Graphic Designers
Graphic Designers (SOC 27-1024) earn a median $62,960 a year ($30.27 an hour) in the United States, with 197,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What graphic designers do
Graphic designers create graphics for specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos, and may work in a variety of media for artistic or decorative effect. They meet with clients to settle on a layout, draft designs, concepts, and sample layouts using layout principles, and decide the size and arrangement of illustrations and copy and the style and size of type. They use computer software to generate new images, develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and websites, review final layouts and suggest improvements, and prepare digital files for printing. Alternate titles include advertising designer, brand designer, commercial artist, and catalogue illustrator. Web and digital interface designers are counted in a separate computer occupation, and art directors, who guide creative teams, are classified separately.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Ad Designer, Ad Layout Worker, Artist, Brand Designer, Catalogue Illustrator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.00 | $23.58 | $30.27 | $39.34 | $50.44 | $33.92 | 197,830 |
| Annual | $39,520 | $49,040 | $62,960 | $81,830 | $104,910 | $70,560 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where graphic designers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $29.92 | $36.20 | $42.27 | $54.94 | $65.70 | $45.49 | 1,150 | 1.64 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $62,240 | $75,300 | $87,920 | $114,280 | $136,660 | $94,630 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $23.71 | $29.83 | $37.61 | $44.89 | $51.72 | $37.93 | 750 | 1.49 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $49,330 | $62,050 | $78,220 | $93,370 | $107,580 | $78,900 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.00 | $28.18 | $37.19 | $48.25 | $63.10 | $39.62 | 14,530 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $58,610 | $77,340 | $100,370 | $131,250 | $82,410 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $22.99 | $28.86 | $36.88 | $46.15 | $52.39 | $38.31 | 4,450 | 1.22 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $47,830 | $60,030 | $76,710 | $95,990 | $108,970 | $79,690 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.21 | $26.68 | $36.12 | $47.71 | $62.29 | $41.73 | 27,390 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $46,190 | $55,500 | $75,130 | $99,240 | $129,560 | $86,800 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.21 | $26.68 | $36.12 | $47.71 | $62.29 | $41.73 | 27,390 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $46,190 | $55,500 | $75,130 | $99,240 | $129,560 | $86,800 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.00 | $28.18 | $37.19 | $48.25 | $63.10 | $39.62 | 14,530 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $58,610 | $77,340 | $100,370 | $131,250 | $82,410 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.47 | $22.11 | $28.92 | $36.32 | $44.67 | $30.08 | 13,670 | 0.97 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $36,340 | $45,990 | $60,150 | $75,540 | $92,910 | $62,570 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $19.14 | $23.80 | $29.65 | $38.79 | $48.97 | $32.73 | 12,660 | 1.28 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $39,810 | $49,510 | $61,660 | $80,680 | $101,860 | $68,070 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.34 | $22.85 | $30.08 | $39.10 | $47.48 | $32.20 | 8,960 | 1.47 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $36,060 | $47,530 | $62,560 | $81,320 | $98,750 | $66,980 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.78 | $35.57 | $46.81 | $61.48 | $79.10 | $51.62 | 1,280 | 1.12 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $59,870 | $73,990 | $97,360 | $127,880 | $164,520 | $107,360 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.19 | $33.02 | $44.25 | $55.74 | $68.49 | $49.10 | 3,870 | 1.63 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $54,470 | $68,680 | $92,050 | $115,940 | $142,460 | $102,130 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.36 | $32.03 | $41.07 | $51.72 | $63.37 | $43.05 | 4,420 | 1.41 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $48,580 | $66,620 | $85,420 | $107,590 | $131,810 | $89,540 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $23.40 | $29.17 | $39.33 | $42.69 | $51.43 | $38.00 | 650 | 1.62 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $48,670 | $60,660 | $81,800 | $88,790 | $106,970 | $79,040 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.83 | $29.83 | $38.12 | $49.07 | $63.71 | $41.32 | 15,160 | 1.60 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $47,490 | $62,040 | $79,280 | $102,060 | $132,520 | $85,950 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.83 | $29.83 | $38.12 | $49.07 | $63.71 | $41.32 | 15,160 | 1.60 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $47,490 | $62,040 | $79,280 | $102,060 | $132,520 | $85,950 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.88 | $25.86 | $34.81 | $45.89 | $59.42 | $39.27 | 13,810 | 2.20 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $45,500 | $53,790 | $72,400 | $95,440 | $123,590 | $81,680 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $21.04 | $25.02 | $31.97 | $40.19 | $48.38 | $34.36 | 6,590 | 1.46 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $43,750 | $52,030 | $66,490 | $83,590 | $100,620 | $71,470 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.73 | $24.00 | $30.66 | $36.51 | $45.44 | $31.70 | 4,790 | 1.18 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $38,960 | $49,920 | $63,780 | $75,940 | $94,510 | $65,930 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.36 | $32.03 | $41.07 | $51.72 | $63.37 | $43.05 | 4,420 | 1.41 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $48,580 | $66,620 | $85,420 | $107,590 | $131,810 | $89,540 | ||||
Top industries employing graphic designers
Specialized Design Services employ 11.9% of graphic designers nationally (23,480 jobs) at a median $63,780 a year ($30.66 an hour), followed by Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (9.9%) and Printing and Related Support Activities (7.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized Design Services NAICS 541400 | 23,480 | 11.9% | $63,780 | $30.66 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 19,600 | 9.9% | $61,200 | $29.42 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 15,120 | 7.6% | $47,120 | $22.66 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 11,870 | 6.0% | $74,340 | $35.74 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 9,580 | 4.8% | $50,190 | $24.13 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (197,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $50,710 for graphic designers in May 2021 and $62,960 in May 2025, with employment of 204,040 and 197,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $50,710 | $24.38 | 204,040 |
| May 2022 | $57,990 | $27.88 | 211,890 |
| May 2023 | $58,910 | $28.32 | 212,720 |
| May 2024 | $61,300 | $29.47 | 214,260 |
| May 2025 | $62,960 | $30.27 | 197,830 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $42.27 | $87,920 | $62,240 | $136,660 | 1,150 | 1.64 | 1.29 |
| 2 | Rhode Island profile | $37.61 | $78,220 | $49,330 | $107,580 | 750 | 1.49 | 1.17 |
| 3 | New York profile | $37.19 | $77,340 | $43,680 | $131,250 | 14,530 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $36.88 | $76,710 | $47,830 | $108,970 | 4,450 | 1.22 | 0.96 |
| 5 | California profile | $36.12 | $75,130 | $46,190 | $129,560 | 27,390 | 1.50 | 1.18 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $36.12 | $75,120 | $44,810 | $109,630 | 3,050 | 1.10 | 0.87 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $35.48 | $73,790 | $47,490 | $122,940 | 5,670 | 1.32 | 1.04 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $34.96 | $72,710 | $47,780 | $115,210 | 3,960 | 1.12 | 0.88 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $34.95 | $72,700 | $47,420 | $106,830 | 1,930 | 1.14 | 0.89 |
| 10 | Virginia profile | $34.77 | $72,310 | $39,020 | $121,680 | 4,740 | 1.15 | 0.91 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $31.89 | $66,330 | $47,030 | $118,560 | 4,200 | 1.46 | 1.15 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $31.75 | $66,040 | $45,260 | $170,680 | 4,140 | 2.11 | 1.66 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | $31.58 | $65,690 | $42,640 | $123,500 | 410 | 1.35 | 1.06 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $30.70 | $63,860 | $42,690 | $96,960 | 5,570 | 1.89 | 1.48 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $30.24 | $62,890 | $39,470 | $88,890 | 1,570 | 1.01 | 0.80 |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $39,380 | $103,440 | 180 | 0.57 | 0.45 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $30.08 | $62,560 | $36,060 | $98,750 | 8,960 | 1.47 | 1.15 |
| 18 | Utah profile | $29.96 | $62,310 | $39,170 | $96,810 | 2,720 | 1.57 | 1.23 |
| 19 | Florida profile | $29.65 | $61,660 | $39,810 | $101,860 | 12,660 | 1.28 | 1.00 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.20 | $60,730 | $39,430 | $102,090 | 8,150 | 1.34 | 1.06 |
| 21 | New Hampshire profile | $29.08 | $60,490 | $47,030 | $95,680 | 790 | 1.15 | 0.91 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $28.97 | $60,250 | $34,860 | $100,110 | 5,920 | 1.21 | 0.95 |
| 23 | Texas profile | $28.92 | $60,150 | $36,340 | $92,910 | 13,670 | 0.97 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Delaware profile | $28.91 | $60,130 | $41,040 | $92,920 | 360 | 0.73 | 0.58 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $28.88 | $60,080 | $39,050 | $99,370 | 7,280 | 1.31 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $28.86 | $60,030 | $39,160 | $79,000 | 560 | 0.88 | 0.69 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $28.80 | $59,900 | $42,680 | $85,050 | 4,130 | 1.40 | 1.10 |
| 28 | Arizona profile | $28.13 | $58,510 | $43,780 | $88,590 | 3,560 | 1.10 | 0.86 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $28.10 | $58,450 | $37,680 | $95,380 | 5,660 | 1.15 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Hawaii profile | $27.92 | $58,070 | $31,890 | $91,080 | 520 | 0.83 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Michigan profile | $27.57 | $57,350 | $38,770 | $86,320 | 6,070 | 1.38 | 1.08 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $27.54 | $57,270 | $37,910 | $92,540 | 3,880 | 1.18 | 0.93 |
| 33 | South Carolina profile | $27.49 | $57,170 | $37,190 | $90,000 | 1,930 | 0.84 | 0.66 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $27.35 | $56,890 | $37,790 | $104,780 | 610 | 1.18 | 0.93 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $27.28 | $56,750 | $36,950 | $83,270 | 4,500 | 1.53 | 1.20 |
| 36 | New Mexico profile | $27.27 | $56,730 | $35,400 | $75,680 | 850 | 0.98 | 0.77 |
| 37 | Nebraska profile | $27.26 | $56,700 | $37,440 | $78,840 | 1,670 | 1.63 | 1.28 |
| 38 | North Dakota profile | $27.15 | $56,470 | $37,610 | $75,700 | 460 | 1.08 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $26.67 | $55,480 | $38,520 | $98,020 | 3,450 | 1.08 | 0.85 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $25.79 | $53,630 | $37,440 | $86,260 | 1,730 | 1.20 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $25.78 | $53,630 | $27,310 | $80,980 | 2,040 | 1.19 | 0.94 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $25.46 | $52,960 | $32,620 | $81,690 | 2,060 | 1.03 | 0.81 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | $24.55 | $51,070 | $33,050 | $89,130 | 1,760 | 0.83 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Idaho profile | $24.21 | $50,350 | $32,900 | $82,140 | 920 | 1.07 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $24.19 | $50,310 | $36,970 | $75,510 | 2,100 | 1.34 | 1.06 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $23.99 | $49,910 | $35,910 | $76,300 | 1,750 | 0.90 | 0.71 |
| 47 | South Dakota profile | $23.26 | $48,390 | $36,290 | $66,620 | 470 | 1.03 | 0.81 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $31,570 | $79,730 | 1,390 | 1.07 | 0.84 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $21.94 | $45,640 | $32,260 | $75,480 | 830 | 0.71 | 0.56 |
| 50 | Wyoming profile | $21.71 | $45,150 | $32,820 | $82,990 | 240 | 0.86 | 0.67 |
| 51 | West Virginia profile | $19.40 | $40,350 | $29,530 | $61,640 | 520 | 0.74 | 0.58 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-1024 Graphic Designers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-1024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-1024.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.