Art Directors pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,790 or more. The middle half of art directors in Madison earn between $75,800 and $106,820.
- $62K10th
- $76K25th
- $84KMedian
- $107K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,190 | $8,266 | $47.69 |
| Median | $83,650 | $6,971 | $40.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $75,800 | $6,317 | $36.44 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $106,820 | $8,902 | $51.36 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Art Directors pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Art directors in Madison earn 4% more than the Wisconsin average ($95,070) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($129,440). At the median the gap is -27% against the U.S. median of $114,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $99,190 | $83,650 | $61,630 | $130,790 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $95,070 | $81,130 | $58,470 | $131,850 | 730 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $99,190, a single filer in Madison takes home about $74,231 a year, or $6,186 a month and $2,855 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 Madison a good place for art directors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $99,190 buys what about $101,956 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 4.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Art Directors salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 2nd of 3 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Milwaukee pays the most ($99,250).
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 Madison: questions
How much do art directors make an hour in Madison?
$47.69 an hour on average, and $40.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level art directors salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $75,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the art directors take-home pay in Madison?
About $74,231 a year ($6,186 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,190.
Do art directors earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 Madison, WI (31540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.5%.
- 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 0.92, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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