What Does an Art Coordinator Do?
Editors and designers cannot finish a page while a photo is missing or its permission has not come through. Art coordinators at publishers, agencies and university communications offices keep that from happening, logging each picture, chart and illustration, commissioning artists, clearing rights and chasing late files.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Artist, Brand Designer, Designer, Graphic Artist, Graphic Design Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Online Producer, Production Artist.
Art Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an art coordinator include:
- Build and update the art log for each publication, listing every photo, chart and illustration.
- Commission illustrators and photographers; send briefs, sizes, deadlines and fee details.
- Research stock photos and request permissions, tracking license terms, credits and fees.
- Route sketches and proofs to editors and authors for review; collect and return corrections.
- Prepare image files for print and web, checking resolution, color mode and cropping in Photoshop.
- Keep the art schedule on track, chasing late images before they hold up page layout.
- Write credit lines and captions to house style and check each against the permission record.
- Archive final artwork and permission files so images can be found and reused later.
- Coordinate with the printer on proofs, color matching and file delivery.
- Track art spending against the budget and process invoices from freelancers and agencies.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an art coordinator, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator
- Image licensing and permissions basics
- Print production: resolution, color modes and proofs
- Tracking in Excel or Google Sheets
- A good eye for image quality and cropping
- Clear, polite follow-up with busy freelancers
- Juggling many deadlines at once
- Accuracy with names, credits and captions
Education and Training
Publishers usually want a bachelor's degree in art, design or communications, plus proof that you can keep a production schedule on track. Editorial assistant and print production jobs are common stepping stones, since they teach proofs, file preparation and deadlines. Bring a portfolio that shows organized, print-ready work.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $49,040 - $81,830 per year, with a median of $62,960.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Graphic Designers.
Although BLS projects employment of graphic designers, the wider group that art coordinators belong to, to decline about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, it still expects about 16,000 openings a year as designers retire or change jobs. That leaves room for organized newcomers. Coordinators will be needed as long as books, catalogs and websites carry images that must be licensed and tracked.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Graphic designers.
Art Coordinator Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $39,520 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $49,040 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $62,960 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $81,830 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $104,910 |
Highest-Paying States for Art Coordinators
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($87,920), Rhode Island ($78,220), New York ($77,340), Massachusetts ($76,710), California ($75,130). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($45,640), Wyoming ($45,150), West Virginia ($40,350).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $51,070 |
| Alaska | $62,570 |
| Arizona | $58,510 |
| Arkansas | $46,220 |
| California | $75,130 |
| Colorado | $66,330 |
| Connecticut | $72,700 |
| Delaware | $60,130 |
| District of Columbia | $87,920 |
| Florida | $61,660 |
| Georgia | $60,250 |
| Hawaii | $58,070 |
| Idaho | $50,350 |
| Illinois | $62,560 |
| Indiana | $55,480 |
| Iowa | $50,310 |
| Kansas | $53,630 |
| Kentucky | $52,960 |
| Louisiana | $49,910 |
| Maine | $60,030 |
| Maryland | $75,120 |
| Massachusetts | $76,710 |
| Michigan | $57,350 |
| Minnesota | $63,860 |
| Mississippi | $45,640 |
| Missouri | $56,750 |
| Montana | $56,890 |
| Nebraska | $56,700 |
| Nevada | $62,890 |
| New Hampshire | $60,490 |
| New Jersey | $73,790 |
| New Mexico | $56,730 |
| New York | $77,340 |
| North Carolina | $58,450 |
| North Dakota | $56,470 |
| Ohio | $60,080 |
| Oklahoma | $53,630 |
| Oregon | $66,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,730 |
| Rhode Island | $78,220 |
| South Carolina | $57,170 |
| South Dakota | $48,390 |
| Tennessee | $57,270 |
| Texas | $60,150 |
| Utah | $62,310 |
| Vermont | $65,690 |
| Virginia | $72,310 |
| Washington | $72,710 |
| West Virginia | $40,350 |
| Wisconsin | $59,900 |
| Wyoming | $45,150 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as graphic designers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 90% use email every day
- 83% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 78% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 74% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 70% work against deadlines every day
- 58% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 65% |
| High school diploma or GED | 15% |
| Master's degree | 10% |
| Some college | 5% |
Tools and Software Art Coordinators Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy creative work and self-expression as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension.
Knowledge areas used most: Design, Computers and Electronics, Fine Arts, Communications and Media, English Language.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 27-1024.00 (Graphic Designers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.