Art Directors pay range in Charleston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,710 a year or less, while the top 10% make $199,990 or more. The middle half of art directors in Charleston earn between $72,000 and $157,670.
- $60K10th
- $72K25th
- $88KMedian
- $158K75th
- $200K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $110,950 | $9,246 | $53.34 |
| Median | $87,610 | $7,301 | $42.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $72,000 | $6,000 | $34.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $157,670 | $13,139 | $75.80 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Charleston vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Art directors in Charleston earn 5% more than the South Carolina average ($105,970) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -24% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $110,950 | $87,610 | $59,710 | $199,990 | 120 |
| South Carolina | $105,970 | $87,990 | $64,380 | $180,030 | 550 |
| 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 Charleston
On the average salary of $110,950, a single filer in Charleston takes home about $82,069 a year, or $6,839 a month and $3,156 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).
Is Charleston a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charleston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.0), so the average $110,950 buys what about $109,893 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Charleston ($49,150). A typical home costs $435,877, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other South Carolina cities
Charleston ranks 1st of 4 South Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Charleston$110,950
- Hilton Head Island$109,180
- Columbia$97,250
- Myrtle Beach$93,900
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 Charleston: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Charleston?
$53.34 an hour on average, and $42.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Charleston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,710 a year and the 25th percentile is $72,000, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Charleston?
About $82,069 a year ($6,839 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $110,950.
Do art directors earn more in Charleston than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC (16700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 15.7%.
- 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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