Projected difference in the total number of U.S. graphic-designer jobs over ten years.
Job outlook · United States · BLS projections
Graphic designer
job outlook
BLS projects a small decline in total U.S. employment through 2035, while still projecting about 16,000 annual openings. Those figures answer different questions.
Projected employment change−2%Graphic designers · 2025–35
All occupations+3%Same projection period
Average annual openings16,000Mostly replacement needs
A decrease can coexist with openings
“Declining” does not mean
“no one is hiring.”
BLS projects approximately 253,100 graphic-designer jobs in 2025 and 248,800 in 2035—about 4,200 fewer across the decade after rounding. Separately, it expects an average of 16,000 openings each year.
Mostly opportunities to replace workers who change occupations or leave the workforce—not 16,000 newly created jobs.
What BLS says may influence demand
Automation matters.
So does digital presence.
BLS says automated design tools, including AI, are projected to make graphic designers more productive and reduce the need for these workers. It also expects companies’ growing digital presence to sustain demand for layouts and branding.
The forecast does not isolate how much of the projected change comes from AI. Nor does it tell us what a particular local studio, company or freelance market will do.
A small local-market check
Make a decision from
actual opportunities.
Before paying for training or making a career switch, take a sample of recent, relevant vacancies and record what they really ask for.
- Choose one city or region and a realistic level: entry, mid-level or senior.
- Collect 15–20 recently posted roles; remove duplicates and roles that are really UX, marketing or art direction.
- Record recurring work outputs, tools, portfolio expectations, salary transparency and employment type.
- Repeat in a few weeks; a small snapshot is directional evidence, not a definitive labor-market study.
Follow the question
that matters to you.
Explore this question
What graphic designers earn
U.S. wage percentiles and differences by industry—without presenting a national median as your likely offer.
Read this guide Explore this questionHow to prepare a portfolio
What U.S. guidance says about education, plus a practical way to show process rather than only polished images.
Read this guide Explore this questionWhat the workday involves
Compare in-house, studio and freelance conditions, from feedback and deadlines to finding the next brief.
Read this guide Explore this questionWhat AI may change
A task-level look at design work and what the official employment projection does—and does not—say about AI.
Read this guideSources and scope
BLS national employment projections for 2025–35. The employment change is rounded; annual openings include workers who transfer occupations or leave the labor force.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Graphic Designers ↗
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025–35 projections table ↗
Sources checked 28 September 2026. U.S. figures describe the United States, not a pay or hiring estimate for another country.
← Careers homeSources, method & privacy
Saved paths and work-sample notes stay in this browser. Fictional exercises are for exploration, not professional assessment.