Art Directors Salary, Outlook, Education & Career Data | Career Matchup
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Verified career profile

Art Directors

27-1011

Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual productions and media, such as print, broadcasting, video, and film. Direct workers engaged in artwork or layout design.

Median annual wage

$114,850

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Projected change

4.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Annual openings

12.2k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

National employment

53,070

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$114,850

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Mean annual wage

Not available

Source metadata unavailable

Hourly median wage

Not available

Source metadata unavailable

Hourly mean wage

Not available

Source metadata unavailable

10th percentile annual wage

$64,900

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

25th percentile annual wage

Not available

Source metadata unavailable

75th percentile annual wage

Not available

Source metadata unavailable

90th percentile annual wage

$213,050

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

National employment

53,070

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 27-1011

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

4.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Average annual openings

12.2k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

Related work experience

5 years or more

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

On-the-job training

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 27-1011

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4.5 raw · CX scale
89% relative

Relative scale: 89% · raw 4.54 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Time pressure

4.8 raw · CX scale
94% relative

Relative scale: 94% · raw 4.76 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Spend time standing

1.8 raw · CX scale
21% relative

Relative scale: 21% · raw 1.83 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Exposed to contaminants

1 raw · CX scale
1% relative

Relative scale: 1% · raw 1.03 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.1 raw · CX scale
3% relative

Relative scale: 3% · raw 1.14 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

1 raw · CX scale
0% relative

Relative scale: 0% · raw 1.01 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Active listening

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Critical thinking

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Speaking

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Writing

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Active learning

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Reading comprehension

3.8 raw · LV scale
54% relative

Relative scale: 54% · raw 3.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Monitoring

3.6 raw · LV scale
52% relative

Relative scale: 52% · raw 3.62 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Learning strategies

3.4 raw · LV scale
48% relative

Relative scale: 48% · raw 3.38 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Dependability

2.1 raw · WI scale
85% relative

Relative scale: 85% · raw 2.08 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Attention to detail

1.9 raw · WI scale
82% relative

Relative scale: 82% · raw 1.94 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Stress tolerance

1.6 raw · WI scale
77% relative

Relative scale: 77% · raw 1.61 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

Cooperation

1.7 raw · WI scale
78% relative

Relative scale: 78% · raw 1.7 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 27-1011.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 27-1011 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 27-1011 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 27-1011.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Source: Employment Projections
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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.