Art Directors salary
in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Middle 50%
- $134,070–$213,610
- vs U.S. median
- +48%
- Metro rank
- #1 of 31
Art Directors in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro earn a median of $170,140 a year, based on BLS estimates for 600 jobs (May 2025). That is 48% above the U.S. median of $114,850 and 23% above the CA statewide median of $137,780. It ranks #1 of 31 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE600 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in San Jose
1 employers · DOL
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Visa-sponsored positions only, base pay.
| Employer | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $196,574 | 9 |
Art Directors pay in other CA metros
5 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $165,210 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $137,560 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $126,050 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $106,390 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $104,360 |
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Questions
What is the average Art Directors salary in San Jose?
The BLS median is $170,140 a year (May 2025). Half of the 600 jobs pay between $134,070 and $213,610. The 10th percentile is $115,770 and the 90th is $274,950.
Is San Jose a high-paying metro for Art Directors?
That is 48% above the U.S. median of $114,850 and 23% above the CA statewide median of $137,780. It ranks #1 of 31 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Art Directors make an hour in San Jose?
About $81.80 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $170,140 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $64.46–$102.70 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Art Directors the most in San Jose?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Apple ($196,574). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.