Headline risk
1%
Very Low RiskArt directors
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual productions and media, such as print, broadcasting, video, and film. Direct workers engaged in artwork or layout design.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 19% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 111,040
Employment 2024
135.0K
Projected Change (2024–34)
4.2%
Openings (2024–34)
12.3K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of art directors is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Work with creative directors to develop design solutions. AI use: 0%
- 2. Present final layouts to clients for approval. AI use: 0%
- 3. Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities. AI use: 0%
- 4. Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements. AI use: 93%
- 5. Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound. AI use: 0%
- 6. Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.7 · 216K employed
Under 25: 4% · 25–54: 76% · 55+: 19%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions.
Most art directors are self-employed. Others work for advertising and public relations firms, newspaper and magazine publishers, motion picture and video industries, and specialized design services firms.
Art directors need at least a bachelor’s degree in an art or design subject and previous work experience. Depending on the industry, art directors may have previously worked as graphic designers , illustrators , copy editors , or photographers , or in another art or design occupation.
The median annual wage for art directors was $111,040 in May 2024.
Employment of art directors is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.