What are the main factors that influence a Creative Lead's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Creative Lead's salary?

A Creative Lead's salary grows with experience: a Creative Supervisor (3-5 years)earns $93,137, a Creative Lead (5+ years)earns $123,334, a Creative Director (5+ years)earns $144,591,

What are the highest paying states for a Creative Lead?

Creative Lead salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Creative Lead roles are District of Columbia $137,643, California $137,121, Massachusetts $135,293. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Creative Lead roles make?

Salaries for Creative Lead level roles vary by specialization: Creative Director: $143,814; Creative Manager: $122,672; Lead Creative Designer: $104,596; Creative Supervisor: $92,637; Creative Strategist: $80,366.

How do different companies affect a Creative Lead's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Creative Lead roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Creative Lead Salary in the United States

How much does a Creative Lead make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Creative Lead in the United States is $124,316 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $60.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $149,805
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $108,366 to $137,658
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $93,844

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Creative Lead Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$137,658	$11,472	$2,647	$66
Average	$124,316	$10,360	$2,391	$60
25th Percentile	$108,366	$9,031	$2,084	$52

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Key Factors That Influence Creative Lead Salaries

A Creative Lead'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 Do Creative Lead 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 Creative Leads. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $137,643.
California: $137,121.
Massachusetts: $135,293.

District of Columbia $137,643 California $137,121 Massachusetts $135,293 Washington $134,796 New Jersey $134,746 Alaska $134,572 Connecticut $132,857 New York $132,160

Hawaii $129,935 Rhode Island $128,891 Maryland $128,182 Minnesota $127,213 Colorado $126,840 Illinois $126,715 Oregon $126,243 Delaware $125,895

New Hampshire $125,676 Virginia $125,186 Pennsylvania $123,757 Nevada $123,036 North Dakota $122,799 Michigan $122,426 Wisconsin $122,290 Vermont $122,016

Texas $121,258 Maine $121,208 Arizona $121,134 Ohio $121,046 Georgia $119,903 Indiana $119,331 Wyoming $119,219 Utah $119,045

Iowa $118,970 Kansas $118,374 Louisiana $118,200 North Carolina $118,137 Missouri $118,113 Florida $117,628 Montana $117,367 Nebraska $117,118

Kentucky $116,981 South Carolina $116,484 Tennessee $116,173 Idaho $116,049 New Mexico $115,141 Oklahoma $114,943 Alabama $114,209 South Dakota $112,978

Arkansas $112,307 West Virginia $111,947 Mississippi $110,865

Top Paying Cities for Creative Leads

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: $156,800
San Francisco: $155,083
Oakland: $151,815

San Jose, CA $156,800

San Francisco, CA $155,083

Oakland, CA $151,815

New York, NY $143,136

Paramus, NJ $141,396

Queens Village, NY $141,390

Passaic, NJ $141,271

Bergenfield, NJ $141,260

Stamford, CT $140,987

Huntington, NY $140,936

Newark, NJ $140,017

Bridgeport, CT $139,755

Vallejo, CA $139,507

New Brunswick, NJ $139,458

Petaluma, CA $139,383

Middlesex, NJ $139,147

Somerset, NJ $139,060

Santa Cruz, CA $138,898

Boston, MA $138,140

Monterey, CA $137,704

Seattle, WA $137,419

Santa Rosa, CA $137,394

Los Angeles, CA $137,357

Juneau, AK $137,034

Washington, DC $136,897

Orange, CA $136,454

Santa Ana, CA $136,126

Long Beach, CA $136,002

Anaheim, CA $135,977

Anchorage, AK $135,915

Santa Maria, CA $135,542

Everett, WA $135,517

Danbury, CT $135,079

Bremerton, WA $134,908

Tacoma, WA $134,460

New Suffolk, NY $134,458

Sacramento, CA $134,423

Santa Barbara, CA $134,286

Trenton, NJ $134,149

San Diego, CA $134,149

Brockton, MA $134,013

Fairbanks, AK $133,708

Lompoc, CA $133,391

Lowell, MA $133,290

Ventura, CA $133,267

Nashua, NH $133,242

Stockton, CA $133,229

Modesto, CA $132,322

Poughkeepsie, NY $132,048

Olympia, WA $131,812

Kennewick, WA $131,812

New Haven, CT $131,763

Lawrence, MA $131,315

Hartford, CT $131,191

Riverside, CA $131,166

New Bedford, MA $131,041

Richland, WA $131,041

Bakersfield, CA $130,867

San Bernardino, CA $130,818

New Britain, CT $130,805

Atlantic City, NJ $130,805

New London, CT $130,756

Norwich, CT $130,718

Portsmouth, NH $130,693

Boulder, CO $130,430

Portland, OR $130,258

Worcester, MA $130,246

Minneapolis, MN $129,860

Philadelphia, PA $129,686

Honolulu, HI $129,276

Saint Paul, MN $129,217

Vineland, NJ $129,189

Providence, RI $128,829

Chicago, IL $128,468

Bellingham, WA $128,319

Springfield, MA $128,220

Baltimore, MD $128,182

Chico, CA $127,871

Pittsfield, MA $127,536

Manchester, NH $127,300

Spokane, WA $126,753

Denver, CO $126,740

Albany, NY $126,156

Troy, NY $126,106

Nassau, NY $125,973

Schenectady, NY $125,845

Wilmington, DE $125,746

Burlington, VT $125,572

Salem, OR $125,522

Portland, ME $125,136

Yakima, WA $125,012

Rochester, MN $124,627

Reno, NV $124,565

Fresno, CA $124,565

Milwaukee, WI $124,453

Detroit, MI $124,328

Ann Arbor, MI $124,307

Allentown, PA $124,291

Colorado Springs, CO $124,080

Syracuse, NY $124,018

Carson City, NV $124,018

Houston, TX $123,844

Eugene, OR $123,781

Gary, IN $123,632

Springfield, OR $123,533

Bismarck, ND $123,508

Galveston, TX $123,421

Medford, OR $123,234

Fort Collins, CO $123,185

Concord, NH $123,123

Austin, TX $123,085

Mesa, AZ $122,824

Reading, PA $122,812

Phoenix, AZ $122,799

Dallas, TX $122,762

Saint Cloud, MN $122,643

Madison, WI $122,476

Utica, NY $122,140

Rochester, NY $121,942

Des Moines, IA $121,929

Raleigh, NC $121,917

Atlanta, GA $121,730

Battle Creek, MI $121,693

Salt Lake City, UT $121,656

Lancaster, PA $121,469

Harrisburg, PA $121,295

Kansas City, MO $121,171

Champaign, IL $121,146

Kansas City, KS $121,146

Fort Worth, TX $121,134

Columbus, OH $121,112

Boca Raton, FL $121,084

Pittsburgh, PA $121,034

Richmond, VA $120,984

Indianapolis, IN $120,959

Cleveland, OH $120,947

Las Vegas, NV $120,798

Cincinnati, OH $120,798

Petersburg, VA $120,611

Huntsville, AL $120,425

Lansing, MI $120,342

Lebanon, PA $120,325

Pueblo, CO $120,313

Appleton, WI $120,276

Buffalo, NY $120,226

Dayton, OH $120,189

Racine, WI $120,164

Charlotte, NC $120,151

Saint Louis, MO $120,114

York, PA $120,040

Elkhart, IN $120,040

Gastonia, NC $120,016

Billings, MT $119,986

Beaumont, TX $119,953

Lorain, OH $119,928

Benton Harbor, MI $119,903

Toledo, OH $119,878

Binghamton, NY $119,816

Rock Hill, SC $119,803

Rockford, IL $119,741

Springfield, IL $119,691

Elyria, OH $119,679

Fargo, ND $119,679

Flagstaff, AZ $119,592

Fort Lauderdale, FL $119,517

Duluth, MN $119,443

Miami, FL $119,443

Cheyenne, WY $119,356

Grand Forks, ND $119,356

Bangor, ME $119,082

Cedar Rapids, IA $118,946

Durham, NC $118,893

Louisville, KY $118,883

Grand Rapids, MI $118,859

Hialeah, FL $118,846

Casper, WY $118,672

Scranton, PA $118,523

New Orleans, LA $118,486

Virginia Beach, VA $118,473

Akron, OH $118,411

Peoria, IL $118,249

Sarasota, FL $118,225

Nashville, TN $118,137

Omaha, NE $118,137

Green Bay, WI $118,137

Baton Rouge, LA $118,075

Charleston, SC $118,050

Jamestown, NY $117,988

Davenport, IA $117,988

Tucson, AZ $117,926

Saint Petersburg, FL $117,852

Tampa, FL $117,827

Evansville, IN $117,752

Port Arthur, TX $117,752

Bradenton, FL $117,702

Santa Fe, NM $117,479

Orlando, FL $117,255

Clearwater, FL $117,218

Canton, OH $116,956

La Crosse, WI $116,956

Albuquerque, NM $116,882

Newport News, VA $116,869

High Point, NC $116,832

Ogden, UT $116,782

Corpus Christi, TX $116,683

Norfolk, VA $116,608

Laramie, WY $116,608

Rock Island, IL $116,534

Saginaw, MI $116,509

Jacksonville, FL $116,497

Salisbury, NC $116,472

Boise, ID $116,447

Moline, IL $116,385

Fort Myers, FL $116,347

Memphis, TN $116,322

Tulsa, OK $116,260

Waterloo, IA $116,186

Spartanburg, SC $116,061

Lincoln, NE $115,999

Fort Wayne, IN $115,974

Provo, UT $115,962

Cedar Falls, IA $115,813

San Antonio, TX $115,763

Greensboro, NC $115,713

South Bend, IN $115,701

Savannah, GA $115,564

Muskegon, MI $115,514

Birmingham, AL $115,502

Winston Salem, NC $115,441

Lake Charles, LA $115,141

Anderson, IN $115,117

Lexington, KY $115,079

Augusta, GA $115,042

Greenville, SC $115,042

Lima, OH $114,943

Wichita, KS $114,930

Tuscaloosa, AL $114,930

Columbia, SC $114,818

Springfield, OH $114,793

Asheville, NC $114,594

Bloomington, IN $114,507

Knoxville, TN $114,060

Shreveport, LA $114,047

Wilmington, NC $113,886

Roanoke, VA $113,886

Topeka, KS $113,662

Frankfort, KY $113,648

Oklahoma City, OK $113,563

Chillicothe, OH $113,513

Longview, TX $113,501

Melbourne, FL $113,488

Sioux Falls, SD $113,289

Mobile, AL $113,277

Terre Haute, IN $113,227

Altoona, PA $113,152

Amarillo, TX $113,065

Killeen, TX $113,028

Fayetteville, AR $112,929

Chattanooga, TN $112,891

Sioux City, IA $112,779

Idaho Falls, ID $112,755

Lynchburg, VA $112,655

Gainesville, FL $112,494

Portsmouth, OH $112,431

Little Rock, AR $112,407

Lafayette, LA $112,357

Youngstown, OH $112,357

Daytona Beach, FL $112,282

Clarksville, TN $112,270

Pensacola, FL $112,257

Temple, TX $112,249

Hopkinsville, KY $111,884

Erie, PA $111,860

Florence, SC $111,810

Charleston, WV $111,611

Great Falls, MT $111,549

Macon, GA $111,375

Tallahassee, FL $111,362

Fayetteville, NC $111,337

Waco, TX $111,313

Helena, MT $111,226

Pine Bluff, AR $111,178

Vincennes, IN $111,027

Lubbock, TX $110,977

Alamogordo, NM $110,902

Twin Falls, ID $110,790

Rapid City, SD $110,753

Jackson, MS $110,529

Huntington, WV $110,521

Greenville, MS $110,517

Parkersburg, WV $110,390

Montgomery, AL $110,368

Wichita Falls, TX $110,243

Springfield, MO $110,243

Biloxi, MS $110,181

Monroe, LA $110,057

Johnstown, PA $109,970

Sumter, SC $109,920

Columbus, GA $109,908

Pascagoula, MS $109,672

Abilene, TX $109,672

Kingsport, TN $109,348

Albany, GA $109,348

Gulfport, MS $109,311

Alexandria, LA $108,901

Fort Smith, AR $108,590

El Paso, TX $108,254

Las Cruces, NM $107,695

Harlingen, TX $107,379

Pocatello, ID $107,359

Florence, AL $107,198

Brownsville, TX $107,173

Mcallen, TX $106,912

Dothan, AL $106,738

Columbus, MS $105,999

Altus, OK $105,420

Lawton, OK $105,184

Pierre, SD $104,736

What Skills Can Increase a Creative Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 11.7% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Sales Process (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): Designing and implementing repeatable steps that a salesperson takes to move a prospect from an early-stage lead to a closed customer.
Adobe Creative Suite (Mentioned in 0.98% Job Postings): Adobe Creative Suite is a discontinued software suite of graphic design, video editing, and web development applications developed by Adobe Systems.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	11.7%
Sales Process	1.52%
Adobe Creative Suite	0.98%

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 a Creative Lead's salary.

Resourcing: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Staff Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Prioritization: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Resourcing	$134,261	8%
Staff Management	$131,775	6%
Prioritization	$129,289	4%
Insight	$129,289	4%
Innovation	$128,045	3%
Collaboration	$128,045	3%

Get Latest Data

Creative Lead Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Creative Lead roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Creative Lead positions in Media or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Creative Lead as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Creative Lead

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking	$161,611	$78.0	30%
Internet	$149,179	$72.0	20%
Healthcare	$142,963	$69.0	15%
Biotechnology	$136,748	$66.0	10%
Chemicals	$136,748	$66.0	10%

Creative Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Creative Lead'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 August 01, 2026

$108,366

Average $124,316/year

$137,658

$9,031

Average $10,360/month

$11,472

$2,084

Average $2,391/week

$2,647

$52

Average $60/hour

$66

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$137,658	$11,472	$2,647	$66
Average	$124,316	$10,360	$2,391	$60
25th Percentile	$108,366	$9,031	$2,084	$52

Salaries of jobs related to Creative Lead

Salary Trends for Creative Lead

Salaries for a Creative Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $104,896 in 2023 to around $104,295 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Creative Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Creative Lead Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$104,896

2024

$105,773

2025

$104,295

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$104,896
2024	$105,773
2025	$104,295
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Creative Lead

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FAQ about Creative Lead

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Creative Lead?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Creative Lead roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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.)

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