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Hourly Wage for Graphic Design Manager Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Graphic Design Manager?

As of July 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Graphic Design Manager in the United States is $58, which translates to an annual salary of about $120,313.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $65 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51 to $62 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44 per hour
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View as table View as graph 25% $51 10% $44 90% $65 75% $62 $58 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Graphic Design Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $128,336 $10,695 $2,468 $62
Average $120,313 $10,026 $2,314 $58
25th Percentile $105,325 $8,777 $2,025 $51
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Key Factors That Influence Graphic Design Manager Salaries

A Graphic Design Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Graphic Design Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Graphic Design Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Graphic Design Specialist V (7-10 years): $123,336
  • Graphic Design Supervisor (10+ years): $100,004
  • Graphic Design Manager (10+ years): $120,313
  • Graphic Design Senior Manager (10+ years): $148,867
  • Graphic Design Director (10+ years): $180,905
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Graphic Design Specialist V7-10 years$123,336
Graphic Design Supervisor10+ years$100,004
Graphic Design Manager10+ years$120,313
Graphic Design Senior Manager10+ years$148,867
Graphic Design Director10+ years$180,905
$123,336 Graphic D...
$100,004 Graphic D...
$120,313 Graphic D...
$148,867 Graphic D...
$180,905 Graphic D...
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Graphic Design Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Graphic Design Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $133,211.
  • California: $132,705.
  • Massachusetts: $130,937.

Top Paying Cities for Graphic Design Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $151,751
  • San Francisco: $150,089
  • Oakland: $146,926

What Skills Can Increase a Graphic Design Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 5.43% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Photoshop (Mentioned in 2.47% Job Postings): Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.
  • Photography (Mentioned in 1.32% Job Postings): Photography is the art, application and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication. Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result with photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically "developed" into a visible image, either negative or positive depending on the purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 5.43%
Photoshop 2.47%
Photography 1.32%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Graphic Design Manager's salary.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight
$126,329
5%
Coaching
$125,126
4%
Collaboration
$125,126
4%
Initiative
$123,922
3%
Project Management
$123,922
3%
Career Development
$123,922
3%
Get Latest Data

Graphic Design Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Graphic Design Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $134,569. While startup companies pay approximate $113,805.

Graphic Design Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$113,805
Growth Stage51~500$120,367
Established501~5000$129,952
Enterprise5000+$134,569

Graphic Design Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Graphic Design Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Graphic Design Manager positions in Biotechnology or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Graphic Design Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Graphic Design Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$144,376$69.020%

Graphic Design Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Graphic Design Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Graphic Design Manager

Salaries for a Graphic Design Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $107,340 in 2023 to around $107,622 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Graphic Design Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Graphic Design Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$107,340
2024
$108,110
2025
$107,622
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $107,340
2024 $108,110
2025 $107,622
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Graphic Design Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Graphic Design Manager

Here are companies hiring for Graphic Design Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Graphic Design Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Graphic Design Manager?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Graphic Design Manager roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

2. What are the responsibilities of Graphic Design Manager?

Manages the design and production of graphic art and visual materials for print and digital media. Ensures that layout and design are aligned with brand and production standards and follow best practices. Oversees the creation and execution of design solutions including imagery, charts, infographics, and multimedia elements used for marketing, advertising, sales, and other forms of communication. Consults with customers and stakeholders to conceptualize, scope, and develop project deliverables and timelines. Ensures designers have the tools and skills required to produce unique, high impact materials. Requires a bachelor's degree in art or graphic design. Typically reports to a director. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.

3. What are the skills of Graphic Design Manager

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Presentation: Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.

2.)

Photoshop: Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.

3.)

Photography: Photography is the art, application and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication. Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result with photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically "developed" into a visible image, either negative or positive depending on the purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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