Salary AI Book a Demo
upper level job

Art Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an Art Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Art Manager in the United States is $111,121 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $53.

However, an Art Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $131,536
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,505 to $121,807
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $81,287
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Art Manager Salaries

An Art Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Art Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Art Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Art Designer I (0-2 years): $56,456
  • Art Designer II (2-4 years): $69,560
  • Art Manager (4-5 years): $111,121
  • Art Director (5+ years): $151,722
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Art Designer I0-2 years$56,456
Art Designer II2-4 years$69,560
Art Manager4-5 years$111,121
Art Director5+ years$151,722
View as Graph

How Do Art Managers Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Art Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $123,033.
  • California: $122,566.
  • Massachusetts: $120,933.

Top Paying Cities for Art Manager

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $140,157
  • San Francisco: $138,622
  • Oakland: $135,701

What Skills Can Increase an Art Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Project Management (Mentioned in 6.59% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.91% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Marketing Communications (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): Marketing communications (MC, marcom(s), marcomm(s)) uses different marketing channels and tools in combination: Marketing communication channels focus on any way a business communicates a message to its desired market, or the market in general. A marketing communication tool can be anything from: advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, communication, and promotion to public relations. MC are made up of the marketing mix which is made up of 4P's: Price, Promotion, Place and Product, for a business selling goods, and made up of 7P's: Price, Promotion, Place, Product, People, Physical evidence and Process, for a service based business.
Skills Demand Percentage
Project Management 6.59%
Microsoft Office 2.91%
Marketing Communications 1.49%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Art Manager's salary.

  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Digital Design: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Project Design: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight $121,122
9%
Digital Design $120,011
8%
Project Design $120,011
8%
Get Latest Data

Art Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Art Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $124,182. While startup companies pay approximate $105,046.

Art Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $105,046
Growth Stage 51~500 $111,096
Established 501~5000 $119,914
Enterprise 5000+ $124,182

Art Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Art Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Art Manager positions in Transportation or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Art Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Art Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$122,233$59.010%
Business Services$122,233$59.010%
Construction$122,233$59.010%
Energy & Utilities$122,233$59.010%
Healthcare$122,233$59.010%

How Education impacts an Art Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Art Manager enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Art Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $108,213 and $118,008.

Art Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Art Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.5%
High School 8.5%
Associates 14.1%
Bachelors 66.1%
Masters 8.3%
Doctorate 0.2%
View as Graph

Art Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Art Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$95,505
Average $111,121/year
$121,807
$7,959
Average $9,260/month
$10,151
$1,837
Average $2,137/week
$2,342
$46
Average $53/hour
$59
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $121,807 $10,151 $2,342 $59
Average $111,121 $9,260 $2,137 $53
25th Percentile $95,505 $7,959 $1,837 $46

Art Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Art Manager

Next Role

For an Art Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Art Director role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $151,722 - a projected growth of 37% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Art Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Art Manager

Here are companies hiring for Art Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Art Manager Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Art Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Art Manager

1. Where can an Art Manager earn the most?

An Art Manager's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Art Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Art Manager is $140,157.

2. What is the highest pay for Art Manager?

The highest pay for Art Manager is $131,536.

3. What is the lowest pay for Art Manager?

The lowest pay for Art Manager is $81,287.

4. What are the responsibilities of Art Manager?

Manages the creative design and execution of visual communications to meet an organization's marketing or advertising objectives. Provides internal clients with design standards, tools, and guidance on communicating corporate image, branding, and identity. Oversees the design and production operations of all visual elements including publications, infographics, and social content, that are deployed across digital, interactive and print. Monitors projects and timelines. Stays current on latest trends. Develops and manages a network of vendors, freelance artists, and designers to utilize for project support. Typically requires a bachelor's degree in art, graphic design or equivalent. Typically reports to a director. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Art Manager?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Art Manager roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job