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Art Director Average Salary in Canada 2024

How much money does a person working as Art Director make in Canada?


Average Yearly Salary
124,000 CAD
( 10,400 CAD monthly)

LOW
64,600
CAD
AVERAGE
124,000
CAD
HIGH
190,000
CAD
All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working as Art Director in Canada typically earns around 124,000 CAD. Salaries range from 64,600 CAD (lowest) to 190,000 CAD (highest).


Salary Variance

This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Art Director salaries in Canada vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.



Art Director Pay Scale and Salaries in Canada

Median and salary distribution Canada Art Director yearly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
113,000 CAD or more
10% of people earn
100,000 to 113,000 CAD
20% of people earn
73,200 CAD or less
65% of people earn
73,200 to 100,000 CAD
Minimum Salary
64,600 CAD
Median
113,000 CAD
Maximum
190,000 CAD




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries for the position Art Director in Canada range from 64,600 CAD (starting salary) to 190,000 CAD (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.

  • Median Salary

    With a median salary of 113,000 CAD, half of the professionals who work as Art Director in Canada earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Art Director in Canada earn less than 93,700 CAD, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 128,000 CAD while 25% earn more.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Art Director in Canada compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 73,200 CAD to 100,000 CAD. About 20% of salaries are below the 73,200 CAD mark, while 10% fall within the range of 100,000 CAD to 113,000 CAD. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 113,000 CAD.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Art Director / Canada

How do experience and age affect pay?

0 - 2 Years
73,400 CAD
2 - 5 Years+34%
98,500 CAD
5 - 10 Years+30%
128,000 CAD
10 - 15 Years+21%
155,000 CAD
15 - 20 Years+9%
169,000 CAD
20+ Years+5%
178,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience yearly Canada Art Director
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Art Director and this is what we found.


All salary figures displayed here are per year except when noted otherwise.

Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 73,400 CAD.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 98,500 CAD, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.

Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 128,000 CAD, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.

Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 155,000 CAD, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.

If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 169,000 CAD, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.

Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 178,000 CAD, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.

On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.

Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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Salary Comparison By Education / Art Director / Canada

How do education levels affect salaries?

Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Art Director.

High School
88,500 CAD
Certificate or Diploma+14%
101,000 CAD
Bachelor's Degree+41%
142,000 CAD
Master's Degree+21%
173,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level yearly Canada Art Director
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We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Art Director in order to make a comparison.


Level 1: High School

Employees at this education level have an average salary of 88,500 CAD.


Level 2: Certificate or Diploma

At this level, the average salary becomes 101,000 CAD, 14% more than the previous level.


Level 3: Bachelor's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 142,000 CAD, 41% more than the previous level.


Level 4: Master's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 173,000 CAD, 21% more than the previous level.



Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Canada costs anywhere from 50,000 CAD to 150,000 CAD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.


Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Education Level
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Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Art Director / Canada

Salary comparison by gender Canada Art Director yearly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Art Director in Canada, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 5%.

Male
127,000 CAD
Female-4%
122,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in Canada for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender yearly Canada
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Art Director / Canada

How much are annual salary increments in Canada for individuals working as Art Director? How often do employees get salary raises?

Individuals working as Art Director in Canada are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 16 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate Canada Art Director
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

Canada / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate Canada
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Canada is 7%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.



Bonus and Incentive Rates / Art Director / Canada

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate Canada Art Director
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45% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 55% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
55%
No Bonus
45%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Average Hourly Wage / Art Director / Canada


60 CAD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Art Director in Canada is 60 CAD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Art Director in Canada is 31 CAD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary comparison with similar jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Advertising / Graphic Design / Events-100%
Advertisement Fraud Analyst124,000 CAD-0%
Advertising Account Executive135,000 CAD+9%
Advertising Account Manager148,000 CAD+19%
Advertising Account Planner76,800 CAD-38%
Advertising and Promotions Manager203,000 CAD+63%
Advertising Coordinator94,800 CAD-24%
Advertising Data Analyst132,000 CAD+6%
Advertising Manager199,000 CAD+60%
Advertising Operations Manager208,000 CAD+67%
Advertising Sales Director201,000 CAD+62%
Advertising Strategic Planner130,000 CAD+5%
Advertising Team Leader114,000 CAD-8%
Animation Director154,000 CAD+24%
Animator87,100 CAD-30%
Art Director124,000 CAD-0%
Art Manager121,000 CAD-3%
Artificial Intelligence Advertising Analyst127,000 CAD+2%
Artist95,000 CAD-24%
Artworker68,700 CAD-45%
Assistant Art Director92,100 CAD-26%
Audio and Video Equipment Technician69,600 CAD-44%
Audio Engineer84,700 CAD-32%
Audiosual Technician70,100 CAD-44%
Branding Consultant149,000 CAD+20%
Broadcast Administrator131,000 CAD+5%
Catering Sales78,000 CAD-37%
Catering Trainer94,100 CAD-24%
Color Consultant79,600 CAD-36%
Commercial and Industrial Designer72,700 CAD-41%
Conference Organiser88,900 CAD-28%
Content and Media Production Lead139,000 CAD+12%
CopyWriter78,900 CAD-37%
Creative Content Strategist148,000 CAD+19%
Creative Designer88,000 CAD-29%
Creative Director120,000 CAD-3%
Creative Technologist139,000 CAD+12%
Crowd Management Specialist119,000 CAD-4%
Design Strategist121,000 CAD-3%
Designer 65,400 CAD-47%
Desktop Publisher59,200 CAD-52%
Digital Campaign Manager130,000 CAD+5%
Digital Media Manager145,000 CAD+17%
Digital Media Strategist141,000 CAD+13%
Director of Events200,000 CAD+61%
Director of Graphic Design108,000 CAD-13%
Director of Social Media Marketing152,000 CAD+22%
Event Experience Designer135,000 CAD+9%
Event Security Specialist110,000 CAD-11%
Event Technology Consultant117,000 CAD-6%
Event Technology Integration Specialist114,000 CAD-8%
Events and Promotions Manager192,000 CAD+55%
Events Director204,000 CAD+64%
Exhibit Designer98,000 CAD-21%
Exhibit Display Coordinator94,200 CAD-24%
Exhibit Display Manager118,000 CAD-5%
Experiential Designer110,000 CAD-11%
Finisher61,600 CAD-50%
Gamification Specialist125,000 CAD+1%
Graphic Artist75,400 CAD-39%
Graphic Design Specialist89,400 CAD-28%
Graphic Designer75,800 CAD-39%
Graphics Artist78,300 CAD-37%
Graphics Design Supervisor103,000 CAD-17%
Group Creative Director127,000 CAD+2%
Imagery Analyst68,500 CAD-45%
Imaging Technologist71,200 CAD-43%
Immersive Storyteller104,000 CAD-16%
Interaction Designer62,200 CAD-50%
Lead Generation Specialist149,000 CAD+20%
Media Analyst95,200 CAD-23%
Media Executive129,000 CAD+4%
Media Planner103,000 CAD-17%
Media Production Coordinator89,300 CAD-28%
Media Production Manager167,000 CAD+34%
Media Project Manager166,000 CAD+34%
Media Relations Representative138,000 CAD+11%
Media Sales Executive157,000 CAD+26%
Meeting and Event Planner92,400 CAD-26%
Mobile Advertising Specialist149,000 CAD+20%
Motion Graphic Artist101,000 CAD-19%
Motion Graphics Designer95,200 CAD-23%
Multimedia Artist76,600 CAD-38%
Multimedia Specialist71,200 CAD-43%
NFT Designer90,000 CAD-28%
NFT Specialist91,200 CAD-27%
Photographer65,100 CAD-48%
PPC Campaign Manager128,000 CAD+3%
Print Production Manager134,000 CAD+8%
Product and Brand Manager180,000 CAD+45%
Sales Promotion Manager181,000 CAD+46%
Search Engine Optimization Specialist (SEO)82,100 CAD-34%
Sketch Artist82,200 CAD-34%
Social Media Event Strategist107,000 CAD-14%
Social Media Executive160,000 CAD+29%
Social Media Graphic Designer86,600 CAD-30%
Social Media Manager151,000 CAD+22%
Social Media Marketing Manager151,000 CAD+22%
Social Media Strategist147,000 CAD+18%
Special Events Supervisor112,000 CAD-10%
Technical Typist53,400 CAD-57%
User Experience UX Designer81,000 CAD-35%
UX Designer74,200 CAD-40%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Advertiser111,000 CAD-11%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Event Producer97,000 CAD-22%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Showroom Designer97,300 CAD-22%
Virtual Events Planner96,600 CAD-22%
Virtual Trade Show Manager91,600 CAD-26%
Voice Search Optimization Specialist119,000 CAD-4%
Web Accessibility Designer92,900 CAD-25%
Web3 Designer90,800 CAD-27%
Webinar Designer102,000 CAD-18%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Montreal128,000 CAD
Toronto129,000 CAD

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Alberta125,000 CAD
British Columbia135,000 CAD
Manitoba123,000 CAD
New Brunswick112,000 CAD
Newfoundland-Labrador115,000 CAD
Northwest Territories120,000 CAD
Nova Scotia118,000 CAD
Nunavut123,000 CAD
Ontario138,000 CAD
Prince Edward Island100,000 CAD
Quebec133,000 CAD
Saskatchewan121,000 CAD
Yukon105,000 CAD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Canada is 4% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
117,000 CAD
Public Sector+4%
122,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Art Director in Canada?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 113,000 CAD and 128,000 CAD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for a careers like Art Director in Canada ranges from 64,600 CAD to 93,700 CAD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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