Salary distribution
Where California art directors fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $102,570 and $175,490, with a median of $133,930.
Art Directors in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 85 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $190,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 13 | $84,552 |
| Level II — qualified | 11 | $140,004 |
| Level III — experienced | 15 | $178,499 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 31 | $200,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Art Directors in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Marcom Art Director | 13 | $193,461 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Product Design Manager | 8 | $238,860 |
| Intuit Inc. | Manager, Product Design | 7 | $204,400 |
| CONVICTS INC. | CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER | 2 | $190,000 |
| ANOMALY PARTNERS LA LLC | CREATIVE DIRECTOR | 2 | $212,500 |
| Gap Inc. | Associate Creative Director | 2 | $195,367 |
| Circa XV Inc | Art Director | 2 | $85,457 |
| Riot Games, Inc. | Manager, Art Outsourcing | 2 | $183,456 |
| APPLE SENTITY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS LLC | Content Creative Producer | 2 | $161,600 |
| 5 Star Apparel LLC | Creative Director, Design “ Mens Billabong | 2 | $250,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Senior Vice President of Engagement at The Humane League$191,674South Lake TahoeDecided Dec 29, 2025I-203-25353-499142
- Creative Director at Meta Platforms, Inc$205,000Menlo ParkDecided Dec 23, 2025I-203-25350-485237
- Executive Creative Director at Koto Studio LA Inc$385,875Culver CityDecided Dec 8, 2025I-203-25335-446607
- Marcom Art Director at Apple Inc.$199,243SunnyvaleDecided Nov 28, 2025I-200-25324-425066
- Creative Director at Charter Space Technologies, Inc.$118,352El SegundoDecided Nov 20, 2025I-202-25317-404874
- Human Factors Engineering at Apple Inc.$216,600Culver CityDecided Nov 17, 2025I-203-25312-390708
- Sr Staff Content Producer at Tesla, Inc.$189,000FremontDecided Nov 14, 2025I-203-25310-381547
- Manager, Product Design at Intuit Inc.$204,400San FranciscoDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25311-385595
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Art Directors pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Art Directors specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 55 certified offers. The most common variant is Creative Director at a median of $200,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Director | Meta Platforms, Inc | 16 | $200,000 |
| Manager, Product Design | Intuit Inc. | 12 | $197,767 |
| Art Director | Circa XV Inc | 11 | $105,000 |
| Marcom Art Director | Apple Inc. | 7 | $193,461 |
| Director, Design Technology | Punchcut LLC | 3 | $178,499 |
| Product Design Manager | Meta Platforms, Inc | 3 | $267,540 |
| Content Creative Producer | APPLE SENTITY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS LLC | 3 | $163,200 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Art Directors in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 85 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $204,400.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Meta Platforms, Inc | 27 | $204,400 |
| Professional services | CONVICTS INC. | 26 | $153,552 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 19 | $189,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Gap Inc. | 8 | $182,867 |
| Nonprofit and civic | The Humane League | 2 | $155,837 |
| Finance and insurance | Coinbase, Inc. | 1 | $244,100 |
| Real estate | Acomb Ostendorf & Associates LLC | 1 | $120,000 |
| Media and entertainment | INSOMNIAC HOLDINGS, LLC | 1 | $175,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.3 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Originality
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Fluency of Ideas
Ability
- 4.2 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
Fine Arts
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Communications and Media
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
- 02
Present final layouts to clients for approval.
- 03
Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
- 04
Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
- 05
Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
- 06
Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
- 07
Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
- 08
Mark up, paste, and complete layouts and write typography instructions to prepare materials for typesetting or printing.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.2%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for art directors in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$170,760
- San Francisco$158,690
- Los Angeles$133,550
- San Diego$112,400
- Riverside$108,340
- Sacramento$103,480
Compare Art Directors pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Art Directors in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Art Directors in California is $133,930.
- How does California compare to the national median for Art Directors?
- The California median is +16.7% versus the BLS national figure of $114,795.
- What is the salary range for Art Directors in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $76,470 and the 90th-percentile at $226,370, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Art Directors a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Art Directors?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.