Freelance Art Director Salaries in California
How Much Does a Freelance Art Director Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Freelance Art Director in California is $165,546.
While Salary.com is seeing that Freelance Art Director salary in CA can go up to $220,753
or down to $118,350, but most earn between $140,842 and $194,444.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Freelance Art Director
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Similar Job Salaries to Freelance Art Director by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
The Keva Dine Agency
Designer/Art Director, Freelance
|
$159,048/yr
|
RANGE: $141,822 - $176,273
|
|
BOL Agency
Art Director (Freelance - Part Time)
|
$112,442/yr
|
RANGE: $98,912 - $125,973
|
|
trailerpark
Freelance Art Director, 360 Campaigns
|
$125,434/yr
|
RANGE: $109,953 - $140,915
|
|
Syneos Health/ inVentiv Health Commercial LLC
Freelance Senior Art Director
|
$109,473/yr
|
RANGE: $95,465 - $123,480
|
|
Recess Studios
Freelance Art Director
|
$121,918/yr
|
RANGE: $106,871 - $136,964
|
|
Omnicom Production
Freelance Senior Art Director
|
$113,696/yr
|
RANGE: $99,479 - $127,913
|
|
Saylor
Art Director
|
$125,705/yr
|
RANGE: $109,626 - $141,784
|
|
From The Heart Performing Arts Cent
Art Director
|
$95,941/yr
|
RANGE: $83,796 - $108,086
|
|
Collabera
Art Director
|
$104,496/yr
|
RANGE: $91,309 - $117,684
|
|
smartdept. inc.
Art Director
|
$137,406/yr
|
RANGE: $120,224 - $154,588
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Freelance Art Director Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Freelance Art Director can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Freelance Art Director job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Freelance Art Director jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Freelance Art Director positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Freelance Art Director salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Freelance Art Director salary is $189,305 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Freelance Art Director salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Freelance Art Director in California is $165,546,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Freelance Art Director jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Freelance Art Director jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $189,305 | $15,775 | $3,640 | $91 |
| Santa Clara | $189,305 | $15,775 | $3,640 | $91 |
| Fremont | $188,945 | $15,745 | $3,634 | $91 |
| San Francisco | $187,444 | $15,620 | $3,605 | $90 |
| Daly City | $187,444 | $15,620 | $3,605 | $90 |
| Berkeley | $183,286 | $15,274 | $3,525 | $88 |
| Oakland | $183,286 | $15,274 | $3,525 | $88 |
| Hayward | $182,986 | $15,249 | $3,519 | $88 |
| Antioch | $172,930 | $14,411 | $3,326 | $83 |
| Vallejo | $168,848 | $14,071 | $3,247 | $81 |
What Does a Freelance Art Director Do?
Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the freelance art director job title.
Updated December 19, 2021
Art directors have a well-honed sense of graphic design, although they may not be the ones carrying out the smaller tasks.
Updated December 18, 2021
During this period, you will apply the skills that you acquired in the first half of the program to your concept art assignments while your instructor acts as your art director.
Updated November 18, 2021
Artisan Talent Tip: A freelance art director is the next step for a designer in terms of experience and industry knowledge.
Updated October 31, 2021
Note: Whereas graphic designers often “graduate” to art directors, the step between art director and creative director isn’t quite as linear.
Updated December 22, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Freelance Art Director Salaries
What is the average of a Freelance Art Director in California?
The Freelance Art Director salary range is from $140,842 to $194,444, and the average Freelance Art Director salary is $165,546/year in California.
The Freelance Art Director's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Freelance Art Director salary in the United States?
The Freelance Art Director salary in San Jose, CA is $189,305
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Freelance Art Director's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Freelance Art Director.
What is the growth rate of the Freelance Art Director's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Freelance Art Director or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Freelance Art Director.
