Art Directors vs Graphic Designers: $115K vs $63K Median Pay

Art Directors vs Graphic Designers: what changes?

Consider Art Directors if you want to formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual productions and media, such as print, broadcasting, video, and film. Consider Graphic Designers if you would rather design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for Art Directors (5 years or more).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Art Directors and Graphic Designers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Art Directors

National median pay (2025): $114,850
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: 5 years or more.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 12,200

Know before you choose

BLS lists 5 years or more of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Art Directors brief

Graphic Designers

National median pay (2025): $62,960
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 16,000

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 1.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Graphic Designers brief

How the national numbers differ

Art Directors has the edge on projected growth

Art Directors is at 4.2% projected growth, compared with -1.7% projected growth for Graphic Designers.

Art Directors has the edge on median pay

Art Directors is at $114,850, compared with $62,960 for Graphic Designers.

Graphic Designers has the edge on annual openings

Graphic Designers is at 16,000 annual openings, compared with 12,200 annual openings for Art Directors.

67.4/ 100

Art Directors

47.8/ 100

Graphic Designers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence