Lead Concept Artist Salaries in California
How Much Does a Lead Concept Artist Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Lead Concept Artist in California is $163,449.
While Salary.com is seeing that Lead Concept Artist salary in CA can go up to $200,846
or down to $125,561, but most earn between $143,617 and $183,024.
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 Lead Concept Artist
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Similar Job Salaries to Lead Concept Artist by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
VGW.plus
Concept Artist
|
$83,316/yr
|
RANGE: $73,250 - $93,382
|
|
VGW
Concept Artist
|
$73,896/yr
|
RANGE: $64,968 - $82,824
|
|
Naughty Dog, Inc.
Naughty Dog, Inc. is hiring: Lead Character Concept Artist in Santa Monica
|
$89,047/yr
|
RANGE: $77,693 - $100,401
|
|
Live Nation
LN Concerts, Concept Artist
|
$88,679/yr
|
RANGE: $79,623 - $97,734
|
|
Bonfire Studios
Character Concept Artist
|
$85,999/yr
|
RANGE: $75,209 - $96,789
|
|
Vast
Senior 3D Concept Artist
|
$101,727/yr
|
RANGE: $91,615 - $111,839
|
|
PlayStation
Concept Artist (Environments - Contract)
|
$79,524/yr
|
RANGE: $71,338 - $87,709
|
|
Sony Playstation
Sr Concept Artist (Characters)
|
$95,070/yr
|
RANGE: $82,908 - $107,232
|
|
2K
Senior Concept Artist
|
$85,349/yr
|
RANGE: $74,282 - $96,417
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Lead Concept Artist Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Lead Concept Artist can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Lead Concept Artist job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Lead Concept Artist jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Lead Concept Artist positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Lead Concept Artist salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Lead Concept Artist salary is $186,907 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Lead Concept Artist salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Lead Concept Artist in California is $163,449,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Lead Concept Artist jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Lead Concept Artist 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 | $186,907 | $15,576 | $3,594 | $90 |
| Santa Clara | $186,907 | $15,576 | $3,594 | $90 |
| Fremont | $186,552 | $15,546 | $3,588 | $90 |
| San Francisco | $185,070 | $15,422 | $3,559 | $89 |
| Daly City | $185,070 | $15,422 | $3,559 | $89 |
| Berkeley | $180,965 | $15,080 | $3,480 | $87 |
| Oakland | $180,965 | $15,080 | $3,480 | $87 |
| Hayward | $180,669 | $15,056 | $3,474 | $87 |
| Antioch | $170,740 | $14,228 | $3,283 | $82 |
| Vallejo | $166,709 | $13,892 | $3,206 | $80 |
What Does a Lead Concept Artist Do?
You're likely to be offered technical training across all concept artist roles and industries to help you keep up to date with rapidly evolving technology and to become an advanced user of the software used in the organisation.
Updated December 13, 2021
Collaborate with other Art Leads and Producers to coordinate Concept Art resources, establishing schedules and priorities.
Updated November 17, 2021
Additionally, the Lead Concept Artist will have excellent illustration skills with an ability to create a variety of marketing materials within established studio brands and beyond.
Updated October 23, 2021
Concept artists kick-start creative projects by imagining and sketching characters and worlds that don't yet exist across film, animation, VFX, video games and advertising.
Updated December 22, 2021
Any project involving a visual story may require a concept artist, so you can work across many areas of visual media, such as animation, comic books and films.
Updated December 20, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Lead Concept Artist Salaries
What is the average of a Lead Concept Artist in California?
The Lead Concept Artist salary range is from $143,617 to $183,024, and the average Lead Concept Artist salary is $163,449/year in California.
The Lead Concept Artist's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Lead Concept Artist salary in the United States?
The Lead Concept Artist salary in San Jose, CA is $186,907
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Lead Concept Artist'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 Lead Concept Artist.
What is the growth rate of the Lead Concept Artist's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Lead Concept Artist or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Lead Concept Artist.
