290 | $59.37 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Art directors in Denver earn about the same as the Colorado average ($112,040) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $112,360 | $99,990 | $73,930 | $160,330 | 520 |
| Colorado | $112,040 | $99,990 | $73,110 | $162,610 | 720 |
| 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 Denver
On the average salary of $112,360, a single filer in Denver takes home about $83,640 a year, or $6,970 a month and $3,217 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $112,360 buys what about $106,218 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 3rd of 4 Colorado metro areas for this job; Boulder pays the most ($116,170).
- Boulder$116,170
- Fort Collins$113,630
- Denver$112,360
- Colorado Springs$98,780
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 Denver: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Denver?
$54.02 an hour on average, and $48.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,930 a year and the 25th percentile is $81,910, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Denver?
About $83,640 a year ($6,970 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $112,360. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do art directors earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.9%.
- 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). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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