Graphic Designers: Job Description
Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.
Featured schools near , edit
What Do Graphic Designers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of graphic designers include:
- Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
- Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
- Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
- Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
- Use computer software to generate new images.
- Prepare digital files for printing.
- Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective graphic designers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Graphic Designers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Ad Designer (Advertising Designer)
- Ad Layout Worker (Advertising Layout Worker)
- Apparel Graphic Designer
- Artist
- Brand Designer
- Catalogue Illustrator
- Commercial Artist
- Concept Artist
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 256,099 graphic designers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Graphic Designers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,386 |
| Hourly median | $31.92 |
| 10th percentile | $44,703 |
| 25th percentile | $55,544 |
| 75th percentile | $77,227 |
| 90th percentile | $88,068 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Graphic Designers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $90,710 |
| California | $76,440 |
| Massachusetts | $76,370 |
| Washington | $76,010 |
| New York | $74,530 |
| Virginia | $70,060 |
| New Jersey | $66,600 |
| Colorado | $66,360 |
| Maryland | $66,290 |
| Connecticut | $65,360 |
| Rhode Island | $64,190 |
| Oregon | $63,800 |
| Vermont | $62,180 |
| Texas | $62,030 |
| Illinois | $60,010 |
| Utah | $59,010 |
| Minnesota | $58,590 |
| Wisconsin | $58,380 |
| Florida | $57,900 |
| Georgia | $57,860 |
| New Mexico | $57,780 |
| New Hampshire | $57,310 |
| Nevada | $57,180 |
| Indiana | $56,440 |
| South Carolina | $56,180 |
| Delaware | $56,160 |
| Montana | $55,370 |
| Alaska | $55,230 |
| Ohio | $55,140 |
| Maine | $53,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,990 |
| Michigan | $52,600 |
| Nebraska | $52,420 |
| Arizona | $52,240 |
| Tennessee | $51,740 |
| Hawaii | $51,630 |
| Missouri | $50,900 |
| North Carolina | $50,600 |
| Kentucky | $50,330 |
| Oklahoma | $50,310 |
| Kansas | $49,820 |
| Idaho | $48,640 |
| Alabama | $48,130 |
| North Dakota | $47,900 |
| Iowa | $47,560 |
| Arkansas | $46,430 |
| Louisiana | $46,300 |
| Mississippi | $45,260 |
| South Dakota | $43,950 |
| Wyoming | $43,290 |
| West Virginia | $36,870 |
| Guam | $31,240 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,500 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for graphic designers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $74,032 | 18.3% | 1.11 |
| New England | $69,485 | 4.4% | 0.94 |
| Middle Atlantic | $67,841 | 16.9% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mountains | $60,908 | 4.5% | 1.14 |
| Southwest | $59,472 | 12.4% | 0.98 |
| Great Lakes | $56,608 | 13.9% | 0.98 |
| Southeast | $55,680 | 21.5% | 0.91 |
| Plains States | $52,763 | 7.5% | 1.12 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Graphic Designers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $98,530 | 1,510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $89,490 | 4,050 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $82,630 | 3,880 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $82,360 | 4,670 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $78,000 | 3,690 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $75,850 | 17,140 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $75,820 | 14,060 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $75,470 | 1,070 |
Which Industries Hire Graphic Designers
Most graphic designers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 81,130 | $65,490 |
| Manufacturing | 37,680 | $48,950 |
| Information | 21,120 | $63,170 |
| Wholesale Trade | 14,160 | $60,390 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 9,990 | $72,960 |
| Retail Trade | 9,620 | $51,540 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,260 | $67,380 |
| Educational Services | 7,770 | $59,830 |
Graphic Designers work in the following industries:
Software Graphic Designers Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of graphic designers reflects the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Time Pressure
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Most graphic designers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Software Developers (Primary-Long)
- Web Developers (Supplemental)
- Web and Digital Interface Designers (Primary-Short)
- Video Game Designers (Primary-Long)
- Art Directors (Primary-Short)
- Craft Artists (Supplemental)
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (Primary-Short)
- Special Effects Artists and Animators (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for graphic designers typically earn programs in:
Visual and Performing Arts
5 programs across 2 majors
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-1024.00 (Graphic Designers).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.