Graphic Designers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for graphic designers in the U.S. is $62,960 ($30.27 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $62,960
- Mean annual wage
- $70,560
- Median hourly wage
- $30.27
- Employment
- 197,830
197,830 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,520 | $19.00 |
| 25th percentile | $49,040 | $23.58 |
| Median (50th) | $62,960 | $30.27 |
| 75th percentile | $81,830 | $39.34 |
| 90th percentile | $104,910 | $50.44 |
Highest-paying states for graphic designers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $87,920 | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $78,220 | 750 |
| New York | $77,340 | 14,530 |
| Massachusetts | $76,710 | 4,450 |
| California | $75,130 | 27,390 |
| Maryland | $75,120 | 3,050 |
| New Jersey | $73,790 | 5,670 |
| Washington | $72,710 | 3,960 |
| Connecticut | $72,700 | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $72,310 | 4,740 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $40,350 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $45,150 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $45,640 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $46,220 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $48,390 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
- Research the target audience of projects.
- Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
- Write or edit copy for clients.
- Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.
- Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 12.5% |
| Associate's degree | 11.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 59.9% |
| Master's degree | 8.7% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Public Relations Specialists$74,750
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,390
- Producers and Directors$90,360
- Editors$77,920
- Interior Designers$67,190
- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100
- Actors—
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.