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 $123,287, a Creative Director (5+ years)earns $144,610,

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 $137,590, California $137,068, Massachusetts $135,241. 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: $143,833; Creative Manager: $122,625; Lead Creative Designer: $104,609; Creative Supervisor: $92,637; Creative Strategist: $80,332.

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 April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Creative Lead in the United States is $124,268 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): $149,740
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $108,319 to $137,601
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $93,798

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Creative Lead Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$137,601	$11,467	$2,646	$66
Average	$124,268	$10,356	$2,390	$60
25th Percentile	$108,319	$9,027	$2,083	$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: $137,590.
California: $137,068.
Massachusetts: $135,241.

District of Columbia $137,590 California $137,068 Massachusetts $135,241 Washington $134,744 New Jersey $134,694 Alaska $134,520 Connecticut $132,805 New York $132,109

Hawaii $129,885 Rhode Island $128,841 Maryland $128,133 Minnesota $127,163 Colorado $126,791 Illinois $126,666 Oregon $126,194 Delaware $125,846

New Hampshire $125,627 Virginia $125,138 Pennsylvania $123,709 Nevada $122,988 North Dakota $122,752 Michigan $122,379 Wisconsin $122,242 Vermont $121,969

Texas $121,211 Maine $121,161 Arizona $121,087 Ohio $121,000 Georgia $119,856 Indiana $119,285 Wyoming $119,173 Utah $118,999

Iowa $118,924 Kansas $118,328 Louisiana $118,154 North Carolina $118,092 Missouri $118,067 Florida $117,582 Montana $117,321 Nebraska $117,073

Kentucky $116,936 South Carolina $116,439 Tennessee $116,128 Idaho $116,004 New Mexico $115,097 Oklahoma $114,898 Alabama $114,165 South Dakota $112,935

Arkansas $112,264 West Virginia $111,903 Mississippi $110,822

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: $156,739
San Francisco: $155,198
Oakland: $151,756

San Jose, CA $156,739

San Francisco, CA $155,198

Oakland, CA $151,756

New York, NY $144,014

Queens Village, NY $143,082

Paramus, NJ $142,088

Passaic, NJ $141,964

Bergenfield, NJ $141,839

Stamford, CT $141,653

Huntington, NY $141,529

Newark, NJ $140,721

Bridgeport, CT $140,473

New Brunswick, NJ $140,062

Vallejo, CA $139,802

Middlesex, NJ $139,727

Somerset, NJ $139,615

Petaluma, CA $139,329

Santa Cruz, CA $138,845

Boston, MA $138,596

Monterey, CA $137,975

Fairbanks, AK $137,888

Los Angeles, CA $137,652

Washington, DC $137,590

Seattle, WA $137,366

Santa Rosa, CA $137,341

Juneau, AK $136,981

Orange, CA $136,571

Anchorage, AK $136,347

Anaheim, CA $136,260

Santa Ana, CA $136,073

Nassau, NY $135,999

Long Beach, CA $135,949

Danbury, CT $135,912

Santa Maria, CA $135,489

Everett, WA $135,465

Bremerton, WA $134,856

Trenton, NJ $134,620

Sacramento, CA $134,570

San Diego, CA $134,508

Brockton, MA $134,458

Tacoma, WA $134,408

Santa Barbara, CA $134,234

Lowell, MA $133,737

New Suffolk, NY $133,688

Nashua, NH $133,538

Lompoc, CA $133,340

Ventura, CA $133,215

Stockton, CA $133,178

New Haven, CT $132,929

Atlantic City, NJ $132,606

Hartford, CT $132,333

Modesto, CA $132,271

Poughkeepsie, NY $131,997

New Britain, CT $131,935

Olympia, WA $131,761

Kennewick, WA $131,761

New London, CT $131,737

Norwich, CT $131,699

Lawrence, MA $131,637

Bakersfield, CA $131,289

Riverside, CA $131,115

New Bedford, MA $131,115

Richland, WA $130,991

Portsmouth, NH $130,891

Vineland, NJ $130,867

San Bernardino, CA $130,767

Boulder, CO $130,419

Worcester, MA $130,320

Portland, OR $130,208

Saint Paul, MN $130,059

Minneapolis, MN $130,059

Philadelphia, PA $129,885

Honolulu, HI $129,226

Springfield, MA $128,791

Providence, RI $128,779

Chicago, IL $128,419

Bellingham, WA $128,269

Baltimore, MD $128,133

Chico, CA $127,822

Wilmington, DE $127,611

Pittsfield, MA $127,487

Manchester, NH $127,250

Spokane, WA $126,704

Denver, CO $126,691

Albany, NY $126,107

Troy, NY $126,057

Schenectady, NY $125,796

Burlington, VT $125,523

Portland, ME $125,088

Salem, OR $124,989

Yakima, WA $124,964

Ann Arbor, MI $124,927

Rochester, MN $124,579

Fresno, CA $124,517

Reno, NV $124,517

Milwaukee, WI $124,405

Detroit, MI $124,280

Allentown, PA $124,243

Carson City, NV $124,231

Houston, TX $124,044

Colorado Springs, CO $124,032

Syracuse, NY $123,970

Eugene, OR $123,734

Bismarck, ND $123,585

Gary, IN $123,585

Galveston, TX $123,585

Springfield, OR $123,485

Medford, OR $123,187

Fort Collins, CO $123,137

Austin, TX $123,038

Mesa, AZ $122,777

Phoenix, AZ $122,752

Dallas, TX $122,715

Reading, PA $122,640

Saint Cloud, MN $122,590

Concord, NH $122,479

Madison, WI $122,429

Utica, NY $122,093

Raleigh, NC $121,994

Las Vegas, NV $121,981

Rochester, NY $121,894

Des Moines, IA $121,882

Atlanta, GA $121,683

Battle Creek, MI $121,646

Salt Lake City, UT $121,609

Lancaster, PA $121,422

Champaign, IL $121,397

Harrisburg, PA $121,248

Durham, NC $121,136

Kansas City, MO $121,124

Kansas City, KS $121,099

Fort Worth, TX $121,087

Boca Raton, FL $121,037

Cleveland, OH $121,025

Columbus, OH $121,000

Pittsburgh, PA $120,987

Richmond, VA $120,938

Indianapolis, IN $120,913

Cincinnati, OH $120,751

Petersburg, VA $120,565

Billings, MT $120,291

Lansing, MI $120,291

Huntsville, AL $120,291

Lebanon, PA $120,279

Dayton, OH $120,267

Pueblo, CO $120,267

Appleton, WI $120,229

Buffalo, NY $120,180

Racine, WI $120,117

Charlotte, NC $120,105

Saint Louis, MO $120,068

Springfield, IL $120,018

Elkhart, IN $119,993

York, PA $119,993

Gastonia, NC $119,981

Benton Harbor, MI $119,981

Beaumont, TX $119,906

Lorain, OH $119,881

Toledo, OH $119,832

Binghamton, NY $119,769

Rock Hill, SC $119,757

Rockford, IL $119,695

Fargo, ND $119,633

Elyria, OH $119,633

Flagstaff, AZ $119,546

Fort Lauderdale, FL $119,471

Miami, FL $119,397

Duluth, MN $119,198

Bangor, ME $119,036

Cedar Rapids, IA $118,900

Louisville, KY $118,837

Grand Rapids, MI $118,813

Hialeah, FL $118,800

Casper, WY $118,626

Scranton, PA $118,477

New Orleans, LA $118,440

Virginia Beach, VA $118,427

Akron, OH $118,365

Peoria, IL $118,204

Sarasota, FL $118,179

Green Bay, WI $118,092

Baton Rouge, LA $118,030

Charleston, SC $118,005

Nashville, TN $117,968

Jamestown, NY $117,943

Davenport, IA $117,943

Tucson, AZ $117,881

Cheyenne, WY $117,843

Saint Petersburg, FL $117,806

Tampa, FL $117,781

Omaha, NE $117,756

Port Arthur, TX $117,707

Evansville, IN $117,707

Bradenton, FL $117,657

Santa Fe, NM $117,433

Orlando, FL $117,309

Clearwater, FL $117,172

Canton, OH $116,911

La Crosse, WI $116,911

Grand Forks, ND $116,874

Albuquerque, NM $116,837

Tulsa, OK $116,837

Newport News, VA $116,824

High Point, NC $116,787

Ogden, UT $116,737

Corpus Christi, TX $116,638

Laramie, WY $116,563

Norfolk, VA $116,563

Rock Island, IL $116,489

Saginaw, MI $116,464

Jacksonville, FL $116,452

Salisbury, NC $116,427

Memphis, TN $116,402

Moline, IL $116,340

Fort Myers, FL $116,302

Waterloo, IA $116,141

Spartanburg, SC $116,017

Lincoln, NE $115,954

Fort Wayne, IN $115,930

Birmingham, AL $115,793

Cedar Falls, IA $115,768

Provo, UT $115,756

Springfield, OH $115,743

San Antonio, TX $115,718

Greensboro, NC $115,669

South Bend, IN $115,656

Winston Salem, NC $115,644

Boise, ID $115,607

Savannah, GA $115,520

Muskegon, MI $115,296

Lima, OH $115,147

Lake Charles, LA $115,097

Anderson, IN $115,072

Lexington, KY $115,035

Augusta, GA $114,998

Greenville, SC $114,998

Wichita, KS $114,886

Tuscaloosa, AL $114,886

Columbia, SC $114,774

Bloomington, IN $114,463

Roanoke, VA $114,389

Asheville, NC $114,227

Knoxville, TN $114,016

Shreveport, LA $114,003

Wilmington, NC $113,842

Frankfort, KY $113,606

Oklahoma City, OK $113,519

Chillicothe, OH $113,469

Longview, TX $113,457

Topeka, KS $113,419

Mobile, AL $113,233

Terre Haute, IN $113,183

Erie, PA $113,171

Altoona, PA $113,109

Melbourne, FL $113,071

Amarillo, TX $113,022

Killeen, TX $112,984

Fayetteville, AR $112,885

Sioux Falls, SD $112,798

Chattanooga, TN $112,724

Idaho Falls, ID $112,711

Gainesville, FL $112,450

Portsmouth, OH $112,388

Little Rock, AR $112,363

Lynchburg, VA $112,363

Lafayette, LA $112,313

Youngstown, OH $112,313

Temple, TX $112,264

Daytona Beach, FL $112,239

Clarksville, TN $112,226

Pensacola, FL $112,214

Hopkinsville, KY $111,841

Charleston, WV $111,829

Florence, SC $111,767

Sioux City, IA $111,692

Macon, GA $111,332

Tallahassee, FL $111,319

Fayetteville, NC $111,294

Waco, TX $111,270

Wichita Falls, TX $111,270

Pine Bluff, AR $111,220

Vincennes, IN $110,984

Lubbock, TX $110,934

Great Falls, MT $110,859

Alamogordo, NM $110,847

Abilene, TX $110,748

Rapid City, SD $110,586

Monroe, LA $110,586

Albany, GA $110,512

Huntington, WV $110,499

Jackson, MS $110,487

Greenville, MS $110,474

Parkersburg, WV $110,350

Montgomery, AL $110,325

Johnstown, PA $110,300

Springfield, MO $110,201

Biloxi, MS $110,139

Sumter, SC $109,878

Columbus, GA $109,865

Twin Falls, ID $109,791

Pascagoula, MS $109,629

Kingsport, TN $109,306

Gulfport, MS $109,269

Alexandria, LA $108,859

Fort Smith, AR $108,548

El Paso, TX $108,213

Helena, MT $108,051

Las Cruces, NM $107,653

Harlingen, TX $107,305

Pocatello, ID $107,194

Florence, AL $107,156

Brownsville, TX $107,131

Dothan, AL $106,933

Mcallen, TX $106,870

Columbus, MS $105,951

Altus, OK $105,379

Lawton, OK $105,143

Pierre, SD $104,696

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	$134,209	8%
Staff Management	$131,724	6%
Prioritization	$129,239	4%
Insight	$129,239	4%
Innovation	$127,996	3%
Collaboration	$127,996	3%

Get Latest Data

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 April 01, 2026

$108,319

Average $124,268/year

$137,601

$9,027

Average $10,356/month

$11,467

$2,083

Average $2,390/week

$2,646

$52

Average $60/hour

$66

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$137,601	$11,467	$2,646	$66
Average	$124,268	$10,356	$2,390	$60
25th Percentile	$108,319	$9,027	$2,083	$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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Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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