Pay · United States · BLS data
Graphic designer
salary
The national median is a reference point, not the salary you should expect. Experience, location, industry and employee versus freelance work all change the comparison.
A distribution—not a promise
Three reference points
on the same scale.
Annual wage thresholds on a shared $0–$120,000 scale. These are not a salary range for one job or a progression from junior to senior.
- 10th percentile$39,520
- Median$62,960
- 90th percentile$104,910
Graphic designers · United States · May 2025 · BLS OEWS.
The same occupation in different industries
Where the work sits
can shift the median.
BLS reports different wage medians across industries. Those differences are not a ranking of design quality or an estimate for a specific employer.
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Specialized design services | $63,780 |
| Information | $62,970 |
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | $61,200 |
| Printing and related support activities | $47,120 |
Make this number useful
Compare the work
behind the pay.
For a real decision, compare vacancies in your intended location and note the level, industry, employment type and responsibilities. A role called “graphic designer” may involve brand systems, production artwork, digital content or a mixture.
OEWS wage estimates do not include self-employed designers. Freelance income also has to cover time spent finding clients, quoting work, revisions, software, taxes and gaps between projects.
Follow the question
that matters to you.
Is graphic design growing?
Read the projected decline alongside replacement openings, and separate a forecast from today’s local hiring.
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 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wage thresholds and industry medians are U.S. estimates for employee workers, not a guaranteed salary or take-home pay.
Sources checked 28 September 2026. U.S. figures describe the United States, not a pay or hiring estimate for another country.
Saved paths and work-sample notes stay in this browser. Fictional exercises are for exploration, not professional assessment.