Professional Graphic Designer Salary in the United States
How much does a Professional Graphic Designer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Professional Graphic Designer in the United States is $69,960 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.
However, a Professional Graphic Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,227
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,624 to $75,857
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $57,856
10%$57,856
50% (Median)$69,960
90%$81,227
Professional Graphic Designer Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Professional Graphic Designer Salaries
A Professional Graphic Designer'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, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Professional Graphic Designer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Professional Graphic Designer'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:
How Do Professional Graphic Designer 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 Professional Graphic Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for Professional Graphic Designers
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: $88,240
San Francisco: $87,274
Oakland: $85,435
San Jose, CA$88,240
San Francisco, CA$87,274
Oakland, CA$85,435
New York, NY$80,551
Paramus, NJ$79,571
Queens Village, NY$79,568
Passaic, NJ$79,502
Bergenfield, NJ$79,495
Stamford, CT$79,341
Huntington, NY$79,313
Newark, NJ$78,796
Bridgeport, CT$78,648
Vallejo, CA$78,509
New Brunswick, NJ$78,481
Petaluma, CA$78,439
Middlesex, NJ$78,306
Somerset, NJ$78,257
Santa Cruz, CA$78,166
Boston, MA$77,739
Monterey, CA$77,494
Seattle, WA$77,333
Santa Rosa, CA$77,319
Los Angeles, CA$77,298
Juneau, AK$77,117
Washington, DC$77,040
Orange, CA$76,791
Santa Ana, CA$76,606
Long Beach, CA$76,536
Anaheim, CA$76,522
Anchorage, AK$76,487
Santa Maria, CA$76,277
Everett, WA$76,263
Danbury, CT$76,017
Bremerton, WA$75,920
Tacoma, WA$75,668
New Suffolk, NY$75,667
Sacramento, CA$75,647
Santa Barbara, CA$75,570
Trenton, NJ$75,494
San Diego, CA$75,494
Brockton, MA$75,417
Fairbanks, AK$75,245
Lompoc, CA$75,067
Lowell, MA$75,010
Ventura, CA$74,997
Nashua, NH$74,983
Stockton, CA$74,976
Modesto, CA$74,465
Poughkeepsie, NY$74,311
Olympia, WA$74,178
Kennewick, WA$74,178
New Haven, CT$74,150
Lawrence, MA$73,898
Hartford, CT$73,828
Riverside, CA$73,814
New Bedford, MA$73,745
Richland, WA$73,745
Bakersfield, CA$73,647
San Bernardino, CA$73,619
New Britain, CT$73,612
Atlantic City, NJ$73,612
New London, CT$73,584
Norwich, CT$73,563
Portsmouth, NH$73,549
Boulder, CO$73,400
Portland, OR$73,304
Worcester, MA$73,297
Minneapolis, MN$73,080
Philadelphia, PA$72,982
Honolulu, HI$72,751
Saint Paul, MN$72,718
Vineland, NJ$72,702
Providence, RI$72,499
Chicago, IL$72,296
Bellingham, WA$72,212
Springfield, MA$72,156
Baltimore, MD$72,135
Chico, CA$71,961
Pittsfield, MA$71,772
Manchester, NH$71,639
Spokane, WA$71,331
Denver, CO$71,324
Albany, NY$70,995
Troy, NY$70,967
Nassau, NY$70,892
Schenectady, NY$70,820
Wilmington, DE$70,764
Burlington, VT$70,666
Salem, OR$70,638
Portland, ME$70,421
Yakima, WA$70,351
Rochester, MN$70,135
Reno, NV$70,100
Fresno, CA$70,100
Milwaukee, WI$70,037
Detroit, MI$69,967
Ann Arbor, MI$69,955
Allentown, PA$69,946
Colorado Springs, CO$69,827
Syracuse, NY$69,792
Carson City, NV$69,792
Houston, TX$69,694
Eugene, OR$69,659
Gary, IN$69,575
Springfield, OR$69,519
Bismarck, ND$69,505
Galveston, TX$69,456
Medford, OR$69,351
Fort Collins, CO$69,323
Concord, NH$69,288
Austin, TX$69,267
Mesa, AZ$69,120
Reading, PA$69,113
Phoenix, AZ$69,106
Dallas, TX$69,085
Saint Cloud, MN$69,018
Madison, WI$68,924
Utica, NY$68,735
Rochester, NY$68,623
Des Moines, IA$68,616
Raleigh, NC$68,609
Atlanta, GA$68,505
Battle Creek, MI$68,484
Salt Lake City, UT$68,463
Lancaster, PA$68,358
Harrisburg, PA$68,260
Kansas City, MO$68,190
Champaign, IL$68,176
Kansas City, KS$68,176
Fort Worth, TX$68,169
Columbus, OH$68,157
Boca Raton, FL$68,141
Pittsburgh, PA$68,113
Richmond, VA$68,085
Indianapolis, IN$68,071
Cleveland, OH$68,064
Las Vegas, NV$67,980
Cincinnati, OH$67,980
Petersburg, VA$67,875
Huntsville, AL$67,770
Lansing, MI$67,723
Lebanon, PA$67,714
Pueblo, CO$67,707
Appleton, WI$67,686
Buffalo, NY$67,658
Dayton, OH$67,637
Racine, WI$67,623
Charlotte, NC$67,616
Saint Louis, MO$67,595
York, PA$67,553
Elkhart, IN$67,553
Gastonia, NC$67,540
Billings, MT$67,523
Beaumont, TX$67,504
Lorain, OH$67,490
Benton Harbor, MI$67,476
Toledo, OH$67,462
Binghamton, NY$67,427
Rock Hill, SC$67,420
Rockford, IL$67,385
Springfield, IL$67,357
Elyria, OH$67,350
Fargo, ND$67,350
Flagstaff, AZ$67,301
Fort Lauderdale, FL$67,259
Duluth, MN$67,217
Miami, FL$67,217
Cheyenne, WY$67,168
Grand Forks, ND$67,168
Bangor, ME$67,014
Cedar Rapids, IA$66,937
Durham, NC$66,908
Louisville, KY$66,902
Grand Rapids, MI$66,888
Hialeah, FL$66,881
Casper, WY$66,784
Scranton, PA$66,700
New Orleans, LA$66,679
Virginia Beach, VA$66,672
Akron, OH$66,637
Peoria, IL$66,546
Sarasota, FL$66,532
Nashville, TN$66,483
Omaha, NE$66,483
Green Bay, WI$66,483
Baton Rouge, LA$66,448
Charleston, SC$66,434
Jamestown, NY$66,399
Davenport, IA$66,399
Tucson, AZ$66,364
Saint Petersburg, FL$66,322
Tampa, FL$66,308
Evansville, IN$66,266
Port Arthur, TX$66,266
Bradenton, FL$66,238
Santa Fe, NM$66,112
Orlando, FL$65,986
Clearwater, FL$65,965
Canton, OH$65,818
La Crosse, WI$65,818
Albuquerque, NM$65,776
Newport News, VA$65,769
High Point, NC$65,748
Ogden, UT$65,720
Corpus Christi, TX$65,664
Norfolk, VA$65,622
Laramie, WY$65,622
Rock Island, IL$65,580
Saginaw, MI$65,566
Jacksonville, FL$65,559
Salisbury, NC$65,545
Boise, ID$65,531
Moline, IL$65,496
Fort Myers, FL$65,475
Memphis, TN$65,461
Tulsa, OK$65,426
Waterloo, IA$65,384
Spartanburg, SC$65,314
Lincoln, NE$65,279
Fort Wayne, IN$65,265
Provo, UT$65,258
Cedar Falls, IA$65,174
San Antonio, TX$65,146
Greensboro, NC$65,118
South Bend, IN$65,111
Savannah, GA$65,035
Muskegon, MI$65,007
Birmingham, AL$65,000
Winston Salem, NC$64,965
Lake Charles, LA$64,797
Anderson, IN$64,783
Lexington, KY$64,762
Augusta, GA$64,741
Greenville, SC$64,741
Lima, OH$64,685
Wichita, KS$64,678
Tuscaloosa, AL$64,678
Columbia, SC$64,615
Springfield, OH$64,601
Asheville, NC$64,489
Bloomington, IN$64,440
Knoxville, TN$64,188
Shreveport, LA$64,181
Wilmington, NC$64,090
Roanoke, VA$64,090
Topeka, KS$63,964
Frankfort, KY$63,956
Oklahoma City, OK$63,908
Chillicothe, OH$63,880
Longview, TX$63,873
Melbourne, FL$63,866
Sioux Falls, SD$63,754
Mobile, AL$63,747
Terre Haute, IN$63,719
Altoona, PA$63,677
Amarillo, TX$63,628
Killeen, TX$63,607
Fayetteville, AR$63,551
Chattanooga, TN$63,530
Sioux City, IA$63,467
Idaho Falls, ID$63,453
Lynchburg, VA$63,397
Gainesville, FL$63,307
Portsmouth, OH$63,272
Little Rock, AR$63,258
Lafayette, LA$63,230
Youngstown, OH$63,230
Daytona Beach, FL$63,188
Clarksville, TN$63,181
Pensacola, FL$63,174
Temple, TX$63,169
Hopkinsville, KY$62,964
Erie, PA$62,950
Florence, SC$62,922
Charleston, WV$62,810
Great Falls, MT$62,775
Macon, GA$62,677
Tallahassee, FL$62,670
Fayetteville, NC$62,656
Waco, TX$62,642
Helena, MT$62,593
Pine Bluff, AR$62,566
Vincennes, IN$62,481
Lubbock, TX$62,453
Alamogordo, NM$62,411
Twin Falls, ID$62,348
Rapid City, SD$62,327
Jackson, MS$62,201
Huntington, WV$62,196
Greenville, MS$62,194
Parkersburg, WV$62,123
Montgomery, AL$62,110
Wichita Falls, TX$62,040
Springfield, MO$62,040
Biloxi, MS$62,005
Monroe, LA$61,935
Johnstown, PA$61,886
Sumter, SC$61,858
Columbus, GA$61,851
Pascagoula, MS$61,718
Abilene, TX$61,718
Kingsport, TN$61,537
Albany, GA$61,537
Gulfport, MS$61,516
Alexandria, LA$61,285
Fort Smith, AR$61,110
El Paso, TX$60,921
Las Cruces, NM$60,606
Harlingen, TX$60,428
Pocatello, ID$60,417
Florence, AL$60,326
Brownsville, TX$60,312
Mcallen, TX$60,165
Dothan, AL$60,067
Columbus, MS$59,652
Altus, OK$59,326
Lawton, OK$59,193
Pierre, SD$58,941
What Skills Can Increase a Professional Graphic Designer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Presentation (Mentioned in 4.34% 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 3.05% 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 1.63% 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.
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 Professional Graphic Designer's salary.
Professional Graphic Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Professional Graphic Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Professional Graphic Designer positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Professional Graphic Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Professional Graphic Designer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$90,948
$44.0
30%
Software & Networking
$90,948
$44.0
30%
Internet
$87,450
$42.0
25%
Biotechnology
$83,952
$40.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$83,952
$40.0
20%
How Education impacts a Professional Graphic Designer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Professional Graphic Designers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Professional Graphic Designer with a Associate's Degree is between
$67,790
and $71,824).
Professional Graphic Designer Salaries by Degree Level
$73,100
$72,300
$71,600
$70,800
$70,100
$69,300
$68,600
$67,800
No Diploma
High School
Associates
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
Typical Education for Professional Graphic Designer
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.7%
High School
9.7%
Associates
19.6%
Bachelors
65.4%
Masters
4.4%
Doctorate
0.2%
Typical Education for Professional Graphic Designer
Professional Graphic Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Professional Graphic Designer'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$63,624
Average$69,960/year
$75,857
$5,302
Average$5,830/month
$6,321
$1,224
Average$1,345/week
$1,459
$31
Average$34/hour
$36
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$75,857
$6,321
$1,459
$36
Average
$69,960
$5,830
$1,345
$34
25th Percentile
$63,624
$5,302
$1,224
$31
Salaries of Jobs related to Professional Graphic Designer
Salaries for a Professional Graphic Designer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $70,052 in 2023
to around $68,981 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Professional Graphic Designer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Professional Graphic Designer Over Time
$???
$70,052
$69,752
$68,981
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$70,052
2024
$69,752
2025
$68,981
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Professional Graphic Designer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Professional Graphic Designer
Here are companies hiring for Professional Graphic Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Professional Graphic Designer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Professional Graphic Designer?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Professional Graphic Designer roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
