Art Directors pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $158,550 or more. The middle half of art directors in Durham earn between $56,780 and $119,790.
- $26K10th
- $57K25th
- $94KMedian
- $120K75th
- $159K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $95,580 | $7,965 | $45.95 |
| Median | $93,740 | $7,812 | $45.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,780 | $4,732 | $27.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $119,790 | $9,982 | $57.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Durham vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Art directors in Durham earn about the same as the North Carolina average ($95,460) and 26% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $95,580 | $93,740 | $26,250 | $158,550 | 100 |
| North Carolina | $95,460 | $90,000 | $56,460 | $142,740 | n/a |
| 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 Durham
On the average salary of $95,580, a single filer in Durham takes home about $72,766 a year, or $6,064 a month and $2,799 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $95,580 buys what about $97,958 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 4th of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Raleigh pays the most ($113,550).
- Raleigh$113,550
- Greensboro$100,380
- Charlotte$97,260
- Durham$95,580
- Wilmington$91,870
- Winston-Salem$90,800
- Asheville$74,360
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 Durham: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Durham?
$45.95 an hour on average, and $45.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,780, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Durham?
About $72,766 a year ($6,064 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $95,580.
Do art directors earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.5%.
- 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 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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