Art Directors pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $179,340 or more. The middle half of art directors in Rochester earn between $76,030 and $135,010.
- $62K10th
- $76K25th
- $102KMedian
- $135K75th
- $179K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $116,390 | $9,699 | $55.96 |
| Median | $102,070 | $8,506 | $49.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,030 | $6,336 | $36.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $135,010 | $11,251 | $64.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Rochester vs. New York and the U.S.
Art directors in Rochester earn 27% less than the New York average ($159,200) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -11% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $116,390 | $102,070 | $61,590 | $179,340 | 190 |
| New York | $159,200 | $137,320 | $80,060 | $280,320 | 8,720 |
| 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 Rochester
On the average salary of $116,390, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $84,775 a year, or $7,065 a month and $3,261 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.0), so the average $116,390 buys what about $119,946 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($51,210). A typical home costs $285,034, or 2.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other New York cities
Rochester ranks 4th of 6 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($161,120).
- New York$161,120
- Syracuse$125,230
- Kiryas Joel$122,050
- Rochester$116,390
- Albany$116,140
- Buffalo$103,220
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 Rochester: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Rochester?
$55.96 an hour on average, and $49.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,030, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Rochester?
About $84,775 a year ($7,065 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $116,390. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do art directors earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 Rochester, NY (40380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.2%.
- 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). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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