Salaries for Graphic Design Artists
Graphic design artists employ create representations of data, organizations or other ideas in a variety of areas such as print, websites and billboards. Most graphic designers have at least a bachelor's degree in graphic design from an accredited school, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who earn an associate degree in graphic design generally work as assistant graphic designers.
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National Pay Scale
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As of May of 2010, 192,240 graphic designers worked in the United States and earned an average $48,140 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10 percent of graphic designers earned $26,200 or less annually, while the top 10 percent earned $76,910 or more per year. The 25th percentile of graphic designers in the country made $33,200 and the 50th percentile made $43,500 in a year's time. The 75th percentile of the profession brought in $58,600 per year.
Top Paying States
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The District of Columbia reported the highest average income earned by graphic designers, which totaled $66,020 annually. Graphic designers in New York earned the second-highest average salary of $57,510 while those who worked in California earned the third-highest average annual wage of $57,240. Connecticut ranked fourth in the nation for average income earned by graphic designers, which totaled $57,040. Maryland ranked fifth in the nation, with its graphic designers having made an average $52,920.
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Top Paying Cities
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The San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City area in California ranked first in the nation for average graphic designer pay, which totaled $76,740 a year. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, also in California, ranked second in the nation, with its graphic designers having made an average annual salary of $73,600, while those who worked in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area of Connecticut earned the third-highest annual salary of $69,430. Graphic designers who worked in the Bethseda-Fredericks-Gaithersburg area of Maryland made the fourth-highest average pay of $61,280 a year. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area ranked fifth in the nation, with its graphic designers having earned an average salary of $60,450.
Top Industries
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Graphic designers who worked for the Federal Executive Branch earned the highest average annual wage of $75,810. Amusement parks and arcades paid the second-highest average annual salary to graphic designers, which totaled $65,890, while computer and peripheral equipment manufacturers paid the third-highest average salary of $64,080. Graphic designers who worked in the natural gas distribution industry earned the fourth-highest average annual pay of $64,020. The Federal Reserve paid the fifth-highest average salary to graphic designers, which came to $63,060.
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