Salary for Graphic Design Jobs
A graphic designer creates commercial art that may appear on advertisements, commercials, product packaging, logos and other materials. Graphic designers can work for a variety of companies or be self-employed. A bachelor's degree is usually needed to start out as a graphic designer but sometimes, depending on the nature of the work, only an associate degree will be required. Salary fluctuates for a graphic designer depending on various factors, including setting, experience and location.
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Experience
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The average salary for a graphic designer varies depending on experience, according to PayScale. An entry level graphic designer can expect to earn on average of $28,147 to $39,742 a year. A graphic designer with one to four years experience can earn a median salary of $30,201 to $40,726 yearly. With five to nine years experience, a graphic designer can earn $34,602 to $48,988 annually. A graphic designer with 10 to 19 years experience can earn $36,536 to $54,492 a year. With 20 years experience, a graphic designer can earn $36,911 to $57,288 a year.
Top-Paying Industry
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the federal executive branch is the top-paying industry that employs graphic designers. Graphic designers working in this industry can earn an average yearly salary of $70,820, or $34.05 an hour. Other top-paying industries include motion picture and video, aerospace product and parts manufacturing, and accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services. The salaries for these industries range from $57,170 to $62,130 a year, or $27.48 to $29.87 an hour.
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Top-Paying Locations
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying location for graphic designers is the District of Columbia. Graphic designers working in this area can expect to earn about $66,560 annually, or $32 an hour. Other top-paying locations include California, New York, Connecticut and Maryland. The salaries for these locations fluctuate from $51,380 to $55,670 annually, or $24.70 to $26.77 an hour.
Top Paying Metropolitan Area
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The top-paying metropolitan area for graphic designers is San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City in California. According to the BLS, graphic designer working in this area can expect to earn an average of $73,140 annually, or $35.17 an hour.
Career Outlook
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There were 261,000 graphic designers employed in the United States in 2006. The BLS predicts that this number will rise to 286,000 by the year 2016. That is a 10 percent increase.
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References
- Photo Credit Christina Rodriguez
