Art Directors pay range in Austin
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $230,410 or more. The middle half of art directors in Austin earn between $80,010 and $158,080.
- $64K10th
- $80K25th
- $101KMedian
- $158K75th
- $230K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $122,130 | $10,178 | $58.72 |
| Median | $100,690 | $8,391 | $48.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $80,010 | $6,668 | $38.47 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $158,080 | $13,173 | $76.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Austin vs. Texas and the U.S.
Art directors in Austin earn 20% more than the Texas average ($101,580) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $122,130 | $100,690 | $63,780 | $230,410 | 400 |
| Texas | $101,580 | $88,270 | $55,730 | $172,130 | 2,480 |
| 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 Austin
On the average salary of $122,130, a single filer in Austin takes home about $94,742 a year, or $7,895 a month and $3,644 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 Austin a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Austin area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.1), so the average $122,130 buys what about $124,539 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Austin ($56,950). A typical home costs $428,524, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Texas cities
Austin ranks 1st of 4 Texas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Austin$122,130
- Dallas$98,450
- Houston$97,900
- San Antonio$93,670
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 Austin: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Austin?
$58.72 an hour on average, and $48.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Austin?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Austin?
About $94,742 a year ($7,895 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $122,130. Texas has no state income tax.
Do art directors earn more in Austin 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 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX (12420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.9%.
- 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 0.90, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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