Art and Design Workers

How to become an Art Director

Official title: Art Directors

Also called: Art Director, Art Supervisor, Creative Director (CD Director), Creative Manager, Creative Services Director, Creative Services Manager, Design Director, Graphic Design and Art Production Manager, Group Art Supervisor, Presentation Director

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.

Main tasks

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.

How to become one

Art directors need at least a bachelor's degree in an art or design subject and previous work experience. Depending on the industry, art directors may have previously worked as graphic designers , illustrators , copy editors , or photographers , or in another art or design occupation.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
College: Creative Arts & Design degrees, Offered by 32 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $114,850 a year The middle half earn $82,480 to $162,640.
About 140,200 people work in this job now, and about 146,000 are projected by 2035. (+4.2%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Art Director?

How much does an Art Director earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $114,850 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $82,480 to $162,640.

Is an Art Director a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 140,200 to about 146,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Art Director?

Not always. 58% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Arts & Humanities degrees; Creative Arts & Design degrees.

Will AI change the work of an Art Director?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.