Art Directors pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $186,200 or more. The middle half of art directors in Nashville earn between $76,910 and $136,180.
- $61K10th
- $77K25th
- $101KMedian
- $136K75th
- $186K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $121,210 | $10,101 | $58.27 |
| Median | $101,470 | $8,456 | $48.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,910 | $6,409 | $36.98 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $136,180 | $11,348 | $65.47 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Art directors in Nashville earn 11% more than the Tennessee average ($108,720) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $121,210 | $101,470 | $61,340 | $186,200 | 520 |
| Tennessee | $108,720 | $89,860 | $50,530 | $172,130 | 930 |
| 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 Nashville
On the average salary of $121,210, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $94,101 a year, or $7,842 a month and $3,619 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $121,210 buys what about $125,817 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 4 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$121,210
- Memphis$99,340
- Chattanooga$98,710
- Knoxville$93,500
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 Nashville: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Nashville?
$58.28 an hour on average, and $48.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,910, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Nashville?
About $94,101 a year ($7,842 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $121,210. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do art directors earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.9%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.38, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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