Graphic Designers Career, Salary and Skills
Graphic Designers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $62,960 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 197,830. Wage data is published for 399 locations.
Occupation 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.
O*NET code
27-1024.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$62,960
Hourly median
$30.27
Employment
197,830
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Speaking | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Active Learning | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Writing | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.12 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- 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 information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe ActionScript
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe ColdFusion
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Distiller
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe FrameMaker
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Macromedia HomeSite
- Adobe PageMaker
- Adobe Photoshop
Graphic Designers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Graphic Designers Salary in CAMedian $75,130 · Employment 27,390
- Graphic Designers Salary in New York, NYMedian $79,280 · Employment 15,160
- Graphic Designers Salary in NYMedian $77,340 · Employment 14,530
- Graphic Designers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $72,400 · Employment 13,810
- Graphic Designers Salary in TXMedian $60,150 · Employment 13,670
- Graphic Designers Salary in FLMedian $61,660 · Employment 12,660
- Graphic Designers Salary in ILMedian $62,560 · Employment 8,960
- Graphic Designers Salary in PAMedian $60,730 · Employment 8,150
- Graphic Designers Salary in OHMedian $60,080 · Employment 7,280
- Graphic Designers Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $66,490 · Employment 6,590
- Graphic Designers Salary in MIMedian $57,350 · Employment 6,070
- Graphic Designers Salary in GAMedian $60,250 · Employment 5,920
Related careers
- Producers and DirectorsNational median $90,360
- Fabric and Apparel PatternmakersNational median $62,750
- Web DevelopersNational median $92,650
- PhotographersNational median $44,660
- Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersNational median $39,390
- Film and Video EditorsNational median $75,420
- Writers and AuthorsNational median $76,910
- Prepress Technicians and WorkersNational median $48,690
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.