Art Directors pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,050 a year or less, while the top 10% make $169,350 or more. The middle half of art directors in Columbia earn between $80,090 and $93,210.
- $66K10th
- $80K25th
- $88KMedian
- $93K75th
- $169K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $97,250 | $8,104 | $46.75 |
| Median | $87,990 | $7,332 | $42.30 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $80,090 | $6,674 | $38.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $93,210 | $7,768 | $44.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Art directors in Columbia earn 8% less than the South Carolina average ($105,970) and 25% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $97,250 | $87,990 | $66,050 | $169,350 | 130 |
| 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 Columbia
On the average salary of $97,250, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $73,145 a year, or $6,095 a month and $2,813 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $97,250 buys what about $103,831 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 2.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 3rd of 4 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($110,950).
- 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 Columbia: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Columbia?
$46.76 an hour on average, and $42.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,050 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Columbia?
About $73,145 a year ($6,095 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $97,250.
Do art directors earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 25% 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 Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.7%.
- 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 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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