Salary AI Book a Demo
upper level job

Hourly Wage for Graphic Design Specialist IV Salary in the United States

How much does a Graphic Design Specialist IV make hourly?

As of October 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Graphic Design Specialist IV in the United States is $50, which translates to an annual salary of about $104,904.

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): $59 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46 to $55 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $42 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Graphic Design Specialist IV Salaries

A Graphic Design Specialist IV'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 Specialist IV Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Graphic Design Specialist IV'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 II (2-4 years): $71,656
  • Graphic Design Specialist III (4-7 years): $84,954
  • Graphic Design Specialist IV (7+ years): $104,904
  • Graphic Design Specialist V (7-10 years): $123,342
  • Graphic Design Supervisor (10+ years): $100,033
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Graphic Design Specialist II2-4 years$71,656
Graphic Design Specialist III4-7 years$84,954
Graphic Design Specialist IV7+ years$104,904
Graphic Design Specialist V7-10 years$123,342
Graphic Design Supervisor10+ years$100,033
View as Graph

How Do Graphic Design Specialist IV 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 Specialist IVs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $116,150.
  • California: $115,709.
  • Massachusetts: $114,167.

Top Paying Cities for Graphic Design Specialist IVs

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: $132,315
  • San Francisco: $130,867
  • Oakland: $128,109

What Skills Can Increase a Graphic Design Specialist IV's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 4.32% 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.
  • Adobe Illustrator (Mentioned in 3.07% Job Postings): Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Graphic designers use Illustrator to create vector graphics. You can produce logos, detailed illustrations, web page designs and many more.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.61% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 4.32%
Adobe Illustrator 3.07%
Microsoft Office 1.61%
See More Skills

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 Specialist IV's salary.

  • Advertising: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Packaging: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Advertising $131,130
25%
Packaging $118,542
13%
Integrity $116,443
11%
Get Latest Data

Graphic Design Specialist IV Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Graphic Design Specialist IV salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $117,114. While startup companies pay approximate $99,166.

Graphic Design Specialist IV Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $99,166
Growth Stage 51~500 $104,856
Established 501~5000 $113,083
Enterprise 5000+ $117,114

Graphic Design Specialist IV Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Graphic Design Specialist IV 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 Financial Services and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Graphic Design Specialist positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Graphic Design Specialist IV as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Graphic Design Specialist IV

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$125,885$61.020%
Software & Networking$125,885$61.020%
Aerospace & Defense$120,640$58.015%
Internet$120,640$58.015%
Energy & Utilities$115,394$55.010%

Graphic Design Specialist IV Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Graphic Design Specialist IV'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 October 01, 2026
$96,019
Average $104,904/year
$114,298
$8,002
Average $8,742/month
$9,525
$1,847
Average $2,017/week
$2,198
$46
Average $50/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $114,298 $9,525 $2,198 $55
Average $104,904 $8,742 $2,017 $50
25th Percentile $96,019 $8,002 $1,847 $46

Most common benefits for Graphic Design Specialist IV

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Graphic Design Specialist IV

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

Find Your Next Graphic Design Specialist IV Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Graphic Design Specialist IV job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Graphic Design Specialist IV

1. What are the responsibilities of Graphic Design Specialist IV?

Designs and produces 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. Creates and executes design solutions and collateral used for marketing, advertising, sales, and other forms of communication. Coordinates with customers and stakeholders to conceptualize and deliver projects on time and budget. Experienced using a variety of design and editing tools and software such as Adobe. Knowledge of color, composition, typography, digital design and production management. Typically requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Work is highly independent. May assume a team lead role for the work group. A specialist on complex technical and business matters. Typically requires 7+ years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Graphic Design Specialist IV

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.)

Adobe Illustrator: Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Graphic designers use Illustrator to create vector graphics. You can produce logos, detailed illustrations, web page designs and many more.

3.)

Microsoft Office: Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job