How much does an art director make in San Jose?
$170,100a year
Median yearly pay for art directors in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $81.80 an hour or $14,180 a month.
- Hourly
- $81.80
- Vs. national median
- +48%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 116
- Jobs in the area
- 600
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $115,800Median: $170,100Highest 10%: $275,000
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $115,800 | $55.66 | |
| 25th | $134,100 | $64.46 | |
| Median | $170,100 | $81.80 | |
| 75th | $213,600 | $102.70 | |
| 90th | $275,000 | $132.19 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for art directors.
| San Francisco, CA | $165,200 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $137,600 |
| San Diego, CA | $126,100 |
| Oxnard, CA | $121,900 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $109,500 |
| Fresno, CA | $109,400 |
| Sacramento, CA | $106,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $104,400 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | $157,000 |
| Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner | $143,200 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | $141,300 |
| Technical Writer | $140,700 |
| Designer | $129,100 |
| Writer and Author | $118,800 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $117,600 |
| Editor | $117,600 |
| Musician and Singer | $102,900 |
| Interpreter and Translator | $101,500 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an art director make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $81.80 ($170,100 a year).
Do art directors make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $170,100 against $114,900 nationally, 48% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $137,800, so San Jose pays 23% more.
Where does San Jose rank for art director pay?
1 of 116 metro areas with data.
How much does an art director make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $115,800 or less a year; the top 10% make $275,000 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.