SOC 27-1024 · May 2025
Graphic Designer Salary
Graphic Designers in the US earn a median of $62,960 a year ($33.92 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Graphic Designer pay climbed from $56,510 in 2019 to $70,560 in 2025, a +24.9% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$62,960
Half of all Graphic Designers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+24.9% since 2019 · +2.8% YoY
Hourly
$33.92
Job growth 2025-35
-1.7%
US workers
197,830
BLS series
Annual median wage for Graphic Designers in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Graphic Designers is $39,520 – $104,910.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$39,520
25th
$49,040
Median
$62,960
75th
$81,830
90th
$104,910
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Graphic Designers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $39,520 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $49,040 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $62,960 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $81,830 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $104,910 |
Geography
Graphic Designer pay by state
Graphic Designers earn the most in D.C. ($87,920, +40% against the national median) and the least in West Virginia ($40,350). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$62,960
Highest-paying states for graphic designers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $87,920 | +40% | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $78,220 | +24% | 750 |
| New York | $77,340 | +23% | 14,530 |
| Massachusetts | $76,710 | +22% | 4,450 |
| California | $75,130 | +19% | 27,390 |
| Maryland | $75,120 | +19% | 3,050 |
| New Jersey | $73,790 | +17% | 5,670 |
| Washington | $72,710 | +15% | 3,960 |
| Connecticut | $72,700 | +15% | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $72,310 | +15% | 4,740 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $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 |
| Colorado | $66,330 | 4,200 |
| Oregon | $66,040 | 4,140 |
| Vermont | $65,690 | 410 |
| Minnesota | $63,860 | 5,570 |
| Nevada | $62,890 | 1,570 |
| Alaska | $62,570 | 180 |
| Illinois | $62,560 | 8,960 |
| Utah | $62,310 | 2,720 |
| Florida | $61,660 | 12,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,730 | 8,150 |
| New Hampshire | $60,490 | 790 |
| Georgia | $60,250 | 5,920 |
| Texas | $60,150 | 13,670 |
| Delaware | $60,130 | 360 |
| Ohio | $60,080 | 7,280 |
| Maine | $60,030 | 560 |
| Wisconsin | $59,900 | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $58,510 | 3,560 |
| North Carolina | $58,450 | 5,660 |
| Hawaii | $58,070 | 520 |
| Michigan | $57,350 | 6,070 |
| Tennessee | $57,270 | 3,880 |
| South Carolina | $57,170 | 1,930 |
| Montana | $56,890 | 610 |
| Missouri | $56,750 | 4,500 |
| New Mexico | $56,730 | 850 |
| Nebraska | $56,700 | 1,670 |
| North Dakota | $56,470 | 460 |
| Indiana | $55,480 | 3,450 |
| Kansas | $53,630 | 1,730 |
| Oklahoma | $53,630 | 2,040 |
| Kentucky | $52,960 | 2,060 |
| Alabama | $51,070 | 1,760 |
| Idaho | $50,350 | 920 |
| Iowa | $50,310 | 2,100 |
| Louisiana | $49,910 | 1,750 |
| South Dakota | $48,390 | 470 |
| Arkansas | $46,220 | 1,390 |
| Mississippi | $45,640 | 830 |
| Wyoming | $45,150 | 240 |
| West Virginia | $40,350 | 520 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Graphic Designers
Graphic designers (BLS SOC 27-1024) create visual concepts using computer software or by hand to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. The role spans agency, in-house, and freelance work across print, digital, brand identity, and packaging. OEWS figures reflect employer wages and miss the substantial freelance / contract market where rates are project-based; senior brand designers and creative directors at top agencies routinely exceed the median.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $39,520 – $104,910. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., Rhode Island and New York. Pay in D.C. runs 2.2 times the level in West Virginia, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as bachelor's degree, and projects about 16,000 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to shrink 1.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Graphic Designer salary in the US?
How much does a Graphic Designer make an hour?
How much do Graphic Designers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Graphic Designers the most?
Is the average Graphic Designer salary higher than the median?
Is Graphic Designer a growing career?
Open positions
Open Graphic Designer roles hiring now
Browse current Graphic Designer listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 27-1024. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.