Art Directors pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $224,310 or more. The middle half of art directors in Portland earn between $103,530 and $207,830.
- $96K10th
- $104K25th
- $145KMedian
- $208K75th
- $224K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $158,630 | $13,219 | $76.26 |
| Median | $145,410 | $12,118 | $69.91 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $103,530 | $8,628 | $49.77 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $207,830 | $17,319 | $99.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Art directors in Portland earn 4% more than the Oregon average ($152,490) and 23% more than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is +27% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $158,630 | $145,410 | $96,070 | $224,310 | 880 |
| Oregon | $152,490 | $133,840 | $89,390 | $216,700 | 1,040 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $158,630, a single filer in Portland takes home about $106,013 a year, or $8,834 a month and $4,077 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $119,690 | $9,974 |
| Working in OR | $106,013 | $8,834 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $158,630 buys what about $150,473 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Oregon cities
Portland ranks 1st of 2 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Portland$158,630
- Eugene$103,750
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 Portland: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Portland?
$76.26 an hour on average, and $69.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Portland?
About $106,013 a year ($8,834 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $158,630. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do art directors earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.14, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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