How Much Do Graphic Designers Make?

Posted 1 year ago by Max Komonov

The digital age has greatly altered the way that we do business. Ecommerce and online services are more prominent than ever, which has put certain professions in more high demand than ever. One such profession that has experienced a significant boom is graphic design.

Those skilled in various areas of graphic design are in high demand, which has also led to many people considering making this their career. However, those considering making the switch are probably also wondering how much graphic designers make. Realistically, the answer to this question can vary based on several factors.

Continue reading below to learn about the graphic design profession and how much graphic designers make.

How Much Do Graphic Designers Make a Year?

Realistically, there is no precise answer to the question, How much do graphic designers make a year? This is primarily because a graphic designer can fill many different sub-roles in a company or freelance.

Additionally, graphic design covers various skills and spheres, influencing the salary. That being said, we will break down the potential salaries of a graphic designer to provide a general idea.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, the national mean annual wage of a graphic designer is $64,500. However, these statistics are further broken down into industry profiles. For the industries with the highest level of employment for graphic designers, average salaries are as follows:

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services: $67,850
Specialized Design Services: $67,410
Printing and Related Support Activities: $45,070
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers: $53,460
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: $71,260

Now, let’s take a look at the industries with the highest-paid graphic designers, which are:

Motion Picture and Video Industries: $101,470
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers: $97,450
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank: $96,760
Natural Gas Distribution: $94,860
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing: $93,760

Remember that average salaries always change, and the above numbers are from the previous year. Reporting sources and methods can also vary depending on the data collected. The economy and inflation have contributed to significant changes even since 2022. According to the Salary website, the average graphic designer’s salary as of October 2023 is $104,247.

Thsource also considers the additional skills, years of experience, certifications, and more within their numbers. In their breakdown, they use a tier list ranging from 1-5.

A Graphic Design Specialist I has an average salary of $59,297, all the way up to a Graphic Design Specialist V with an average salary of $127,642. They also offer data for a Motion Graphic Design Specialist I at a salary of $61,993 and a Motion Graphic Design Specialist V, which jumps up to $151,914.

As with any career, a graphic designer will improve their salary as they gain more experience, skills, certifications, and more.

For those asking how much do graphic designers make per month, simply divide the numbers above by 12. This means that according to the 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average monthly salary of a graphic designer would be $5,375. For the Salary statistics for 2023, the average monthly salary would be about $8,687.

Graphic Designer Salaries by State

Another important factor to note is that the salary of a graphic designer can also vary greatly on a state-to-state basis. Here’s a look at the five states with the highest average salaries for graphic designers as of 2022.

District of Columbia: $87,980
New York: $81,370
California: $80,240
Washington: $73,130
Massachusetts: $73,060

However, it should also be noted that the employment rate is an important factor. A high salary isn’t worth much when it is hard to find a job in the first place. Fortunately, some states with the highest salaries also have some of the highest employment levels.

Here are the five states with the highest employment levels for graphic designers.

California: 32,720
New York: 18,590
Texas: 13,680
Florida: 13,560
Illinois: 9,980

How Much Do Graphic Designers Make an Hour?

Of course, salary information is great, but some people are probably wondering, how much do graphic designers make an hour? Fortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks this down as well. Here are the hourly wages for the same categories mentioned above.

Industries with highest graphic designer employment

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services: $32.62/hr
Specialized Design Services: $32.41/hr
Printing and Related Support Activities: $21.67/hr
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers: $25.70/hr
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: $34.26/hr

Industries with highest paid graphic designers

Motion Picture and Video Industries: $48.79/hr
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers: $46.85/hr
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank: $46.52/hr
Natural Gas Distribution: $45.60/hr
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing: $45.08/hr

How Much Do Freelance Graphic Designers Make?

The above salaries are typically related to graphic designers with permanent placements within companies. However, many graphic designers also go the freelance route, which means that they work on a project or contract basis.

According to Zip Recruiter, freelance graphic designers may see wages as high as $47.60 and as low as $10.10. This makes the national average for graphic designers in 2023 $31.77 per hour.

This great variation in rates can likely be attributed to the nature of freelance work. Some freelancers may not take on as much work as others, or they may work on smaller projects. Graphic design encompasses a wide array of skills and

How Much Do Beginner Graphic Designers Make?

Some may be wondering: how much do beginner graphic designers make? Realistically, the average salaries for beginners will likely be on the low end of the above-mentioned numbers.

That being said, as they improve their skills and experience, they should be able to improve their salary quickly. Additionally, if they want to begin at the highest rate, it may be worth pursuing a career in one of the higher-paying states.

There are several educational platforms that beginners can use to educate themselves on graphic design in general, as well as various specialties. These include:

YouTube
LinkedIn Learning
Udemy
Coursera
Skillshare

Several of the above will have associated costs for courses or a subscription. However, for those looking to pursue a career in graphic design, this may be an investment that is well worth it.

Be sure to review each platform and its offerings for graphic design courses to be sure it is the right fit before purchasing.

Looking to Begin Your Graphic Design Journey in Ecommerce?

Using graphic design skills to create an ecommerce store can be an excellent way to make a living or extra income on the side. Graphic designers can sell templates, designs, artwork, stickers, and more within an ecommerce platform.

If you are ready to start your ecommerce journey, Ecwid can help. Our platform makes it easy to start your own ecommerce store, so head over to our site to get started today!

About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.