State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Graphic Designer Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Graphic Designers earn a median of $62,960 per year ($30.27/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.1% through 2034, with about 20,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 27-1024Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and MediaLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $62,960
- Projected growth
- +2.1%
- Openings a year
- 20,000
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Artist, Brand Designer, Designer, Graphic Artist, Graphic Design Coordinator, Graphic Designer.
How much do Graphic Designers make?
10th percentile$39,520
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$49,040
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$62,960
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$81,830
Upper quartile
90th percentile$104,910
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $62,960 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.27/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $70,560 |
| People employed | 197,830 |
Versus all US occupations
At $62,960, Graphic Designers earn 23% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,980 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $72,775, this is 13% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $104,910 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,520, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 48% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $87,920, and still leads at $79,999 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Graphic Designers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $87,920 | $79,999 | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $78,220 | $76,476 | 750 |
| New York | $77,340 | $71,664 | 14,530 |
| Massachusetts | $76,710 | $72,534 | 4,450 |
| California | $75,130 | $67,856 | 27,390 |
| Maryland | $75,120 | $71,571 | 3,050 |
| New Jersey | $73,790 | $67,819 | 5,670 |
| Washington | $72,710 | $67,945 | 3,960 |
| Connecticut | $72,700 | $70,167 | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $72,310 | $71,520 | 4,740 |
Is Graphic Designer a growing career?
Graphic Designers2.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+2.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Graphic Designers to change 2.1% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 5,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 20,000 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 265,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Despite limited employment growth, about 20,000 openings for graphic designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
As companies continue to increase their digital presence, graphic designers may be needed to help create visually appealing and effective layouts of websites and social media sites. However, automated design tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), may reduce the need for companies to contract with freelance graphic designers.
How to become a Graphic Designer
There is no licence and no required certification for graphic design. BLS lists no licensure for the occupation and notes that certification programs are generally available through software product vendors, which is a description of optional tool proficiency badges rather than a credential gate. What actually decides hiring is the portfolio: BLS states plainly that developing a portfolio is essential because employers rely on portfolios in making hiring decisions. A bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related fine arts field is the typical educational route, and people who already hold a degree in another field may complete technical training in graphic design to meet most hiring qualifications.
- How long the training takes
4 years for a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related fine arts field
Many bachelor's programs require a year of basic art and design courses before admission to the formal degree program, and some schools require applicants to submit sketches or other examples of artistic ability. Career changers who already hold a degree can instead complete technical training in graphic design.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses graphic designers or restricts the title. Programmatic accreditation does exist (more than 360 postsecondary colleges, universities and independent institutes are accredited with programs in art and design) but it is a marker of programme quality, not a condition of working. The only ongoing requirement is self-imposed: designers must keep up with new and updated computer graphics and design software, either on their own or through formal training.
Credential detail for graphic designers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Graphic Designers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Graphic designers usually need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field. Candidates for graphic design positions should have a portfolio that demonstrates their creativity and originality.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as graphic designers.
- Bachelor's Degree65.0%
- High School Diploma15.0%
- Master's Degree10.0%
- Some College Courses5.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)5.0%
What does a Graphic Designer do?
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.
Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and reports.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Graphic designers’ schedules vary depending on workloads and deadlines.
Those who are self-employed may need to adjust their workday to meet with clients in the evenings or on weekends. In addition, they may spend some of their time looking for new projects or competing with other designers for contracts.
Where the work happens
- Almost never works outdoors
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
- Mistakes are not usually serious
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where graphic designers work
| Self-employed workers | 18% |
|---|---|
| Specialized design services | 9% |
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | 8% |
| Information | 8% |
| Printing and related support activities | 6% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Speaking3.4/5
- Writing3.3/5
- Critical Thinking3.3/5
- Active Learning3.3/5
- Reading Comprehension3.1/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Learning Strategies2.8/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Persuasion3.0/5
- Negotiation3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Graphical user interface development software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Graphic Designer?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic3.4
Investigative2.9
Artisticprimary7.0
Social2.2
Enterprisingprimary3.4
Conventionalprimary3.9
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Graphic Designer: frequently asked questions
How much do Graphic Designers make?
Graphic Designers earn a median of $62,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $30.27/hr. The middle half earn between $49,040 and $81,830. The top 10% earn $104,910 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Graphic Designer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Graphic Designers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Graphic Designer a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.1% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 20,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Graphic Designer do?
Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. A core O*NET task: key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Graphic Designers the most?
The highest state medians for Graphic Designers are District of Columbia ($87,920), Rhode Island ($78,220), New York ($77,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Graphic Designer?
O*NET scores Graphic Designers highest on the Artistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFP, INTP, INFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Graphic Designer?
4 years for a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related fine arts field. Many bachelor's programs require a year of basic art and design courses before admission to the formal degree program, and some schools require applicants to submit sketches or other examples of artistic ability. Career changers who already hold a degree can instead complete technical training in graphic design.
Do you need a license to work as a Graphic Designer?
Not a state license. No state licenses graphic designers or restricts the title. Programmatic accreditation does exist (more than 360 postsecondary colleges, universities and independent institutes are accredited with programs in art and design) but it is a marker of programme quality, not a condition of working. The only ongoing requirement is self-imposed: designers must keep up with new and updated computer graphics and design software, either on their own or through formal training.