Salary data
Graphic Designer Salary (May 2025 BLS Data)
The median annual pay for graphic designers in the US is $62,960, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $104,910. This page shows what US graphic designers earn, from the BLS May 2025 survey: the national median and the spread from the bottom 10% to the top 10%.
Key takeaways
- The median annual pay for graphic designers in the US is $62,960, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $104,910.
- BLS counts graphic designers as their own occupation, graphic designers (27-1024), so the figures on this page match the job title directly.
- The median is a better guide to typical graphic designer pay than the average, because a small group of top earners pulls the average up.
- Graphic designers starting out usually earn between the 10th and 25th percentile of the BLS range and move toward the median as their portfolio and scope grow.
- BLS wage data covers employed graphic designers only, so it says nothing about freelance rates.
How much does a graphic designer make?
The median annual pay for graphic designers in the US is $62,960. The middle half earn between $49,040 and $81,830, and the top 10% earn more than $104,910. About 197,830 people work in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Occupation 27-1024.
The pay range for graphic designers
Read the range, not only the median. Half of everyone in the group earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
| Pay level | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $39,520 |
| 25th percentile | $49,040 |
| Median | $62,960 |
| 75th percentile | $81,830 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $104,910 |
| Mean (average) | $70,560 |
US, all industries. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
Which BLS figure covers graphic designer roles?
Graphic designer maps onto a BLS occupation directly: graphic designers (27-1024). It covers designers in agencies, in-house teams and publishers. Many designers freelance, and BLS’s wage survey doesn’t include the self-employed, so this reflects employed designers only. Senior designers who lead creative work often move into art direction, on the creative director salary page.
What affects graphic designer pay?
Level and scope move pay more than anything else. After that:
- Specialism: motion, product and UX design generally pay more than print and layout work.
- In-house or agency: in-house roles at larger companies often pay more.
- Portfolio: work for known brands and proven results moves pay most.
- Tools: motion and 3D tools and design systems experience are in demand.
What is the average graphic designer salary, and what do you earn starting out?
The median is the better guide to a typical graphic designer salary than the average. The table above shows both: the mean (average) is pulled up by the highest earners, so it usually sits above the median. For a starting salary, look at the bottom two rows of the range: people new to the field usually earn between the 10th and 25th percentile, and move toward the median as they take on more scope.
To turn an annual figure into a monthly one, divide by 12. For an hourly equivalent, divide by about 2,080, which is 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
How to use this in a salary negotiation
Use the range to anchor, not to argue. Find where the role sits: an entry-level coordinator belongs near the 25th percentile, a senior lead running a team and budget near the 75th or above. Then check the posting, since a growing number of states require employers to publish a pay range. If the posting’s range and the BLS range disagree, the posting wins: it’s the budget for this job. The BLS figure is still useful when there’s no range at all, or when you’re asked for your number first. Our salary negotiation guide covers what to say and when. If talking about money makes you uneasy, that’s common, and a sourced number is what makes it a normal business conversation. Practice your number out loud, in your own words, before the call.
FAQ
Is there state data for graphic designers?
Not on this page yet. We pull state medians for the marketing occupations first; the national range above is from the same BLS survey.
Do freelance graphic designers earn more?
BLS doesn’t cover the self-employed, so there’s no official comparison. Freelance income depends on rates and steady clients.
How do graphic designers move up?
Usually senior designer, then art director or design lead, then creative director.
Do graphic designers make good money?
It depends on specialism and level. Designers who move into motion, product or UX work, or into art direction, tend to sit in the upper part of the range; general print and layout work tends to sit lower. Compare the range above with the other creative roles on the marketing salaries page.
How much do freelance graphic designers charge?
There’s no official figure, because BLS doesn’t survey the self-employed. Freelancers usually price by project or day rate. A practical way to set yours is to work back from the employed salary you’d want, add the costs an employer would cover (tools, insurance, unpaid time between projects), and test it with a few clients.