Production Designers and Art Directors

Average annual earnings for art directors employed in the motion picture and video industries were $118,810 in May 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Salaries for all art directors ranged from $47,320 to $172,900 or more. 

Weekly pay for a motion picture production designer may range anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 or more for top production designers. Production designers who work on nonunion productions typically have lower earnings.

Production designers and art directors who are members of the IATSE or National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians receive health insurance and a pension as part of their membership benefits. Freelance nonunion production designers and art directors employed in the motion picture and television industries are usually responsible for providing their own health insurance and other benefits.