Art Directors
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.
Common Job Titles
- Art Director
- Creative Director (CD Director)
- Creative Services Director
- Design Director
What You'll Need to Succeed
AI-generatedKey competencies for this occupation at a glance
- KnowledgeCreate visual design concepts and presentation approaches for print, broadcast, video, and film media, synthesizing client objectives with artistic vision.Advanced
- MindsetModel professional creative excellence and collaborative leadership while directing and mentoring designers, illustrators, and layout artists.Advanced
- KnowledgeEvaluate creative deliverables and design quality against project objectives and brand standards, providing constructive feedback to design teams.Proficient
- Hands-onDemonstrate mastery of Adobe Creative Cloud applications including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to produce professional-grade visual assets across multiple media formats.Proficient
- MindsetIntegrate client feedback and stakeholder expectations with creative vision through active listening and negotiation during collaborative design processes.Proficient
- MindsetAdvocate for design choices and creative strategies when presenting concepts to clients and executives, using persuasion and visual communication.Proficient
- KnowledgeCoordinate workflow and project timelines for design teams across multiple concurrent projects, managing resources and prioritizing deliverables under deadline pressure.Proficient
- KnowledgeDevelop integrated design systems and brand guidelines ensuring visual consistency across digital, print, and broadcast platforms.Proficient
- Hands-onExecute precisely digital illustration and photo editing techniques using industry-standard tools and emerging design technologies for web and mobile interfaces.Proficient
- KnowledgeAnalyze market trends, target audience preferences, and competitive visual strategies to inform design decisions for advertising and media campaigns.Developing
Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Annual wage data for Art Directors (2024)
Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)
50,370
Wage Distribution by Percentile
Line chart of annual wages by percentile. U.S. is the solid line. 10th percentile: U.S. $61,060. 25th percentile: U.S. $80,130. 50th percentile: U.S. $111,040. 75th percentile: U.S. $160,460. 90th percentile: U.S. $211,410. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between percentiles.
- U.S.
| Metric | U.S. |
|---|---|
| 10% of workers earn the following or less | $61,060 |
| 10% of workers earn the following or more | $211,410 |
| Workers on average earn | $128,100 |
+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)
Skills & Requirements
Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance
- Design4.3/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Computers and Electronics4.2/5
- Fine Arts4.2/5
- Communications and Media4.1/5
Tools & Technology
Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation
In-Demand Technology
Frequently requested by employers in job postings
- AJAX
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple macOS
- Atlassian Confluence
- Atlassian JIRA
- Cascading style sheets CSS
- Drupal
- Figma
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- PHP
- WordPress
- jQuery
Technology Skills
- Adobe ActionScript
- Adobe Director
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe ImageReady
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Apache Flex
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Apple Keynote
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital still cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
- Sketching pencils
- Tablet computers