What Do Art Directors Earn?
Sharing insights on building your freelancer rates and sharing my numbers
Hi everyone. Hope you're good. ❤️ I missed a post last week as I was traveling back home, but I will be making it up with an extra one soon as I catch up on my drafts. My trip to Seoul left me so inspired, and some upcoming posts will explore what I saw and the ideas it sparked. This week, though, I want to focus on something people do not talk about enough: money.
One of the most common questions I get from people starting out is, “What should I charge?” It is not a simple answer because so many factors come into play, and it is not just about how many years of experience you have.
To help clarify how to set your rates, I’ll share insights and guidelines I’ve learned along the way. This includes defining freelance rates, what they’re based on, and key tips for negotiating full-time roles. For paid subscribers, I’ll walk you through my exact journey, from my starting salary and first freelance job to how I’ve adjusted my rates over time, including the mistakes I’ve made.
So to start I don’t have a fixed day rate. My day rate fluctuates depending on:
My relationship with the clients.
My years of experience, not just in years but also the specific type of art direction (so whether it’s a digital campaign, editorial or 360).
The value of the project for my portfolio and how much I want to land it.
The location of the client.
The size of the company.
The size of the team.
How I landed the job.
Relationship with the clients
Let’s start with the first factor: my relationship with the client or agency. This includes how much I enjoy working with them, whether I get recurring projects, and the overall project management experience. There are agencies I work with regularly, and because I know the client well, it takes less effort to dive into the project. I am already familiar with the brand’s background, can rely on them, and understand their templates and how they present their projects.
While this might sound like doing them a favour, I still assess the project to see if it will add something valuable to my portfolio. I do not often give a major discount on my rate because agencies charge the client and take a profit. However, if I have worked with them many times before and my rate is already included in their project scope, I may adjust slightly. When I decide to raise my rate, I make sure to let them know in advance, but I might give them some flexibility to budget my older rate for the same quarter.
Experience and Value
This is an area where I would slightly increase my rate. For context, I started my career working on digital, cultural activations, and social media projects for brands. Recently, I have been taking on more global campaigns that involve deeper storytelling and multiple channels. These are the types of jobs I want to focus on, but they are harder to land since they take longer and require larger budgets, which fewer brands are willing to spend.
When I am booked for a social or digital campaign, I know I bring a lot of value. This is a field where I have extensive experience, and being part of the target audience gives me a strong understanding and plenty of references to draw from. However, this type of work is not necessarily what I want to keep filling my portfolio with, unless it is for a dream brand. I would charge a higher day rate for these projects because I bring significant expertise, I am aiming to diversify my portfolio and do not actively seek more of these jobs, and clients can clearly see from my work samples what they will get when they hire me.
Location of the client
This point is more about the country rather than the exact location. With experience and through negotiations, you start to notice that freelance rates can vary significantly depending on the city. For example, Amsterdam-based agencies tend to pay more than those in London, while agencies in cities like Barcelona or Lisbon often pay less. This is often tied to the average wages in each country.
My business is set up in the Netherlands, where I pay my taxes, so I generally charge rates that allow me to maintain a standard of living there. Most of my freelancing is with agencies based in Amsterdam, London, or Berlin, as these markets typically offer higher rates that match the higher living costs.
Size of the company and team
Let’s start with the size of the company. For agencies, the size usually does not make a big difference initially, since agencies charge their clients the freelancer’s rate plus additional fees. This means your rate is not fully coming out of their pocket. Agencies might sometimes invest in a top creative to represent themselves well, but this is rarely discussed openly.
For brands, it is a different story. You would not charge the same day rate for creating social content for a small business as you would for developing a concept for a global campaign with a well-known commercial brand. Bigger brands often have larger budgets, so you can adjust your rate accordingly. It is also important to understand the scope of the campaign. If it is a small, local project for a subline of a global brand, a regular day rate might be more appropriate. However, if the concept spans retail, out-of-home advertising, and more, your expertise brings additional value, and you can charge higher.
Now, looking at the size of the agency, it does not always matter, but the size of the team absolutely does. If a small agency books you for a campaign but expects you to handle copywriting, graphic design, upfront strategy, and more, you should not settle for a lower rate. I have made this mistake before, working day and night for a tiny agency at a fraction of my usual rate, only to not even receive credit for the campaign. It was exhausting, unfulfilling, and ultimately not worth it. I now make a point to ask about the team setup and my specific role in the project. Is there a strategist? A designer to help with proofs of concept? Another art director or creative director, or is it a one-person show? Knowing this upfront helps set expectations and ensures fair compensation.
How I landed the job
This might not always be a major factor, but it can be relevant. If a recruiter secured the job for you, they usually handle the negotiations. If the brand or agency reached out to you directly, it often means they are particularly interested in working with you and your profile stood out from a bigger pool of people. On the other hand, if you landed the job after reaching out repeatedly, it could make sense to start with a slightly lower rate initially.
A full time position
Starting a career as an art director is often easier at an agency than with a larger brand. Many people begin through internships, which are often unpaid, before moving into a junior art director role or transitioning from graphic design to art direction. Salaries can vary depending on the city, but in Amsterdam, which is similar to London, Berlin, and Paris, there are general ranges to keep in mind. These numbers are gross amounts, meaning before taxes. I’m not a 100% sure what the tax rules are per country, but in the Netherlands the percentage goes up when you earn more. It also depends per agency, brand or studio but I will give a range later on.
In a full-time position, you also get benefits that freelancers have to pay for themselves. These often include a company laptop, usually a MacBook, and subscriptions to tools like Adobe Creative Cloud. Some companies also offer health insurance, gym memberships, a bike, or other perks. These benefits add extra value to your overall package. Freelance rates tend to be higher, but the costs really add up for them.
Here is an idea of salary ranges for full-time roles in Amsterdam:
Junior Art Director: €35,000 to €45,000 per year
Mid-Level Art Director: €50,000 to €60,000 per year
Senior Art Director: €60,000 to €70,000 per year
Creative Director: €70,000 to €90,000 per year
These figures depend on the company, your experience, and the specific industry, but they give you a general idea of what to expect. A junior experience level would be from 0-3 years, mid level 3-6 and senior 6-10 and creative director 10+. This can of course depend on how fast you learn, your career changes, input, talent, etc.
In the next section, I will give you a better understanding of how rates evolve, I am sharing my journey with exact numbers, from what I was earning in my first paid creative role to how my rates have grown over time to what I charge now as a freelancer. It has been a mix of challenges, mistakes, and growth, and I hope it helps you navigate your own path with more confidence.
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