Also called: Creative Lead, Design Lead
Sets the visual style for ad campaigns, magazines, packaging, websites, films, or video games, and directs the designers who make it.
An art director's day is mostly reviews and decisions: approving layouts, giving designers notes, and presenting concepts to clients. They might sit in on a photo shoot to make sure the lighting matches the campaign mood. They spend less time making art themselves and more time steering a team.
BLS May 2024. Top pay is in advertising agencies and film/video production in big cities.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 9 years after high school. Bachelor's in graphic design or fine art, plus usually 5+ years as a designer before being promoted.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Advertising, Communication Design.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). BLS projects about average growth, 2024-34.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI churns out drafts and variations, so teams get smaller; taste, concept choices and directing shoots and clients stay human.
Classes: AP Studio Art 2-D Design, Graphic design or media arts CTE, Marketing or DECA.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.