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Graphic Designer

$62,960
median / year
$39,520 – $104,910
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Create visual designs, from logos to layouts, that communicate ideas for print and screen.

You may also see this posted as: Artist, Designer, Graphic Artist, Brand Designer, Graphic Design Coordinator, Online Producer.

Where you work

Offices, studios, or remote; at a desk, most of the day at a screen.

The hours

Full-time and freelance; deadline crunch is common.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
  • Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
  • Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
  • Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
  • Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.

Good fit if you like…

Artistic

creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

InnovationAttention to DetailDependabilityAchievement Orientation

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Adobe After EffectsAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAdobe Premiere Pro

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$62,960
per year
Hourly median
$30.27
per hour
What most earn
$39,520–$104,910
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~20,000
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+2.1%
About average
Working in the U.S.
197,830
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 17.7% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Degree or portfolio.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required; a strong portfolio is the credential.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

CreativityAttention to detailCommunicationSoftware skills

The honest take

AI pressure is real — motion, brand systems, and UX adjacency are the durable end.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-1024. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.