What are the main factors that influence a Graphic Designer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Graphic Designer's salary?

A Graphic Designer's salary grows with experience: a Graphic Design Specialist I (0-2 years)earns $58,838, a Graphic Designer (2-4 years)earns $68,935, a Graphic Design Specialist III (4-7 years)earns $83,693, a Graphic Design Specialist IV (7+ years)earns $103,369, a Graphic Design Specialist V (7-10 years)earns $121,494,

What are the highest paying states for a Graphic Designer?

Graphic Designer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Graphic Designer roles are District of Columbia $76,825, California $76,534, Massachusetts $75,514. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Graphic Designer roles make?

Salaries for Graphic Designer level roles vary by specialization: Graphic Designer V: $123,390; Graphic Designer IV: $104,990; Sr Graphic Designer: $85,002; Graphic Designer III: $84,973; Product Graphic Designer: $77,093.

How do different companies affect a Graphic Designer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Graphic Designer roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Graphic Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Graphic Designer make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Graphic Designer in the United States is $69,387 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

However, a Graphic Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,117
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,741 to $75,527
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,600

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Graphic Designer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$75,527	$6,294	$1,452	$36
Average	$69,387	$5,782	$1,334	$33
25th Percentile	$63,741	$5,312	$1,226	$31

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Key Factors That Influence Graphic Designer Salaries

A 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 Graphic Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a 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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $58,838
Early Career (1-2 years): $68,935
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $83,693
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $103,369
Expert (over 8 years): $121,494

Levels	Salary
Graphic D... Level Graphic Designer	$58,838
Graphic D... Level Graphic Designer	$68,935
Graphic D... Level Graphic Designer	$83,693
Graphic D... Level Graphic Designer	$103,369
Graphic D... Level Graphic Designer	$121,494

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What Am I Worth?

How Do 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 Graphic Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $76,825.
California: $76,534.
Massachusetts: $75,514.

District of Columbia $76,825

California $76,534

Massachusetts $75,514

Washington $75,236

New Jersey $75,208

Alaska $75,111

Connecticut $74,154

New York $73,765

Hawaii $72,523

Rhode Island $71,940

Maryland $71,545

Minnesota $71,004

Colorado $70,795

Illinois $70,726

Oregon $70,462

Delaware $70,268

New Hampshire $70,146

Virginia $69,873

Pennsylvania $69,075

Nevada $68,672

North Dakota $68,540

Michigan $68,332

Wisconsin $68,256

Vermont $68,103

Texas $67,680

Maine $67,652

Arizona $67,610

Ohio $67,562

Georgia $66,924

Indiana $66,604

Wyoming $66,542

Utah $66,445

Iowa $66,403

Kansas $66,070

Louisiana $65,973

North Carolina $65,938

Missouri $65,924

Florida $65,654

Montana $65,508

Nebraska $65,369

Kentucky $65,293

South Carolina $65,015

Tennessee $64,842

Idaho $64,773

New Mexico $64,266

Oklahoma $64,155

Alabama $63,746

South Dakota $63,059

Arkansas $62,684

West Virginia $62,483

Mississippi $61,879

Top Paying Cities for 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: $87,518
San Francisco: $86,559
Oakland: $84,735

San Jose, CA $87,518

San Francisco, CA $86,559

Oakland, CA $84,735

New York, NY $79,891

Paramus, NJ $78,920

Queens Village, NY $78,916

Passaic, NJ $78,850

Bergenfield, NJ $78,844

Stamford, CT $78,692

Huntington, NY $78,663

Newark, NJ $78,150

Bridgeport, CT $78,004

Vallejo, CA $77,866

New Brunswick, NJ $77,838

Petaluma, CA $77,796

Middlesex, NJ $77,665

Somerset, NJ $77,616

Santa Cruz, CA $77,526

Boston, MA $77,103

Monterey, CA $76,859

Seattle, WA $76,700

Santa Rosa, CA $76,686

Los Angeles, CA $76,665

Juneau, AK $76,485

Washington, DC $76,409

Orange, CA $76,162

Santa Ana, CA $75,979

Long Beach, CA $75,909

Anaheim, CA $75,895

Anchorage, AK $75,861

Santa Maria, CA $75,652

Everett, WA $75,639

Danbury, CT $75,394

Bremerton, WA $75,299

Tacoma, WA $75,049

New Suffolk, NY $75,047

Sacramento, CA $75,028

Santa Barbara, CA $74,952

Trenton, NJ $74,875

San Diego, CA $74,875

Brockton, MA $74,799

Fairbanks, AK $74,629

Lompoc, CA $74,452

Lowell, MA $74,396

Ventura, CA $74,383

Nashua, NH $74,369

Stockton, CA $74,362

Modesto, CA $73,855

Poughkeepsie, NY $73,703

Olympia, WA $73,571

Kennewick, WA $73,571

New Haven, CT $73,543

Lawrence, MA $73,293

Hartford, CT $73,224

Riverside, CA $73,210

New Bedford, MA $73,141

Richland, WA $73,141

Bakersfield, CA $73,043

San Bernardino, CA $73,016

New Britain, CT $73,009

Atlantic City, NJ $73,009

New London, CT $72,981

Norwich, CT $72,960

Portsmouth, NH $72,946

Boulder, CO $72,799

Portland, OR $72,703

Worcester, MA $72,697

Minneapolis, MN $72,481

Philadelphia, PA $72,384

Honolulu, HI $72,155

Saint Paul, MN $72,122

Vineland, NJ $72,107

Providence, RI $71,906

Chicago, IL $71,704

Bellingham, WA $71,621

Springfield, MA $71,566

Baltimore, MD $71,545

Chico, CA $71,371

Pittsfield, MA $71,184

Manchester, NH $71,052

Spokane, WA $70,747

Denver, CO $70,740

Albany, NY $70,414

Troy, NY $70,386

Nassau, NY $70,312

Schenectady, NY $70,240

Wilmington, DE $70,185

Burlington, VT $70,088

Salem, OR $70,060

Portland, ME $69,845

Yakima, WA $69,775

Rochester, MN $69,560

Reno, NV $69,526

Fresno, CA $69,526

Milwaukee, WI $69,463

Detroit, MI $69,394

Ann Arbor, MI $69,382

Allentown, PA $69,373

Colorado Springs, CO $69,255

Syracuse, NY $69,220

Carson City, NV $69,220

Houston, TX $69,123

Eugene, OR $69,088

Gary, IN $69,005

Springfield, OR $68,950

Bismarck, ND $68,936

Galveston, TX $68,887

Medford, OR $68,783

Fort Collins, CO $68,755

Concord, NH $68,721

Austin, TX $68,700

Mesa, AZ $68,554

Reading, PA $68,547

Phoenix, AZ $68,540

Dallas, TX $68,519

Saint Cloud, MN $68,453

Madison, WI $68,360

Utica, NY $68,173

Rochester, NY $68,062

Des Moines, IA $68,055

Raleigh, NC $68,048

Atlanta, GA $67,944

Battle Creek, MI $67,923

Salt Lake City, UT $67,902

Lancaster, PA $67,798

Harrisburg, PA $67,701

Kansas City, MO $67,631

Champaign, IL $67,617

Kansas City, KS $67,617

Fort Worth, TX $67,610

Columbus, OH $67,599

Boca Raton, FL $67,583

Pittsburgh, PA $67,555

Richmond, VA $67,527

Indianapolis, IN $67,513

Cleveland, OH $67,506

Las Vegas, NV $67,423

Cincinnati, OH $67,423

Petersburg, VA $67,319

Huntsville, AL $67,215

Lansing, MI $67,169

Lebanon, PA $67,159

Pueblo, CO $67,153

Appleton, WI $67,132

Buffalo, NY $67,104

Dayton, OH $67,083

Racine, WI $67,069

Charlotte, NC $67,062

Saint Louis, MO $67,042

York, PA $67,000

Elkhart, IN $67,000

Gastonia, NC $66,987

Billings, MT $66,970

Beaumont, TX $66,951

Lorain, OH $66,937

Benton Harbor, MI $66,924

Toledo, OH $66,910

Binghamton, NY $66,875

Rock Hill, SC $66,868

Rockford, IL $66,833

Springfield, IL $66,806

Elyria, OH $66,799

Fargo, ND $66,799

Flagstaff, AZ $66,750

Fort Lauderdale, FL $66,708

Duluth, MN $66,667

Miami, FL $66,667

Cheyenne, WY $66,618

Grand Forks, ND $66,618

Bangor, ME $66,466

Cedar Rapids, IA $66,389

Durham, NC $66,360

Louisville, KY $66,355

Grand Rapids, MI $66,341

Hialeah, FL $66,334

Casper, WY $66,237

Scranton, PA $66,153

New Orleans, LA $66,133

Virginia Beach, VA $66,126

Akron, OH $66,091

Peoria, IL $66,001

Sarasota, FL $65,987

Nashville, TN $65,938

Omaha, NE $65,938

Green Bay, WI $65,938

Baton Rouge, LA $65,904

Charleston, SC $65,890

Jamestown, NY $65,855

Davenport, IA $65,855

Tucson, AZ $65,820

Saint Petersburg, FL $65,779

Tampa, FL $65,765

Evansville, IN $65,723

Port Arthur, TX $65,723

Bradenton, FL $65,695

Santa Fe, NM $65,571

Orlando, FL $65,446

Clearwater, FL $65,425

Canton, OH $65,279

La Crosse, WI $65,279

Albuquerque, NM $65,237

Newport News, VA $65,231

High Point, NC $65,210

Ogden, UT $65,182

Corpus Christi, TX $65,126

Norfolk, VA $65,085

Laramie, WY $65,085

Rock Island, IL $65,043

Saginaw, MI $65,029

Jacksonville, FL $65,022

Salisbury, NC $65,008

Boise, ID $64,995

Moline, IL $64,960

Fort Myers, FL $64,939

Memphis, TN $64,925

Tulsa, OK $64,891

Waterloo, IA $64,849

Spartanburg, SC $64,780

Lincoln, NE $64,745

Fort Wayne, IN $64,731

Provo, UT $64,724

Cedar Falls, IA $64,641

San Antonio, TX $64,613

Greensboro, NC $64,585

South Bend, IN $64,578

Savannah, GA $64,502

Muskegon, MI $64,474

Birmingham, AL $64,467

Winston Salem, NC $64,433

Lake Charles, LA $64,266

Anderson, IN $64,252

Lexington, KY $64,231

Augusta, GA $64,211

Greenville, SC $64,211

Lima, OH $64,155

Wichita, KS $64,148

Tuscaloosa, AL $64,148

Columbia, SC $64,086

Springfield, OH $64,072

Asheville, NC $63,961

Bloomington, IN $63,912

Knoxville, TN $63,662

Shreveport, LA $63,655

Wilmington, NC $63,565

Roanoke, VA $63,565

Topeka, KS $63,440

Frankfort, KY $63,433

Oklahoma City, OK $63,385

Chillicothe, OH $63,357

Longview, TX $63,350

Melbourne, FL $63,343

Sioux Falls, SD $63,232

Mobile, AL $63,225

Terre Haute, IN $63,197

Altoona, PA $63,156

Amarillo, TX $63,107

Killeen, TX $63,086

Fayetteville, AR $63,031

Chattanooga, TN $63,010

Sioux City, IA $62,948

Idaho Falls, ID $62,934

Lynchburg, VA $62,878

Gainesville, FL $62,788

Portsmouth, OH $62,753

Little Rock, AR $62,740

Lafayette, LA $62,712

Youngstown, OH $62,712

Daytona Beach, FL $62,670

Clarksville, TN $62,663

Pensacola, FL $62,656

Temple, TX $62,651

Hopkinsville, KY $62,448

Erie, PA $62,434

Florence, SC $62,406

Charleston, WV $62,295

Great Falls, MT $62,261

Macon, GA $62,164

Tallahassee, FL $62,157

Fayetteville, NC $62,143

Waco, TX $62,129

Helena, MT $62,080

Pine Bluff, AR $62,054

Vincennes, IN $61,969

Lubbock, TX $61,942

Alamogordo, NM $61,900

Twin Falls, ID $61,838

Rapid City, SD $61,817

Jackson, MS $61,692

Huntington, WV $61,687

Greenville, MS $61,685

Parkersburg, WV $61,614

Montgomery, AL $61,602

Wichita Falls, TX $61,532

Springfield, MO $61,532

Biloxi, MS $61,498

Monroe, LA $61,428

Johnstown, PA $61,380

Sumter, SC $61,352

Columbus, GA $61,345

Pascagoula, MS $61,213

Abilene, TX $61,213

Kingsport, TN $61,033

Albany, GA $61,033

Gulfport, MS $61,012

Alexandria, LA $60,783

Fort Smith, AR $60,609

El Paso, TX $60,422

Las Cruces, NM $60,110

Harlingen, TX $59,934

Pocatello, ID $59,922

Florence, AL $59,832

Brownsville, TX $59,818

Mcallen, TX $59,673

Dothan, AL $59,576

Columbus, MS $59,163

Altus, OK $58,840

Lawton, OK $58,708

Pierre, SD $58,458

What Skills Can Increase a 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.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Presentation	4.34%
Adobe Illustrator	3.05%
Microsoft Office	1.63%

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 Designer's salary.

Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Insight	$72,162	4%
Consulting	$72,162	4%
Leadership	$72,162	4%
Innovation	$71,468	3%
Collaboration	$71,468	3%
Storytelling	$71,468	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Graphic Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many 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 Graphic Designer with a Associate's Degree is between $67,790 and $71,824).

Graphic Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Graphic Designer

No Diploma 0.7%

High School 9.7%

Associates 19.6%

Bachelors 65.4%

Masters 4.4%

Doctorate 0.2%

view as table

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%

view as graph

Graphic Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a 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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$63,741

Average $69,387/year

$75,527

$5,312

Average $5,782/month

$6,294

$1,226

Average $1,334/week

$1,452

$31

Average $33/hour

$36

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$75,527	$6,294	$1,452	$36
Average	$69,387	$5,782	$1,334	$33
25th Percentile	$63,741	$5,312	$1,226	$31

Salaries of jobs related to Graphic Designer

Salary Trends for Graphic Designer

Salaries for a Graphic Designer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $67,748 in 2023 to around $66,712 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Graphic Designer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Graphic Designer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$67,748

2024

$67,458

2025

$66,712

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$67,748
2024	$67,458
2025	$66,712
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Graphic Designer

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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