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Art Directors

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeLower pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $114,850 Median per year · $55.22/hr Most earn $64,900–$213,050

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prepare detailed storyboards showing sequence and timing of story development for television production.
  • Mark up, paste, and complete layouts and write typography instructions to prepare materials for typesetting or printing.
  • Hire, train, and direct staff members who develop design concepts into art layouts or who prepare layouts for printing.
  • Negotiate with printers and estimators to determine what services will be performed.
  • Research current trends and new technology, such as printing production techniques, computer software, and design trends.
  • Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 12,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)62.1%
  • Advertising, public relations, and related services11.5%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services3.2%
  • Management of companies and enterprises2.1%
  • Specialized design services2.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Art director is not usually an entry-level job. Most people spend a bachelor's degree plus several years doing hands-on design work before they lead other designers, typically about 4 to 6 years of related experience in total.

  1. Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual arts, or visual communication

    4 years

    You build core design, typography, and layout skills and start a portfolio, which is what employers look at first.

  2. Graphic Designer

    3-5 years

    You design real projects for clients or employers, learn to work with deadlines and feedback, and build the experience needed to guide others' work.

  3. Art Director

    Final step

    You formulate the creative concept for a project and direct other designers, artists, and layout workers to carry it out.

Where it can lead

  1. Creative Director

    5+ years as an art director of experience first

    You set the creative vision for a whole team, brand, or company and handle more client and business decisions, not just individual projects.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take art, drawing, and graphic design classesThese build your sense of composition, color, and layout, which are the foundation of every design career.
  • Join yearbook, school newspaper, or the school media clubLaying out pages and making visuals on deadline gives you real design experience you can put in a portfolio.
  • Enter art or design contestsCompetitions help you practice creating under limits and give you awards to list on applications.
  • Learn basic design software and photo or video editingUsing common design and editing tools early makes college classes easier and shows initiative.
  • Get a part-time job or volunteer for a local business or nonprofitMaking flyers, posters, or social media graphics teaches you to design for real clients and audiences.

In college

  • Major in graphic design, visual communication, or a related art fieldA degree is the typical starting point for this career, and design classes teach the skills employers expect.
  • Take courses in marketing, advertising, film, or media productionArt directors work across print, video, and film, so knowing how these fields work helps you think about the whole project.
  • Complete a design internshipInternships at agencies, studios, or media companies give you hands-on experience and often lead to job offers.
  • Work on the campus newspaper, yearbook, or a student design groupLeading or contributing to creative teams builds the teamwork and feedback skills art directors need.
  • Build a portfolio with freelance projectsDesigning for local businesses or student groups gives you real work to show and grows your client experience.

Tips for getting started

  • Start a portfolio early and keep adding your best work, since art director hiring depends heavily on what you have made.
  • Look for internships or part-time work at print shops, design studios, marketing teams, or local media outlets to gain experience before graduation.
  • Practice working with others: art directors guide teams, so learn to give and take feedback on group projects.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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