346 metro areas
Graphic Designer Salary by City (2026)
Graphic designers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $107,370 a year, against $70,560 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($97,240 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $70,560BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $107,370San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $97,240San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 346With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for graphic designers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$107,370
- San Francisco, CA$102,130
- Portland, OR-WA$92,540
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$89,540
- New York, NY-NJ$85,950
- Santa Maria, CA$84,360
- Boston, MA-NH$82,350
- Santa Rosa, CA$82,330
- Seattle, WA$82,280
- Los Angeles, CA$81,680
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,370 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $92,540 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $89,540 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $85,950 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $84,360 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $82,350 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82,330 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $81,680 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$107,370 nominal$97,240
- San Francisco, CA$102,130 nominal$88,340
- Portland, OR-WA$92,540 nominal$87,780
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$89,540 nominal$82,230
- Kennewick, WA$80,390 nominal$80,330
- Barnstable Town, MA$77,330 nominal$78,630
- Santa Maria, CA$84,360 nominal$77,540
- Santa Rosa, CA$82,330 nominal$76,380
- New York, NY-NJ$85,950 nominal$76,360
- Waterbury, CT$76,130 nominal$76,300
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $88,340 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,780 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82,230 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $80,330 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $78,630 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $77,540 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $76,380 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $76,360 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $76,300 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Graphic Designer salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $107,370 | $64,080 | $128,690 | $97,240 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $102,130 | $58,950 | $123,390 | $88,340 |
| 3 | Portland, OR-WA | $92,540 | $52,500 | $112,240 | $87,780 |
| 4 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $89,540 | $57,140 | $105,520 | $82,230 |
| 5 | New York, NY-NJ | $85,950 | $54,080 | $101,650 | $76,360 |
| 6 | Santa Maria, CA | $84,360 | $52,730 | $99,940 | $77,540 |
| 7 | Boston, MA-NH | $82,350 | $55,310 | $95,680 | $76,060 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa, CA | $82,330 | $51,670 | $97,430 | $76,380 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $82,280 | $54,430 | $96,010 | $74,040 |
| 10 | Los Angeles, CA | $81,680 | $48,880 | $97,820 | $71,920 |
| 11 | Vallejo, CA | $81,450 | $52,080 | $95,910 | $75,080 |
| 12 | Kennewick, WA | $80,390 | $49,980 | $95,390 | $80,330 |
| 13 | Napa, CA | $80,000 | $51,690 | $93,930 | $71,080 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $80,000 | $50,960 | $94,310 | $75,000 |
| 15 | Bridgeport, CT | $79,040 | $54,540 | $91,120 | $73,960 |
| 16 | Oxnard, CA | $79,020 | $47,320 | $94,620 | $71,490 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | $77,600 | $51,710 | $90,360 | $73,360 |
| 18 | Boulder, CO | $77,360 | $50,360 | $90,670 | $73,530 |
| 19 | Barnstable Town, MA | $77,330 | $52,730 | $89,460 | $78,630 |
| 20 | Baltimore, MD | $76,730 | $50,650 | $89,560 | $73,430 |
| 21 | Burlington, VT | $76,190 | $45,880 | $91,120 | $75,470 |
| 22 | Waterbury, CT | $76,130 | $53,060 | $87,510 | $76,300 |
| 23 | Trenton, NJ | $75,480 | $52,350 | $86,860 | $73,150 |
| 24 | Hartford, CT | $75,460 | $50,750 | $87,630 | $73,440 |
| 25 | Providence, RI-MA | $74,860 | $51,310 | $86,470 | $73,560 |
| 26 | Riverside, CA | $74,730 | $45,390 | $89,190 | $70,210 |
| 27 | Bremerton, WA | $73,880 | $51,750 | $84,780 | $69,960 |
| 28 | Modesto, CA | $73,690 | $48,260 | $86,240 | $70,780 |
| 29 | Santa Cruz, CA | $73,440 | $45,300 | $87,300 | $66,830 |
| 30 | Salinas, CA | $73,380 | $45,410 | $87,170 | $67,300 |
| 31 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $73,220 | $43,120 | $88,050 | $66,920 |
| 32 | Kenosha, WI | $73,130 | $52,690 | $83,200 | $72,320 |
| 33 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $72,700 | $50,070 | $83,840 | $69,360 |
| 34 | Naples, FL | $72,550 | $45,660 | $85,820 | $70,300 |
| 35 | Miami, FL | $71,970 | $46,400 | $84,570 | $63,050 |
| 36 | Lexington Park, MD | $71,910 | $44,820 | $85,240 | $71,370 |
| 37 | Worcester, MA | $71,700 | $50,810 | $81,990 | $69,940 |
| 38 | Amherst Town, MA | $71,610 | $47,530 | $83,470 | $71,440 |
| 39 | Greeley, CO | $71,510 | $44,930 | $84,590 | $71,380 |
| 40 | Chicago, IL-IN | $71,470 | $46,220 | $83,910 | $68,990 |
| 41 | New Haven, CT | $71,430 | $50,110 | $81,930 | $68,320 |
| 42 | Salt Lake City, UT | $71,300 | $47,490 | $83,030 | $70,690 |
| 43 | Palm Bay, FL | $70,950 | $43,080 | $84,680 | $70,950 |
| 44 | Rochester, NY | $70,930 | $45,780 | $83,320 | $73,100 |
| 45 | Fort Collins, CO | $70,890 | $46,070 | $83,100 | $70,100 |
| 46 | Richmond, VA | $70,870 | $44,410 | $83,890 | $72,420 |
| 47 | Olympia, WA | $70,570 | $49,230 | $81,100 | $68,070 |
| 48 | Pittsfield, MA | $70,550 | $45,410 | $82,930 | $74,180 |
| 49 | Crestview, FL | $70,430 | $43,350 | $83,760 | $72,590 |
| 50 | Columbus, OH | $70,320 | $45,800 | $82,410 | $73,660 |
| 51 | Austin, TX | $70,180 | $45,990 | $82,080 | $71,560 |
| 52 | Atlantic City, NJ | $70,080 | $48,130 | $80,890 | $70,890 |
| 53 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $69,830 | $46,200 | $81,450 | $68,090 |
| 54 | Norwich, CT | $69,720 | $46,720 | $81,060 | $69,410 |
| 55 | Anchorage, AK | $69,490 | $45,200 | $81,450 | $65,920 |
| 56 | Albany, NY | $69,450 | $46,840 | $80,600 | $69,750 |
| 57 | Charlottesville, VA | $69,410 | $43,530 | $82,140 | $70,010 |
| 58 | Bakersfield, CA | $69,310 | $43,680 | $81,910 | $68,700 |
| 59 | Gettysburg, PA | $69,280 | $41,020 | $83,200 | $72,640 |
| 60 | Provo, UT | $69,120 | $44,740 | $81,120 | $70,360 |
| 61 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $68,760 | $44,720 | $80,620 | $72,100 |
| 62 | Kahului, HI | $68,560 | $43,220 | $81,040 | $62,670 |
| 63 | Colorado Springs, CO | $68,390 | $45,720 | $79,540 | $67,910 |
| 64 | Visalia, CA | $68,330 | $45,220 | $79,710 | $68,450 |
| 65 | Springfield, MA | $68,220 | $47,030 | $78,670 | $71,020 |
| 66 | Pueblo, CO | $68,200 | $42,990 | $80,620 | $74,320 |
| 67 | Dayton, OH | $68,100 | $44,220 | $79,850 | $73,470 |
| 68 | Stockton, CA | $68,020 | $44,140 | $79,770 | $64,730 |
| 69 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,890 | $43,680 | $79,810 | $70,940 |
| 70 | Atlanta, GA | $67,640 | $40,770 | $80,890 | $67,600 |
| 71 | Durham, NC | $67,480 | $43,280 | $79,390 | $69,160 |
| 72 | Merced, CA | $67,450 | $44,260 | $78,870 | $68,630 |
| 73 | Helena, MT | $67,370 | $47,760 | $77,020 | $70,420 |
| 74 | Jacksonville, FL | $67,250 | $44,180 | $78,600 | $67,600 |
| 75 | Huntsville, AL | $66,870 | $38,250 | $80,950 | $71,850 |
| 76 | Orlando, FL | $66,830 | $44,720 | $77,710 | $65,900 |
| 77 | Raleigh, NC | $66,810 | $42,760 | $78,670 | $68,060 |
| 78 | Madison, WI | $66,620 | $46,820 | $76,380 | $68,480 |
| 79 | Sebastian, FL | $66,480 | $41,870 | $78,580 | $67,620 |
| 80 | Ithaca, NY | $66,330 | $43,080 | $77,790 | $64,200 |
| 81 | Las Vegas, NV | $66,160 | $43,760 | $77,190 | $66,020 |
| 82 | Tallahassee, FL | $66,020 | $43,100 | $77,310 | $70,290 |
| 83 | Tampa, FL | $66,000 | $43,470 | $77,110 | $65,420 |
| 84 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $65,980 | $40,750 | $78,400 | $71,580 |
| 85 | Nashville, TN | $65,960 | $44,180 | $76,670 | $68,470 |
| 86 | Dallas, TX | $65,940 | $44,100 | $76,690 | $63,960 |
| 87 | Bellingham, WA | $65,560 | $46,720 | $74,840 | $63,440 |
| 88 | Portland, ME | $65,540 | $46,070 | $75,130 | $64,340 |
| 89 | Salem, OR | $65,480 | $44,820 | $75,650 | $63,170 |
| 90 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $65,460 | $40,310 | $77,830 | $66,840 |
| 91 | Missoula, MT | $65,370 | $42,850 | $76,460 | $67,780 |
| 92 | Winchester, VA-WV | $65,150 | $39,830 | $77,600 | $67,550 |
| 93 | Fresno, CA | $64,880 | $43,640 | $75,340 | $63,510 |
| 94 | Buffalo, NY | $64,830 | $43,740 | $75,210 | $67,640 |
| 95 | Fayetteville, AR | $64,750 | $38,380 | $77,750 | $70,880 |
| 96 | Rochester, MN | $64,670 | $45,740 | $74,010 | $71,210 |
| 97 | Jackson, MI | $64,630 | $40,890 | $76,320 | $70,420 |
| 98 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $64,580 | $43,740 | $74,840 | $66,340 |
| 99 | Phoenix, AZ | $64,560 | $47,400 | $73,010 | $62,490 |
| 100 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $64,560 | $42,720 | $75,340 | $64,410 |
| 101 | Bozeman, MT | $64,480 | $43,800 | $74,670 | $62,900 |
| 102 | Charleston, SC | $64,310 | $38,000 | $77,270 | $63,700 |
| 103 | Lafayette, IN | $64,190 | $46,050 | $73,110 | $68,700 |
| 104 | Wilmington, NC | $64,170 | $42,350 | $74,900 | $66,550 |
| 105 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $64,110 | $43,950 | $74,030 | $69,280 |
| 106 | Milwaukee, WI | $64,080 | $45,070 | $73,440 | $66,100 |
| 107 | San Antonio, TX | $63,980 | $40,680 | $75,460 | $67,550 |
| 108 | Bloomington, IL | $63,960 | $41,750 | $74,900 | $68,380 |
| 109 | Bend, OR | $63,840 | $41,390 | $74,880 | $61,620 |
| 110 | Detroit, MI | $63,810 | $44,640 | $73,240 | $63,620 |
| 111 | Gainesville, FL | $63,500 | $43,350 | $73,420 | $65,640 |
| 112 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,420 | $43,240 | $73,340 | $66,700 |
| 113 | Chico, CA | $63,400 | $43,100 | $73,400 | $62,650 |
| 114 | Bloomington, IN | $63,340 | $42,140 | $73,760 | $66,610 |
| 115 | Cape Coral, FL | $63,210 | $40,620 | $74,340 | $61,760 |
| 116 | Manchester, NH | $62,940 | $46,990 | $70,780 | $59,570 |
| 117 | Utica, NY | $62,770 | $42,600 | $72,720 | $67,730 |
| 118 | Cleveland, OH | $62,650 | $42,810 | $72,400 | $66,700 |
| 119 | Appleton, WI | $62,570 | $45,360 | $71,030 | $67,700 |
| 120 | Janesville, WI | $62,570 | $43,620 | $71,910 | $66,770 |
| 121 | Kingston, NY | $62,520 | $41,770 | $72,760 | $62,080 |
| 122 | Yakima, WA | $62,440 | $45,280 | $70,890 | $65,350 |
| 123 | Greenville, SC | $62,360 | $42,370 | $72,200 | $66,870 |
| 124 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $62,300 | $39,540 | $73,530 | $56,150 |
| 125 | Racine, WI | $61,920 | $41,870 | $71,800 | $64,530 |
| 126 | Midland, TX | $61,880 | $43,760 | $70,800 | $64,600 |
| 127 | Ann Arbor, MI | $61,650 | $39,060 | $72,760 | $61,110 |
| 128 | Tucson, AZ | $61,570 | $41,930 | $71,240 | $63,540 |
| 129 | Panama City, FL | $61,550 | $40,210 | $72,050 | $63,260 |
| 130 | Akron, OH | $61,530 | $41,040 | $71,610 | $65,900 |
| 131 | Albuquerque, NM | $61,530 | $41,000 | $71,640 | $64,400 |
| 132 | Tulsa, OK | $61,510 | $42,040 | $71,120 | $68,950 |
| 133 | Logan, UT-ID | $61,340 | $39,870 | $71,910 | $63,940 |
| 134 | Erie, PA | $61,300 | $40,580 | $71,510 | $67,400 |
| 135 | Dalton, GA | $61,210 | $38,520 | $72,380 | $68,130 |
| 136 | Spokane, WA | $61,210 | $44,970 | $69,200 | $61,000 |
| 137 | Burlington, NC | $61,170 | $41,480 | $70,890 | $65,640 |
| 138 | Roanoke, VA | $61,170 | $41,890 | $70,680 | $65,340 |
| 139 | Salisbury, MD | $61,070 | $45,800 | $68,580 | $63,870 |
| 140 | Punta Gorda, FL | $61,030 | $40,370 | $71,180 | $60,710 |
| 141 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,010 | $42,520 | $70,120 | $64,440 |
| 142 | Cleveland, TN | $60,990 | $41,620 | $70,530 | $69,240 |
| 143 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $60,960 | $40,330 | $71,120 | $60,980 |
| 144 | Harrisburg, PA | $60,960 | $42,020 | $70,300 | $61,790 |
| 145 | Spartanburg, SC | $60,940 | $40,000 | $71,240 | $66,930 |
| 146 | Green Bay, WI | $60,880 | $44,890 | $68,740 | $65,400 |
| 147 | Knoxville, TN | $60,820 | $40,460 | $70,840 | $65,700 |
| 148 | Harrisonburg, VA | $60,800 | $41,160 | $70,470 | $64,070 |
| 149 | Glens Falls, NY | $60,740 | $40,480 | $70,720 | $64,030 |
| 150 | Eugene, OR | $60,720 | $41,700 | $70,080 | $59,780 |
| 151 | Flagstaff, AZ | $60,690 | $44,030 | $68,910 | $60,490 |
| 152 | Florence, SC | $60,690 | $38,040 | $71,840 | $69,940 |
| 153 | Mansfield, OH | $60,630 | $38,900 | $71,340 | $68,220 |
| 154 | Niles, MI | $60,590 | $38,540 | $71,450 | $65,590 |
| 155 | Lexington, KY | $60,530 | $42,330 | $69,490 | $65,160 |
| 156 | Peoria, IL | $60,530 | $40,000 | $70,640 | $66,350 |
| 157 | Greensboro, NC | $60,400 | $41,230 | $69,830 | $65,040 |
| 158 | Oshkosh, WI | $60,360 | $45,840 | $67,520 | $64,950 |
| 159 | Ogden, UT | $60,320 | $40,850 | $69,930 | $60,110 |
| 160 | Battle Creek, MI | $60,300 | $42,370 | $69,140 | $66,600 |
| 161 | Champaign, IL | $60,300 | $42,970 | $68,830 | $65,050 |
| 162 | Williamsport, PA | $60,240 | $37,980 | $71,200 | $65,230 |
| 163 | Topeka, KS | $59,950 | $39,540 | $70,010 | $67,500 |
| 164 | Lansing, MI | $59,880 | $41,560 | $68,890 | $63,040 |
| 165 | Pensacola, FL | $59,860 | $40,210 | $69,530 | $61,260 |
| 166 | York, PA | $59,860 | $40,210 | $69,560 | $62,350 |
| 167 | Warner Robins, GA | $59,840 | $34,840 | $72,160 | $63,800 |
| 168 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $59,820 | $38,560 | $70,280 | $64,270 |
| 169 | Grand Rapids, MI | $59,780 | $41,700 | $68,680 | $62,570 |
| 170 | Billings, MT | $59,760 | $38,790 | $70,100 | $63,900 |
| 171 | Birmingham, AL | $59,720 | $37,860 | $70,490 | $65,170 |
| 172 | Lakeland, FL | $59,700 | $37,020 | $70,870 | $61,460 |
| 173 | Reno, NV | $59,610 | $41,950 | $68,310 | $59,010 |
| 174 | Fond du Lac, WI | $59,570 | $42,700 | $67,870 | $65,000 |
| 175 | Kalamazoo, MI | $59,550 | $40,370 | $68,990 | $62,790 |
| 176 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $59,530 | $37,770 | $70,260 | $60,730 |
| 177 | Killeen, TX | $59,530 | $38,170 | $70,050 | $65,320 |
| 178 | Jacksonville, NC | $59,470 | $36,590 | $70,720 | $64,580 |
| 179 | Eau Claire, WI | $59,450 | $43,160 | $67,450 | $64,070 |
| 180 | Houston, TX | $59,400 | $35,480 | $71,180 | $60,230 |
| 181 | Asheville, NC | $59,380 | $37,380 | $70,240 | $61,530 |
| 182 | Lancaster, PA | $59,360 | $41,310 | $68,270 | $60,410 |
| 183 | Idaho Falls, ID | $59,300 | $34,240 | $71,660 | $62,810 |
| 184 | Mankato, MN | $59,240 | $42,200 | $67,640 | $65,130 |
| 185 | Lincoln, NE | $59,220 | $42,580 | $67,410 | $64,660 |
| 186 | North Port, FL | $59,180 | $41,100 | $68,060 | $57,780 |
| 187 | Waco, TX | $59,160 | $39,520 | $68,810 | $63,920 |
| 188 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,110 | $41,580 | $67,770 | $63,850 |
| 189 | Grand Junction, CO | $58,930 | $41,680 | $67,390 | $61,720 |
| 190 | Omaha, NE-IA | $58,860 | $41,500 | $67,410 | $64,040 |
| 191 | Columbia, SC | $58,680 | $38,750 | $68,490 | $62,650 |
| 192 | New Orleans, LA | $58,660 | $38,310 | $68,660 | $63,350 |
| 193 | St. Cloud, MN | $58,590 | $42,930 | $66,330 | $66,860 |
| 194 | Deltona, FL | $58,570 | $35,510 | $69,950 | $58,940 |
| 195 | State College, PA | $58,570 | $42,720 | $66,370 | $60,530 |
| 196 | Albany, OR | $58,550 | $41,750 | $66,830 | $57,350 |
| 197 | Staunton, VA | $58,510 | $36,210 | $69,510 | $64,210 |
| 198 | Reading, PA | $58,470 | $39,290 | $67,910 | $60,240 |
| 199 | Bangor, ME | $58,410 | $43,120 | $65,960 | $60,520 |
| 200 | Boise City, ID | $58,320 | $39,370 | $67,640 | $59,270 |
| 201 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $58,300 | $41,500 | $66,580 | $59,340 |
| 202 | Rocky Mount, NC | $58,280 | $36,730 | $68,910 | $66,220 |
| 203 | Lebanon, PA | $58,180 | $40,710 | $66,790 | $62,420 |
| 204 | Syracuse, NY | $58,180 | $39,500 | $67,390 | $60,770 |
| 205 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $58,140 | $42,620 | $65,790 | $63,350 |
| 206 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $58,090 | $42,720 | $65,690 | $65,300 |
| 207 | Johnson City, TN | $58,030 | $40,410 | $66,730 | $66,000 |
| 208 | Ocala, FL | $57,930 | $39,850 | $66,850 | $60,830 |
| 209 | El Centro, CA | $57,800 | $37,560 | $67,770 | $60,730 |
| 210 | Springfield, IL | $57,720 | $35,940 | $68,430 | $62,240 |
| 211 | Yuma, AZ | $57,700 | $40,480 | $66,190 | $62,240 |
| 212 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $57,640 | $37,210 | $67,680 | $63,020 |
| 213 | Greenville, NC | $57,640 | $38,980 | $66,830 | $65,200 |
| 214 | Canton, OH | $57,600 | $40,810 | $65,850 | $64,430 |
| 215 | Gulfport, MS | $57,530 | $36,880 | $67,700 | $63,920 |
| 216 | Blacksburg, VA | $57,510 | $38,940 | $66,660 | $62,030 |
| 217 | Great Falls, MT | $57,510 | $40,660 | $65,790 | $59,380 |
| 218 | Bismarck, ND | $57,390 | $43,240 | $64,380 | $63,050 |
| 219 | Elizabethtown, KY | $57,350 | $37,650 | $67,040 | $63,320 |
| 220 | Winston, NC | $57,350 | $38,600 | $66,580 | $62,310 |
| 221 | Savannah, GA | $57,160 | $35,280 | $67,930 | $60,040 |
| 222 | Des Moines, IA | $57,120 | $40,480 | $65,310 | $62,290 |
| 223 | Ames, IA | $57,100 | $42,100 | $64,480 | $64,280 |
| 224 | Jackson, MS | $57,080 | $35,710 | $67,580 | $64,100 |
| 225 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $57,080 | $35,730 | $67,580 | $60,960 |
| 226 | Duluth, MN-WI | $57,030 | $39,230 | $65,810 | $64,250 |
| 227 | Wausau, WI | $56,930 | $40,210 | $65,170 | $61,450 |
| 228 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $56,850 | $39,830 | $65,230 | $65,600 |
| 229 | Sheboygan, WI | $56,850 | $41,950 | $64,170 | $60,470 |
| 230 | Gainesville, GA | $56,760 | $34,800 | $67,600 | $58,660 |
| 231 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $56,740 | $39,480 | $65,250 | $57,730 |
| 232 | Wichita, KS | $56,660 | $38,650 | $65,520 | $63,700 |
| 233 | Lewiston, ME | $56,640 | $41,310 | $64,190 | $59,790 |
| 234 | Auburn, AL | $56,580 | $34,840 | $67,290 | $64,340 |
| 235 | Rockford, IL | $56,450 | $40,680 | $64,230 | $61,260 |
| 236 | Hickory, NC | $56,430 | $37,670 | $65,690 | $63,770 |
| 237 | Grand Island, NE | $56,370 | $38,290 | $65,270 | $65,050 |
| 238 | Fargo, ND-MN | $56,220 | $39,600 | $64,420 | $61,870 |
| 239 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $56,220 | $37,380 | $65,520 | $59,700 |
| 240 | San Angelo, TX | $56,220 | $33,610 | $67,350 | $60,810 |
| 241 | Cheyenne, WY | $56,180 | $36,610 | $65,830 | $58,220 |
| 242 | Davenport, IA-IL | $56,180 | $38,750 | $64,770 | $63,070 |
| 243 | Lawrence, KS | $56,180 | $38,750 | $64,770 | $62,250 |
| 244 | Scranton, PA | $56,140 | $38,850 | $64,670 | $60,010 |
| 245 | Decatur, IL | $56,080 | $36,960 | $65,500 | $63,420 |
| 246 | Evansville, IN | $55,910 | $40,660 | $63,420 | $61,090 |
| 247 | Iowa City, IA | $55,640 | $42,970 | $61,880 | $60,800 |
| 248 | Augusta, GA-SC | $55,540 | $35,550 | $65,400 | $60,430 |
| 249 | Baton Rouge, LA | $55,540 | $40,440 | $62,960 | $61,180 |
| 250 | Toledo, OH | $55,540 | $39,770 | $63,320 | $60,730 |
| 251 | Binghamton, NY | $55,520 | $37,340 | $64,460 | $59,790 |
| 252 | Lima, OH | $55,410 | $39,270 | $63,380 | $61,790 |
| 253 | Pinehurst, NC | $55,310 | $40,540 | $62,570 | $62,610 |
| 254 | Elkhart, IN | $55,220 | $41,100 | $62,170 | $61,130 |
| 255 | South Bend, IN-MI | $55,100 | $40,190 | $62,420 | $59,340 |
| 256 | College Station, TX | $55,000 | $38,310 | $63,210 | $60,470 |
| 257 | Fayetteville, NC | $55,000 | $34,960 | $64,880 | $59,800 |
| 258 | Muskegon, MI | $54,810 | $38,980 | $62,630 | $59,240 |
| 259 | Springfield, OH | $54,790 | $40,930 | $61,610 | $60,550 |
| 260 | Sandusky, OH | $54,750 | $40,390 | $61,820 | $61,320 |
| 261 | Altoona, PA | $54,720 | $38,190 | $62,880 | $61,130 |
| 262 | Montgomery, AL | $54,450 | $35,730 | $63,670 | $60,710 |
| 263 | Dover, DE | $54,370 | $38,230 | $62,320 | $55,760 |
| 264 | Traverse City, MI | $54,350 | $37,840 | $62,480 | $58,210 |
| 265 | Michigan City, IN | $54,310 | $38,020 | $62,320 | $59,240 |
| 266 | Columbus, GA-AL | $54,290 | $32,010 | $65,250 | $60,800 |
| 267 | Shreveport, LA | $54,290 | $37,860 | $62,400 | $64,050 |
| 268 | Flint, MI | $54,160 | $37,420 | $62,420 | $58,220 |
| 269 | Santa Fe, NM | $54,160 | $39,290 | $61,480 | $54,840 |
| 270 | Chambersburg, PA | $54,100 | $34,590 | $63,690 | $57,160 |
| 271 | Joplin, MO-KS | $53,910 | $38,110 | $61,690 | $62,890 |
| 272 | Rapid City, SD | $53,770 | $39,000 | $61,030 | $60,310 |
| 273 | Oklahoma City, OK | $53,750 | $30,780 | $65,040 | $59,450 |
| 274 | Midland, MI | $53,660 | $36,230 | $62,230 | $58,380 |
| 275 | Columbia, MO | $53,620 | $40,890 | $59,880 | $59,950 |
| 276 | Springfield, MO | $53,580 | $37,900 | $61,300 | $60,480 |
| 277 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $53,480 | $37,810 | $61,190 | $61,860 |
| 278 | Monroe, LA | $53,410 | $36,150 | $61,920 | $63,890 |
| 279 | St. George, UT | $53,370 | $36,170 | $61,840 | $54,840 |
| 280 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $53,230 | $37,730 | $60,840 | $61,580 |
| 281 | Jefferson City, MO | $53,190 | $39,600 | $59,860 | $60,460 |
| 282 | Decatur, AL | $53,140 | $35,460 | $61,860 | $60,930 |
| 283 | Slidell, LA | $53,140 | $36,170 | $61,480 | $57,310 |
| 284 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $53,120 | $32,320 | $63,360 | $58,410 |
| 285 | Dubuque, IA | $52,960 | $38,440 | $60,110 | $60,640 |
| 286 | Lynchburg, VA | $52,920 | $35,300 | $61,590 | $59,220 |
| 287 | Longview, TX | $52,870 | $35,820 | $61,300 | $59,080 |
| 288 | Waterloo, IA | $52,830 | $38,520 | $59,880 | $60,680 |
| 289 | Youngstown, OH | $52,790 | $36,570 | $60,780 | $60,400 |
| 290 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $52,730 | $38,380 | $59,800 | $61,260 |
| 291 | Mobile, AL | $52,370 | $34,200 | $61,320 | $59,450 |
| 292 | Macon, GA | $52,020 | $34,720 | $60,550 | $58,760 |
| 293 | Manhattan, KS | $52,020 | $31,100 | $62,340 | $57,700 |
| 294 | Brunswick, GA | $51,900 | $32,510 | $61,440 | $59,170 |
| 295 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $51,900 | $38,630 | $58,450 | $57,270 |
| 296 | Saginaw, MI | $51,880 | $34,380 | $60,510 | $57,080 |
| 297 | Jackson, TN | $51,420 | $36,150 | $58,930 | $60,120 |
| 298 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $51,150 | $37,460 | $57,890 | $59,210 |
| 299 | Amarillo, TX | $51,130 | $35,280 | $58,930 | $55,690 |
| 300 | Brownsville, TX | $51,110 | $32,050 | $60,510 | $59,450 |
| 301 | Bowling Green, KY | $51,040 | $34,470 | $59,220 | $56,600 |
| 302 | Corpus Christi, TX | $51,040 | $33,340 | $59,760 | $55,080 |
| 303 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $50,770 | $36,170 | $57,950 | $60,430 |
| 304 | Abilene, TX | $50,590 | $35,670 | $57,950 | $55,980 |
| 305 | Beaumont, TX | $50,540 | $34,780 | $58,300 | $56,130 |
| 306 | Anniston, AL | $50,440 | $30,560 | $60,240 | $58,690 |
| 307 | El Paso, TX | $50,320 | $33,470 | $58,590 | $55,970 |
| 308 | Little Rock, AR | $50,020 | $35,610 | $57,120 | $55,970 |
| 309 | Terre Haute, IN | $50,020 | $35,710 | $57,080 | $56,970 |
| 310 | Daphne, AL | $50,000 | $34,510 | $57,640 | $52,800 |
| 311 | Morristown, TN | $49,820 | $35,380 | $56,910 | $57,690 |
| 312 | Lafayette, LA | $49,800 | $33,780 | $57,680 | $57,100 |
| 313 | Sherman, TX | $49,800 | $36,520 | $56,330 | $53,110 |
| 314 | Las Cruces, NM | $49,750 | $35,940 | $56,560 | $55,150 |
| 315 | Dothan, AL | $49,690 | $34,130 | $57,350 | $59,270 |
| 316 | Lake Charles, LA | $49,670 | $35,340 | $56,720 | $57,860 |
| 317 | Twin Falls, ID | $49,500 | $35,840 | $56,220 | $53,740 |
| 318 | Johnstown, PA | $49,000 | $32,990 | $56,890 | $57,020 |
| 319 | Tyler, TX | $48,920 | $36,110 | $55,220 | $53,080 |
| 320 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $48,460 | $32,300 | $56,430 | $55,240 |
| 321 | Muncie, IN | $48,300 | $36,610 | $54,040 | $54,790 |
| 322 | Lubbock, TX | $48,030 | $26,960 | $58,390 | $52,600 |
| 323 | Casper, WY | $47,760 | $33,570 | $54,750 | $50,900 |
| 324 | Parkersburg, WV | $47,630 | $32,490 | $55,080 | $54,710 |
| 325 | Athens, GA | $47,420 | $32,470 | $54,810 | $50,800 |
| 326 | Wichita Falls, TX | $46,780 | $32,010 | $54,060 | $52,260 |
| 327 | Odessa, TX | $46,590 | $35,570 | $52,020 | $49,620 |
| 328 | McAllen, TX | $46,380 | $30,100 | $54,410 | $54,000 |
| 329 | Jonesboro, AR | $46,260 | $33,180 | $52,710 | $53,870 |
| 330 | Albany, GA | $46,050 | $29,410 | $54,230 | $52,530 |
| 331 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $45,610 | $34,360 | $51,150 | $53,100 |
| 332 | Morgantown, WV | $45,490 | $31,990 | $52,150 | $48,740 |
| 333 | Owensboro, KY | $44,660 | $29,760 | $51,980 | $50,400 |
| 334 | Laredo, TX | $44,280 | $30,800 | $50,940 | $50,920 |
| 335 | Valdosta, GA | $44,100 | $30,040 | $51,020 | $49,960 |
| 336 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $43,870 | $32,490 | $49,480 | $49,670 |
| 337 | Hattiesburg, MS | $43,700 | $31,350 | $49,770 | $49,870 |
| 338 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $42,600 | $31,240 | $48,190 | $48,180 |
| 339 | Charleston, WV | $42,560 | $32,700 | $47,400 | $47,970 |
| 340 | San Juan, PR | $42,020 | $27,040 | $49,400 | N/A |
| 341 | Florence, AL | $41,770 | $30,100 | $47,530 | $49,250 |
| 342 | Hot Springs, AR | $41,270 | $32,430 | $45,640 | $48,140 |
| 343 | Mayaguez, PR | $37,190 | $25,360 | $43,040 | N/A |
| 344 | Arecibo, PR | $33,840 | $25,920 | $37,750 | N/A |
| 345 | Ponce, PR | $33,800 | $24,650 | $38,290 | N/A |
| 346 | Aguadilla, PR | $32,930 | $24,340 | $37,170 | N/A |
More
More on graphic designers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Graphic Designer salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays graphic designers the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $107,370 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($102,130), Portland, OR-WA ($92,540), Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV ($89,540). The national mean is $70,560 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do graphic designers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($97,240 at national prices, $107,370 nominal), San Francisco, CA ($88,340 at national prices, $102,130 nominal), Portland, OR-WA ($87,780 at national prices, $92,540 nominal).
How much do graphic designers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $85,950; Los Angeles, CA: $81,680; Chicago, IL-IN: $71,470; Dallas, TX: $65,940; Houston, TX: $59,400 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do graphic designers earn the least?
Of the 346 metro areas with their own estimate, Aguadilla, PR has the lowest mean wage, $32,930.