Creative Production Director Salary in California

How much does a Creative Production Director make in California?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Creative Production Director in California is $160,374 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $77.

However, a Creative Production Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $196,083
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $147,302 to $179,065
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $135,401
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View as table View as graph 25% $147,302 10% $135,401 90% $196,083 75% $179,065 $160,374 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Creative Production Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $179,065 $14,922 $3,444 $86
Average $160,374 $13,364 $3,084 $77
25th Percentile $147,302 $12,275 $2,833 $71
Check out Creative Production Director Job Openings in California
Executive Creative Director

Confidential - San Francisco, CA

Executive Creative Director

Confidential - Los Angeles, CA

Executive Creative Director

Confidential - San Jose, CA

Managing Director Events Production

Confidential - San Francisco, CA

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Key Factors That Influence Creative Production Director Salaries

A Creative Production Director'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, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Creative Production Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Creative Production Director'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:

  • Producer (0-2 years): $72,454
  • Senior Producer (2-4 years): $78,879
  • Creative Production Manager (4-5 years): $119,063
  • Creative Production Director (5+ years): $160,374
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Producer0-2 years$72,454
Senior Producer2-4 years$78,879
Creative Production Manager4-5 years$119,063
Creative Production Director5+ years$160,374
$72,454 Producer
$78,879 Senior Pr...
$119,063 Creative ...
$160,374 Creative ...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Creative Production Directors

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:

  • Los Angeles: $160,650
  • West Hollywood: $160,534
  • Dodgertown: $160,649

Creative Production Director Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Creative Production Director salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $179,377. While startup companies pay approximate $151,699.

Creative Production Director Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$151,699
Growth Stage51~500$160,446
Established501~5000$173,223
Enterprise5000+$179,377

Creative Production Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Creative Production Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 29% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Insurance and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 15% above the average. In contrast, Creative Production Director positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Construction typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Creative Production Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Creative Production Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$184,430$89.015%
Energy & Utilities$176,411$85.010%
Biotechnology$173,204$83.08%
Healthcare$173,204$83.08%
Transportation$169,996$82.06%

Creative Production Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Creative Production Director'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 July 01, 2026

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