Web Developer
Median wage · national
$92,650
Range: $64K – $126K
Employed
70K
Openings/yr
5K
Typically: bachelor's degree
HUMANITIES
Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer earn $62,960 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $49,040 and $81,830. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Graphic Designer
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a graphic designer: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Design and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
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.
- Median Wage
- $62,960
- Employed Nationally
- 198K
- Openings / Year
- 16,000
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Ad Designer (Advertising Designer)
Ad Layout Worker (Advertising Layout Worker)
Artist
Brand Designer
Catalogue Illustrator
How Much Do Graphic Designers Make?
Most graphic designers take home around $62,960 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $49,040 and $81,830, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$62,960
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$49K–$82K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$49,040
Entry-level
$62,960
Median
$81,830
Experienced
The mean wage for this occupation is $70,560, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
What Do Graphic Designers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Active Listening
Speaking
Active Learning
Critical Thinking
Writing
Who Thrives Here
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
Where Do Graphic Designers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Graphic Designers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by -1.7%, meaning it is shrinking, so expect more competition for fewer roles. Around 16,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↘ -1.7%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Declining employment projected.
16,000
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
198K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Graphic Designer professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $62,960 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 27,390 | $75,130 | +19.3% |
| 2 | New York | 14,530 | $77,340 | +22.8% |
| 3 | Texas | 13,670 | $60,150 | -4.5% |
| 4 | Florida | 12,660 | $61,660 | -2.1% |
| 5 | Illinois | 8,960 | $62,560 | -0.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 3 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Computer Software & Media program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Design | 36,019 | $51,490 | 1,238 |
| 2 | Computer Software & Media | 14,684 | $58,894 | 726 |
| 3 | Visual & Performing Arts | 6,785 | $41,688 | 550 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Graphic Designers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 4 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 5 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 6 | Rice University Houston, TX | 91 | $13,370 | $89,718 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Graphic Designer, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Graphic Designer pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Graphic Designer Pros & Cons
Graphic Designer has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 1 upsides and 2 concerns below are all data-sourced.
PROS
- Competitive salary $62,960 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
CONS
- Declining employment The BLS projects -1.7% employment change through 2035. This field is expected to shrink. Automation, offshoring, or structural industry change are likely factors.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $62,960 median while building the experience employers require.
Graphic Designer Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Graphic Designer professionals earn?
Around $62,960 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,040 and $81,830. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Graphic Designer a good career?
With realistic expectations. The BLS projects -1.7% employment change through 2035. This field is shrinking, not expanding. The $62,960 median wage is competitive, but most openings come from retirements and exits rather than new positions. If you're drawn to this work, differentiate through a specialized niche or adjacent certification that keeps you relevant as the broader field contracts.
How long does it take to work as Graphic Designers?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Design are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $62,960 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Why are Graphic Designer jobs declining?
The BLS projects -1.7% employment change for Graphic Designer through 2035. Declining occupations typically face some combination of automation, industry consolidation, offshoring, or reduced consumer demand, rarely a single cause. Despite the overall decline, about 16,000 openings per year are still projected, mostly replacements for workers who retire or leave, not new positions. 198K people currently work in this field, so while it's contracting, active hiring still occurs. Specialization in high-value segments of the role gives the strongest protection.
What skills do Graphic Designer professionals need?
Mainly Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, and Writing. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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