Art Director Salary in North Carolina
State-level salary data from BLS OES and H-1B filings
Data year: 2025 · Last updated: October 2026
Median Annual Salary (NC)
$90,000
$43.27/hr
vs National Average
$94,938
-5.2% vs national median
Salary Range (10th–90th)
$56K – $143K
Salary Distribution — Art Director in North Carolina
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $56,460 |
| 25th percentile | $82,340 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $90,000 |
| 75th percentile | $99,690 |
| 90th percentile | $142,740 |
Top-Paying Industries for Art Director (U.S.)
Which industries pay Art Directors the most — nationwide figures (industry-level data is not available by state). Art Directors in North Carolina tend to follow these industry patterns.
| Industry (U.S.) | Median Salary | Employed (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | $140,600 | 550 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $136,020 | 3K |
| Information | $129,620 | 9K |
| Administrative and Support Services | $129,430 | 2K |
| Construction | $126,200 | — |
Source: U.S. BLS OEWS National Industry-Specific estimates, May 2025. National figures (not state-specific).
Historical Salary Trend — Art Director in North Carolina vs National
| Year | Median Salary (North Carolina) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $98,280 |
| 2023 | $90,790 |
| 2024 | $89,570 |
| 2025 | $90,000 |
| 2026 (projected) | $90,432 |
The latest year is a projection based on recent wage trends — BLS has not yet released that year’s data.
| Year | North Carolina Median | National Median |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $98,280 | $88,111 |
| 2023 | $90,790 | $89,717 |
| 2024 | $89,570 | $93,068 |
| 2025 | $90,000 | $94,938 |
| 2026 (projected) | $90,432 | $95,394 |
Art Director Salary by Experience Level in North Carolina
| Experience Level | Years | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | 0-2 yrs | $82,340 |
| Mid-level | 3-5 yrs | $90,000 |
| Senior | 6-9 yrs | $99,690 |
| Staff / Lead | 10+ yrs | $142,740 |
Art Director Salary in Other States
Related Art Director Salaries in North Carolina
How other high-demand occupations in North Carolina compare to Art Director ($90,000 median).
| Occupation | Median Salary | vs Art Director | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial and Industrial Designer in NC | $80,620 | -10.4% | $38.76/hr |
| Producer and Director in NC | $63,700 | -29.2% | $30.63/hr |
| Interior Designer in NC | $61,400 | -31.8% | $29.52/hr |
| Graphic Designer in NC | $58,450 | -35.1% | $28.10/hr |
| Audio and Video Technician in NC | $46,700 | -48.1% | $22.45/hr |
| Multimedia Artist and Animator in NC | $88,350 | -1.8% | $42.48/hr |
| Psychologist in NC | $92,130 | +2.4% | $44.29/hr |
| Occupational Therapist in NC | $92,940 | +3.3% | $44.68/hr |
| Speech-Language Pathologist in NC | $86,460 | -3.9% | $41.57/hr |
| Credit Analyst in NC | $94,570 | +5.1% | $45.47/hr |
| Biomedical Engineer in NC | $94,790 | +5.3% | $45.57/hr |
| Network Administrator in NC | $95,230 | +5.8% | $45.78/hr |