Best degree programs for Art Directors, ranked by enrollment
3 college programs and 725 schools train Art Directors. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $114,850 median wage, 53,070 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
3 college programs at 725 schools train art directors, graduating 15,867 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Graphic Design. The job pays a median of $114,850 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About 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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
3 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0409 | 10,754 | 67.8% | 580 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0102 | 4,316 | 27.2% | 183 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0706 | 797 | 5.0% | 39 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 941 | Graphic Design | 43% | $34,565 | 100% |
| 2 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 889 | Digital Arts | 44% | $32,163 | — |
| 3 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 506 | Digital Arts | 78% | — | 40% |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 383 | Digital Arts | 76% | — | 65% |
| 5 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 265 | Graphic Design | 55% | $6,760 | 96% |
| 6 | NUC University Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 233 | Graphic Design | 54% | $9,377 | — |
| 7 | Ana G. Mendez University Orlando, FL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 176 | Graphic Design | — | — | — |
| 8 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 176 | Graphic Design | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 9 | Otis College of Art and Design Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 159 | Digital Arts | 66% | $44,867 | 82% |
| 10 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 142 | Graphic Design | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 11 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 140 | Graphic Design | 36% | — | — |
| 12 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 125 | Digital Arts | 91% | — | 24% |
| 13 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS Public · 2 feeder programs | 112 | Digital Arts | 51% | — | 94% |
| 14 | Florida International University Miami, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 111 | Digital Arts | 74% | — | 55% |
| 15 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 111 | Digital Arts | 81% | — | 85% |
| 16 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 110 | Digital Arts | 20% | — | — |
| 17 | Sierra College Rocklin, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 102 | Graphic Design | 42% | — | — |
| 18 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 100 | Graphic Design | 68% | — | 75% |
| 19 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 95 | Graphic Design | 0% | — | 67% |
| 20 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE Public · 2 feeder programs | 90 | Graphic Design | 67% | — | 87% |
| 21 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 88 | Graphic Design | 75% | — | 89% |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI Public · 2 feeder programs | 87 | Graphic Design | 55% | — | 88% |
| 23 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT Public · 1 feeder programs | 84 | Graphic Design | 24% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 83 | Graphic Design | 85% | — | 80% |
| 25 | Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 82 | Graphic Design | 79% | $48,578 | 75% |
| 26 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 82 | Graphic Design | 91% | $18,925 | 5% |
| 27 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Digital Arts | 52% | — | 69% |
| 28 | San Diego City College San Diego, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Graphic Design | 30% | — | — |
| 29 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 76 | Graphic Design | 68% | — | 90% |
| 30 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 76 | Digital Arts | 89% | — | 27% |
| 31 | Utah Tech University Saint George, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 76 | Digital Arts | 38% | — | — |
| 32 | Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 75 | Digital Arts | 57% | — | 63% |
| 33 | Gnomon North Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 73 | Digital Arts | 100% | $44,138 | 42% |
| 34 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 73 | Graphic Design | 33% | — | — |
| 35 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 71 | Graphic Design | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 36 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Graphic Design | 63% | — | 93% |
| 37 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 70 | Graphic Design | 89% | $21,956 | 11% |
| 38 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Graphic Design | 58% | — | 88% |
| 39 | Portland State University Portland, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Graphic Design | 53% | — | 91% |
| 40 | Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 66 | Graphic Design | 64% | — | 81% |
| 41 | Front Range Community College Westminster, CO Public · 2 feeder programs | 65 | Graphic Design | 35% | — | — |
| 42 | Rasmussen University - Minnesota St. Cloud, MN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 65 | Graphic Design | 53% | $19,944 | — |
| 43 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 62 | Graphic Design | 78% | $36,004 | 79% |
| 44 | University of Oregon Eugene, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 62 | Intermedia/Multimedia | 72% | — | 88% |
| 45 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Digital Arts | 34% | $40,294 | — |
| 46 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Graphic Design | 85% | — | 42% |
| 47 | CUNY Queensborough Community College Bayside, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Digital Arts | 24% | — | — |
| 48 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 56 | Digital Arts | 75% | — | 78% |
| 49 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Graphic Design | 56% | — | — |
| 50 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 54 | Graphic Design | 69% | — | 76% |
What art directors earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $99,660 | 2,520 | 0.74× | 30 | 2,248 |
| California | $137,780 | 12,430 | 2.00× | 84 | 1,981 |
| New Hampshire | $132,000 | 160 | 0.70× | 7 | 972 |
| Texas | $88,270 | 2,480 | 0.52× | 31 | 956 |
| New York | $137,320 | 8,720 | 2.64× | 49 | 696 |
| Illinois | $103,550 | 2,960 | 1.42× | 31 | 524 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,450 | 1,250 | 0.60× | 38 | 504 |
| Massachusetts | $149,320 | 1,850 | 1.49× | 23 | 491 |
| Arizona | — | 450 | 0.40× | 13 | 485 |
| North Carolina | $90,000 | — | — | 25 | 470 |
| Ohio | $94,390 | 1,050 | 0.55× | 33 | 453 |
| Wisconsin | $81,130 | 730 | 0.73× | 23 | 435 |
| Michigan | $86,660 | 1,080 | 0.72× | 25 | 429 |
| Minnesota | $109,700 | 920 | 0.92× | 19 | 348 |
| Idaho | $80,680 | — | — | 5 | 310 |
| Oregon | $133,840 | 1,040 | 1.55× | 12 | 308 |
| Colorado | $99,990 | 720 | 0.73× | 13 | 285 |
| Virginia | $101,150 | 670 | 0.48× | 6 | 279 |
| Oklahoma | $80,680 | 290 | 0.49× | 22 | 261 |
| Missouri | $100,940 | 780 | 0.78× | 17 | 218 |
| New Jersey | $129,200 | 1,840 | 1.26× | 15 | 218 |
| Georgia | $110,430 | 1,420 | 0.85× | 12 | 190 |
| Nebraska | $73,270 | 140 | 0.40× | 10 | 190 |
| Iowa | $80,940 | 280 | 0.52× | 17 | 189 |
| Kansas | $60,460 | — | — | 10 | 171 |
| Mississippi | $66,020 | 90 | 0.23× | 8 | 161 |
| Tennessee | $89,860 | 930 | 0.83× | 14 | 151 |
| Arkansas | $71,930 | 240 | 0.54× | 9 | 149 |
| Utah | $106,500 | 290 | 0.50× | 5 | 136 |
| Kentucky | $76,160 | 320 | 0.47× | 9 | 126 |
| Connecticut | $71,900 | 1,160 | 2.00× | 5 | 125 |
| Maryland | $98,400 | 570 | 0.60× | 8 | 115 |
| South Carolina | $87,990 | 550 | 0.70× | 8 | 111 |
| Nevadamoderate | $98,070 | 290 | 0.56× | 3 | 110 |
| Louisiana | $83,640 | 160 | 0.24× | 6 | 89 |
| Vermontmoderate | $129,260 | 80 | 0.82× | 4 | 74 |
| Alabama | $77,220 | 210 | 0.30× | 7 | 73 |
| Indiana | $105,690 | 350 | 0.32× | 11 | 55 |
| Washington | $121,170 | 650 | 0.54× | 6 | 50 |
| Rhode Islandmoderate | $72,550 | 90 | 0.55× | 4 | 49 |
| New Mexico | — | 60 | 0.19× | 6 | 47 |
| Mainemoderate | $100,300 | — | — | 4 | 46 |
| South Dakota | $66,610 | 30 | 0.21× | 7 | 42 |
| District of Columbiamoderate | — | 310 | 1.30× | 4 | 34 |
| Hawaiilimited | $89,300 | 40 | 0.18× | 2 | 28 |
| Montanamoderate | $73,850 | 100 | 0.56× | 4 | 19 |
| Alaskalimited | $75,200 | 40 | 0.35× | 1 | 14 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $63,550 | 30 | 0.14× | 3 | 11 |
| North Dakotalimited | $83,170 | 30 | 0.23× | 2 | 8 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
- Present final layouts to clients for approval.
- Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
- Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
- Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
- Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
- Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
- Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.
Skills
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Writing3.4
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Learning3.3
- Learning Strategies3.0
Knowledge areas
- Design4.3
- English Language4.3
- Computers and Electronics4.2
- Fine Arts4.2
- Communications and Media4.1
- Sales and Marketing3.7
Abilities
- Originality4.3
- Fluency of Ideas4.3
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Near Vision4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Thinking Creatively5.0
- Working with Computers4.6
- Getting Information4.4
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.4
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Art Director
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 3 majors mapped to Art Directors3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 50.0102Digital Arts
- 50.0409Graphic Design
- 50.0706Intermedia/Multimedia
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Art Director?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Graphic Design, which awarded 10,754 degrees in 2024-25, 67.8% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Art Director?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 3 programs to this occupation. The largest are Design and Applied Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, Fine and Studio Arts. Together they graduate about 15,867 people a year.
How much do art directors earn?+
The median is $114,850 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $64,900 at the 10th percentile to $213,050 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for art directors growing?+
BLS projects a +4.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 12,300 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
725 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 3 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do art directors work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Art Director, Design Director, Creative Services Director, Creative Director (CD Director) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-1011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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