Art Directors pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $170,130 or more. The middle half of art directors in Philadelphia earn between $80,850 and $123,100.
- $72K10th
- $81K25th
- $105KMedian
- $123K75th
- $170K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $110,300 | $9,192 | $53.03 |
| Median | $105,260 | $8,772 | $50.61 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $80,850 | $6,738 | $38.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $123,100 | $10,258 | $59.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Art directors in Philadelphia earn 7% more than the Pennsylvania average ($102,660) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $110,300 | $105,260 | $72,090 | $170,130 | 780 |
| Pennsylvania | $102,660 | $97,450 | $65,470 | $149,940 | 1,250 |
| 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 Philadelphia
On the average salary of $110,300, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $83,040 a year, or $6,920 a month and $3,194 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in PA | $83,040 | $6,920 |
| Working in NJ | $81,590 | $6,799 |
| Working in MD | $81,381 | $6,782 |
| Working in DE | $80,377 | $6,698 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $110,300 buys what about $107,553 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 1st of 5 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Philadelphia$110,300
- Allentown$101,470
- Harrisburg$98,280
- Pittsburgh$95,440
- Lancaster$90,940
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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Philadelphia?
$53.03 an hour on average, and $50.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,850, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $83,040 a year ($6,920 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $110,300. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do art directors earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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