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Graphic Designer Average Salary in United States 2023

How much money does a person working as Graphic Designer make in United States?


Average Yearly Salary
61,400 USD
( 5,120 USD monthly)

LOW
28,300
USD
AVERAGE
61,400
USD
HIGH
97,700
USD

A person working as Graphic Designer in United States typically earns around 61,400 USD per year. Salaries range from 28,300 USD (lowest) to 97,700 USD (highest).

This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Graphic Designer salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.

Graphic Designer Pay Scale and Salaries in United States

Median and salary distribution United States Graphic Designer yearly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
58,300 USD or more
10% of people earn
51,100 to 58,300 USD
20% of people earn
35,200 USD or less
65% of people earn
35,200 to 51,100 USD
Minimum Salary
28,300 USD
Median
58,700 USD
Maximum
97,700 USD


Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Graphic Designer salaries in United States range from 28,300 USD per year (starting salary) to 97,700 USD per year (maximum salary). This is not the minimum wage as per the law, only the lowest reported number in the salary survey that had thousands of participants and professionals from all over the country.

  • Median Salary

    The median salary is 58,700 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Graphic Designer(s) are earning less than 58,700 USD while the other half are earning more than 58,700 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Graphic Designer(s) are earning less than 47,300 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 47,300 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Graphic Designer(s) are earning less than 67,700 USD while 25% are earning more than 67,700 USD.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    We grouped the most common and recurring salaries into brackets to give more insight into what salary to expect. This method is more accurate than just the average salary and gives more insights on how salaries are actually distributed. Around 65% of all reported figures are in the range 35,200 USD to 51,100 USD. Approximatly 20% fall under the 35,200 USD cap. Ten percent of wages are from 51,100 USD to 58,300 USD. Only 5% of people grossed 58,300 USD or more.

Graphic Designer Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does experience and age affect your pay?

Graphic Designer average salary change by experience in United States

0 - 2 Years
32,100 USD
2 - 5 Years+34%
42,800 USD
5 - 10 Years+48%
63,300 USD
10 - 15 Years+22%
77,200 USD
15 - 20 Years+9%
84,200 USD
20+ Years+8%
91,100 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience yearly United States Graphic Designer
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Graphic Designer salaries by experience level and this is what we found.

Employees with less than two years of experience makes approximately 32,100 USD per year.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 42,800 USD per year, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.

Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 63,300 USD per year, 48% more than someone with two to five years of experience.

On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.

Additionally, Graphic Designer whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 77,200 USD per year, 22% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.

If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 84,200 USD per year, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.

Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 91,100 USD per year, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.


Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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Graphic Designer Salary Comparison By Education

How do education levels affect salaries?

Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Graphic Designer(s) who have the same experience but different education levels.

Graphic Designer average salary difference by education level in United States

High School
39,400 USD
Certificate or Diploma+18%
46,300 USD
Bachelor's Degree+45%
67,200 USD
Master's Degree+31%
88,000 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level yearly United States Graphic Designer
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We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Graphic Designer salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.

When the education level is High School, the average salary is 39,400 USD per year.

While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 46,300 USD per year, 18% more than someone having a High School degree.

People with Bachelor's Degree have an average salary of 67,200 USD per year, 45% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma.

Professionals who hold a Master's Degree are rewarded with an average salary of 88,000 USD per year, 31% more than someone with Bachelor's Degree.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in United States costs anywhere from 39,500 US Dollar(s) to 118,000 US Dollar(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support the thoery. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.


Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Education Level
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Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender - Graphic Designer

Salary comparison by gender United States Graphic Designer yearly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Graphic Designer employees in United States earn 6% more than their female counterparts on average.

Male
63,300 USD
Female-6%
59,600 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in United States for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender yearly United States
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Graphic Designer Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in United States

How much are annual salary increments in United States for Graphic Designer(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?

Graphic Designer

Graphic Designer(s) in United States are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 16 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate United States Graphic Designer
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

United States / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate United States
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The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in United States is 6%.

Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2022

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in United States for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.


Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Graphic Designer Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate United States Graphic Designer
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"Graphic Designer" is considered to be a low bonus-based job. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.

66% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 34% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
34%
No Bonus
66%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Graphic Designer Salary Trend and Forecast in United States

How are Graphic Designer salaries changing over time? Listed below is a chart that shows the average salary in recent years.

Average Salary 2019
53,100 USD
Average Salary 2020+4%
55,100 USD
Average Salary 2021+4%
57,100 USD
Average Salary 2022+4%
59,300 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Graphic Designer salaries in United States are on the rise in the year 2023 based on recent submitted salaries and reports. As displayed in the chart, salaries in 2022 are 4% higher than those of 2021. The trend suggests a slow yet continuous increase in pay in 2024 and future years. These numbers may vary from industry to another.

Salary trends and forecast yearly United States Graphic Designer
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Graphic Designer Average Hourly Wage in United States


30 USD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in United States is 30 USD. This means that the average Graphic Designer in United States earns approximately 30 USD for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for 'Graphic Designer' in United States is 14 USD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Graphic Designer VS Other Jobs

61,400 USD
89,300 USD
94,700 USD
Average Salary
Graphic Designer
Average Salary
Advertising / Grapic Design / Events
Average Salary
All Jobs

The average salary for Graphic Designer is 31% less than that of Advertising / Grapic Design / Events. Also, Advertising / Grapic Design / Events salaries are 6% less than those of All Jobs.

Salary Comparison Between Graphic Designer and Advertising / Grapic Design / Events yearly United States
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Salary comparison with similar jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Advertising Account Executive103,000 USD+68%
Advertising Account Manager115,000 USD+87%
Advertising Account Planner58,700 USD-4%
Advertising Coordinator72,700 USD+18%
Advertising Manager151,000 USD+150%
Advertising Operations Manager160,000 USD+160%
Advertising Strategic Planner103,000 USD+68%
Advertising Team Leader91,400 USD+49%
Animator71,800 USD+17%
Art Director92,000 USD+50%
Artist75,600 USD+23%
Artworker56,600 USD-8%
Assistant Art Director74,700 USD+22%
Audiosual Technician55,300 USD-10%
Broadcast Administrator102,000 USD+66%
Catering Sales64,300 USD+5%
Catering Trainer69,700 USD+13%
Commercial and Industrial Designer59,300 USD-3%
Conference Organiser71,100 USD+16%
Content and Media Production Lead109,000 USD+77%
CopyWriter67,500 USD+10%
Creative Designer73,700 USD+20%
Creative Director92,300 USD+50%
Designer 53,200 USD-13%
Desktop Publisher48,300 USD-21%
Director of Graphic Design90,700 USD+48%
Events and Promotions Manager160,000 USD+160%
Exhibit Display Coordinator70,400 USD+15%
Exhibit Display Manager96,600 USD+57%
Finisher47,700 USD-22%
Graphic Artist59,500 USD-3%
Graphic Designer61,400 USD-0%
Graphics Design Supervisor85,200 USD+39%
Imagery Analyst58,000 USD-6%
Imaging Technologist54,000 USD-12%
Interaction Designer46,700 USD-24%
Media Planner82,800 USD+35%
Media Production Coordinator69,200 USD+13%
Media Production Manager128,000 USD+110%
Media Project Manager132,000 USD+110%
Media Relations Representative106,000 USD+73%
Media Sales Executive126,000 USD+110%
Multimedia Specialist54,000 USD-12%
Photographer51,900 USD-16%
PPC Campaign Manager94,800 USD+54%
Print Production Manager105,000 USD+71%
Product and Brand Manager156,000 USD+150%
Sales Promotion Manager153,000 USD+150%
Sketch Artist64,400 USD+5%
Social Media Executive118,000 USD+92%
Technical Typist42,300 USD-31%
User Experience UX Designer67,800 USD+10%
UX Designer59,900 USD-3%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Atlanta58,000 USD
Austin64,700 USD
Baltimore62,000 USD
Boston65,300 USD
Bristol51,200 USD
Chicago70,700 USD
Cincinnati54,400 USD
Cleveland53,400 USD
Dallas69,000 USD
Denver65,300 USD
Detroit60,900 USD
Honolulu50,000 USD
Houston71,500 USD
Indianapolis66,700 USD
Iowa City49,300 USD
Jacksonville63,900 USD
Kansas City59,600 USD
Kent52,200 USD
Las Vegas58,800 USD
Long Beach54,500 USD
Los Angeles74,400 USD
Memphis62,600 USD
Miami57,600 USD
Minneapolis56,600 USD
New Orleans54,300 USD
New York71,100 USD
Oakland56,300 USD
Oklahoma City59,100 USD
Orlando50,700 USD
Philadelphia66,600 USD
Phoenix67,500 USD
Sacramento58,900 USD
San Antonio66,500 USD
San Diego67,500 USD
San Francisco65,100 USD
San Jose70,000 USD
Seattle61,200 USD
Tampa52,100 USD
Vancouver51,600 USD
Washington D.C.63,900 USD

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Alabama60,300 USD
Alaska55,600 USD
Arizona63,200 USD
Arkansas61,700 USD
California67,200 USD
Colorado64,000 USD
Connecticut59,400 USD
Delaware58,200 USD
District of Columbia54,400 USD
Florida64,600 USD
Georgia67,100 USD
Hawaii54,700 USD
Idaho57,800 USD
Illinois65,100 USD
Indiana65,600 USD
Iowa58,000 USD
Kansas61,200 USD
Kentucky60,200 USD
Louisiana63,500 USD
Maine55,900 USD
Maryland66,600 USD
Massachusetts63,600 USD
Michigan63,000 USD
Minnesota62,900 USD
Mississippi56,600 USD
Missouri64,000 USD
Montana54,100 USD
Nebraska58,900 USD
Nevada57,500 USD
New Hampshire58,200 USD
New Jersey64,500 USD
New Mexico60,500 USD
New York67,500 USD
North Carolina62,600 USD
North Dakota54,000 USD
Ohio63,700 USD
Oklahoma61,200 USD
Oregon58,400 USD
Pennsylvania68,500 USD
Rhode Island53,600 USD
South Carolina63,400 USD
South Dakota54,000 USD
Tennessee66,400 USD
Texas67,700 USD
Utah60,600 USD
Vermont53,700 USD
Virginia62,200 USD
Washington65,100 USD
West Virginia55,200 USD
Wisconsin63,800 USD
Wyoming51,500 USD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in United States earn 5% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.

Private Sector
92,400 USD
Public Sector+5%
97,100 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for Graphic Designer in United States?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 58,700 USD and 67,700 USD. This is a very rough estimate and your experience and education will play a very huge part into your final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salart after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for Graphic Designer in United States is ranges from 47,300 USD to 67,700 USD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range in a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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