How Much Money a Year Do Graphic Designers Make

Edit Story

Apr 23, 2019, 02:15am EDT |

Here's How Much Money Graphic Designers Earn In Every State

I cover real estate, economics and cost of living.

With the explosion of the internet and digital revolution in general, the career of a graphic designer has been given a major jolt, leading to intense competition for available jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). From 2016 to 2026, the employment of graphic designers is expected to grow 4%, adding 11,100 jobs, which is slower than the average for all occupations.

According to BLS, the mean annual wage for graphic designers in the U.S. in 2018 is $54,680. This is just a tad higher than the mean annual wage for all occupations in the U.S., $51,960.

However, not all states pay graphic designers the same salary. So, if you want to earn the most money in this field, read on for a full breakdown of where graphic designers' incomes are the lowest, and where their incomes are the highest.

10 States Where Graphic Designers Earn the Most Money

Graphic designers in the District of Columbia earn the most money on average, with a mean annual wage of $71,180. Here's a list of the top-10 states in order of the highest average incomes for graphic designers.

Rank	State	2018 Average Annual Wage
1	New York	$64,840
2	Massachusetts	$64,010
3	California	$61,100
4	Connecticut	$60,700
5	Virginia	$60,540
6	Washington	$60,530
7	Alaska	$59,640
8	New Jersey	$59,140
9	Rhode Island	$58,720
10	Maryland	$58,610

New York and Massachusetts take the No. 1 and No. 2 spots with average graphic designer salaries in excess of $64,000 a year. The drop-off from No. 2 to No. 3 is nearly $3,000. Geographically, the U.S. Northeast and West Coast dominate, with the former represented by five states, and the latter by three states. Maryland and Virginia lay in the U.S. South, according to the Census Bureau.

More: How Much Architects Earn in Every State

10 States Where Graphic Designers Earn the Least Money

The states that pay graphic designers the least are a mix of states in the U.S. Census-designated West North Central division (South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa), Mountain division (Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico) and South region (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Kentucky)

Rank	State	2018 Average Annual Wage
50	South Dakota	$36,300
49	Wyoming	$38,490
48	Oklahoma	$40,710
47	North Dakota	$41,800
46	Montana	$42,220
45	Arkansas	$42,250
44	Mississippi	$42,640
43	Iowa	$43,920
42	New Mexico	$44,040
41	Kentucky	$44,550

How Much Graphic Designers Earn in All 50 States

Here's a look at average graphic designer salaries by state. Each state's overall ranking is included, and D.C. is included as well.

Rank	State	2018 Average Annual Wage
33	Alabama	$46,960
7	Alaska	$59,640
15	Arizona	$54,030
45	Arkansas	$42,250
3	California	$61,100
13	Colorado	$56,670
4	Connecticut	$60,700
20	Delaware	$50,920
	District of Columbia	$71,180
27	Florida	$48,780
14	Georgia	$54,260
19	Hawaii	$51,690
38	Idaho	$45,620
11	Illinois	$56,890
40	Indiana	$45,030
43	Iowa	$43,920
34	Kansas	$46,270
41	Kentucky	$44,550
37	Louisiana	$45,660
35	Maine	$45,800
10	Maryland	$58,610
2	Massachusetts	$64,010
32	Michigan	$47,700
16	Minnesota	$53,500
44	Mississippi	$42,640
22	Missouri	$50,350
46	Montana	$42,220
30	Nebraska	$47,980
26	Nevada	$49,330
18	New Hampshire	$51,710
8	New Jersey	$59,140
42	New Mexico	$44,040
1	New York	$64,840
25	North Carolina	$49,700
47	North Dakota	$41,800
23	Ohio	$50,130
48	Oklahoma	$40,710
12	Oregon	$56,690
17	Pennsylvania	$53,050
9	Rhode Island	$58,720
36	South Carolina	$45,790
50	South Dakota	$36,300
28	Tennessee	$48,760
21	Texas	$50,700
29	Utah	$48,130
24	Vermont	$50,000
5	Virginia	$60,540
6	Washington	$60,530
39	West Virginia	$45,360
31	Wisconsin	$47,980
49	Wyoming	$38,490

Graphic designer salaries in Hawaii have seen very impressive growth from 2015 to 2018. In 2015, the average annual salary for a graphic designer was $41,670. By 2018, that had risen to $51,690, an increase of 24% in three years. Other states that have seen excellent growth in incomes from 2015 to 2018 include:

• Alaska: 16.9% increase
• Idaho: 16.7% increase
• Arizona: 16.6% increase
• South Carolina: 16.4% increase
• Mississippi: 16.3% increase

Trending Now: Places in Each State That Are Still Recovering From the 2000s

• Print
• Reprints & Permissions

How Much Money a Year Do Graphic Designers Make

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2019/04/23/graphic-designer-salary-state/

Share this post