Graphic designers are in much demand due to their wide variety of innovative services. More importantly, almost all fields all over the world definitely require great graphic artists to handle the need for professional graphical work, especially on Adobe Creative Suite like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, etc. You would be curious about “How much does a graphic designer make?”
Actually, the graphic designer’s salary depends on various factors that decide their actual salary. For example, there are different roles assigned to different graphic artists according to their specific graphic design skills. UI Designers earn around $85,000/year, while UX Designers salary is $95,000. Interestingly, Senior Visual Designers top the list at $111,369/year.
That’s how their salaries vary by role in the digital design field. In this guide, I’m discussing all of those factors that influence a graphic designer’s salary. Plus, I’ll share Google trends and statistics given on job listings to give you a clear idea of the average salary of a designer depending on the level of seniority. But, first of all, we’ll see what a graphic stylist actually does.
What Does a Graphic Designer Do?
Graphic Artists or Stylists are masters of Photo editing as they have technical skills and sources. They craft captivating concepts that convey messages and leave a lasting impression on consumers. Here, notice that graphic design positions are different in specialized design services firms. Plus, graphic artists bring ideas to life through clever layouts and production designs – from advertisements and brochures to magazines and corporate reports. This means these well experienced designers play a vital role in shaping the visual identity of brands and businesses with a keen eye for detail and a passion for creativity.
More specifically, graphic design specialists and artists wear many hats. They extend their creative expertise far beyond visual design. They are the masterminds behind iconic logos, cohesive branding materials, and captivating website designs. But that’s not all – they are the real experts behind the world of marketing. They help to craft compelling campaigns and social media content that resonates with your targeted audiences. Furthermore, the world of graphic design is diverse and everyone has a different design sensibility. That’s why many platforms utilise a proprietary machine learning model to analyze individual design preferences and provide personalized recommendations for visual designers.
Their duties vary greatly depending on the industry they are working in. For instance, graphic artists in advertising are tasked with crafting attention-grabbing ads that persuade and captivate. They must balance creativity with commercial appeal to give extraordinary design solutions. As a result, they are driving sales and brand recognition. Graphic creators adapt their skills to meet the unique demands of their design agency or industry no matter if you are in publishing, marketing, public relations firms, or beyond. It showcases their versatility and creativity towards Arts & Design.
On the flip side, graphic artists in the publishing industry bring stories to life through captivating visuals. Their creative talents are focused on creating book covers that invite the readers to purchase and read those books. In addition to that, these special effect artists design engaging layouts for magazines and newspapers. They skillfully balance text and images to create visually appealing publications that draw readers in. They do this with a keen eye for typography and composition. Along with that, these experienced designers have some special skills like communication skills, product packaging designing skills, and much more.
What's the Average Salary of a Graphic Designer?
The national average salary for a graphic designer is $50,710 per year. However, the compensation/annual wage can vary widely depending on a few factors (as I have mentioned before in the introduction). So, entry-level designers (or newbies) can expect to earn around $30,000 per annum, while seasoned professionals can command up to $70,000 per year. That’s how their salary range varies.
It is important to note that their earning potential grows over time. This is because graphic designers build their strong portfolios, gain experience, and have a strong understanding of learning new things. They can unlock new opportunities, learn new arts & design tools, and increase their salaries with time and talent. It also reflects the value they bring to their clients and organizations.
Thus, I must say that experience is the key to higher salaries/wages in any design agency. Entry-level Graphic Designers and Mid level video editors need to put more effort into getting high paying salaries. They must at least have easy-to-navigate online portfolios.
Different Roles of Graphic Designers & Their Pay Scales:
The digital world of digital design has a multitude of different roles, each with its distinct responsibilities and salary range. The diversity of roles is vast ranging from UI designers crafting intuitive interfaces to User Experience designers shaping seamless user experiences. Senior visual designers, creative directors, and art directors also play crucial roles in shaping the visual identity of brands. It shows each role comes with its unique challenges and rewards, and understanding the pay scales can help designers navigate their career paths.
Here I have listed the top roles for graphic designers and their expected pay scales, depending on their design sensibility.
1. UI Designer
UI Designers or User Interface Designers are the masters of creating seamless user experiences for software applications. They collaborate closely with developers to bring designs to action. That’s why they strike a perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. UI Designers create interfaces that are both beautiful and intuitive with a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of human behavior.
Their hard work is rewarded with a salary of around $85,000 per year if they have 4-6 years of experience. UI design is a valuable skill to learn if you’re interested in exploring design concepts, taking graphic design classes, or pursuing careers in graphic design jobs, fashion design, packaging design, or advanced design like 3D design or voltage substation design.
Let’s see what are the trending salary ranges for various UI designers on popular platforms on Google.
| Platform | Junior UI Designer Salary | Mid-Level UI Designer Salary | Senior UI Designer Salary | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indeed |
$50,000/year |
$80,000/year |
$110,000/year |
1-4 years |
Glassdoor |
$70,000/year |
$100,000/year |
$130,000/year |
4-7 years |
LinkedIn |
$80,000/year |
$110,000/year |
$140,000/year |
7-10 years |
Fiverr |
$25/hour |
$50/hour |
$90/hour |
1-4 years |
Upwork |
$30/hour |
$60/hour |
$100/hour |
2-5 years |
Important Note:
In Rhode Island and San Francisco, understanding the salary trajectory is crucial for effective salary negotiations. It may include lowest salary, median salary, yearly salary, and national salary according to their experience level for a variety of projects. For a Graphic Design Specialist or Motion Graphic Design Specialist, having a baseline knowledge of salary ranges is essential in these areas, with the 10th percentile starting at around $40,000 and the 75th percentile reaching up to $90,000. As workers become more flexible and experienced, their salaries can jump to the 90th percentile, exceeding $120,000 per year.
2. Graphic Designers:
Graphic artists are the creative and most talented people behind captivating logos, websites, and advertisements. They bring brands in front of their audiences through innovative visual designs and unique graphics. Interestingly, they have the flexibility to work remotely, depending on the company. Also, Graphic stylists can unleash their creativity from anywhere, either online or offline.
I think this role is a perfect blend of artistry and autonomy. I know dozens of graphic designers online on freelancing platforms who are earning thousands of dollars per month depending on their projects and working rate per hour. Due to great hype towards this field, the majority of freelance designers just have 0-2 years of experience.
| Platform | Junior Graphic Designer Salary | Mid-Level Graphic Designer Salary | Senior Graphic Designer Salary | Experience Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indeed |
$30,000/year |
$50,000/year |
$70,000/year |
0-3 years |
Glassdoor |
$40,000/year |
$70,000/year |
$100,000/year |
3-6 years |
LinkedIn |
$50,000/year |
$80,000/year |
$120,000/year |
5-10 years |
Fiverr |
$25/hour |
$50/hour |
$100/hour |
1-5 years |
Upwork |
$20/hour |
$40/hour |
$80/hour |
1-5 years |
3. UX Designer
UX or User Experience Designers are the architects of user-centered design. They create experiences that are both intuitive and enjoyable. More specifically, they collaborate with researchers and developers and co-create products that seamlessly merge functionality and usability. As a result, they have a deep understanding of human behavior and a passion for innovation. Plus, UX Designers strive to make technology more accessible and user-friendly.
Their expertise is highly valued, with a salary of around $95,000 per year, due to their most critical role play in the graphical fields. They must have 1-3 years of experience to excel in the field of User Experience designer. A UX Designer can also transition into roles like Graphic Artist I, Graphic Artist II, Graphic Artist IV, with a portfolio of products across various product lines, and earning a salary in the $55,000 – $70,000 range, with 10-14 years of experience. They can do this with a deep understanding of consumer packaging, product development, and consumer packaging production.
| Platform | Junior UX Designer Salary | Mid-Level UX Designer Salary | Senior UX Designer Salary | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indeed |
$60,000/year |
$90,000/year |
$120,000/year |
2-5 years |
Glassdoor |
$80,000/year |
$110,000/year |
$140,000/year |
5-8 years |
LinkedIn |
$90,000/year |
$120,000/year |
$150,000/year |
8-12 years |
Fiverr |
$30/hour |
$60/hour |
$100/hour |
2-5 years |
Upwork |
$40/hour |
$80/hour |
$120/hour |
3-6 years |
4. Visual Designers:
Visual Designers are the creative visionaries who uplift brands through their stunning and fascinating visual designs and industry knowledge. They are professionals in creating visuals that engage, inform, and inspire. They know how to create captivating advertisements, elegant corporate reports, classy magazines, and creative brochures with special expertise in color, typography, and composition.
Thus, Visual Designers transform ideas into tangible and memorable experiences along with their vibrant team. As a Senior Visual Designer, their expertise is rewarded with an average wage around $111,369 per year. This salary reflects their significant impact on brand identity and visual storytelling. Mostly, they charge hourly wages to a variety of industries, , with a median wage of $95,000 and percentile wages ranging from $65,000 to $145,000.
| Platform | Junior Visual Designer Salary | Mid-Level Visual Designer Salary | Senior Visual Designer Salary | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indeed |
$40,000/year |
$70,000/year |
$100,000/year |
1-4 years |
Glassdoor |
$60,000/year |
$90,000/year |
$120,000/year |
4-7 years |
LinkedIn |
$80,000/year |
$110,000/year |
$140,000/year |
7-10 years |
Fiverr |
$20/hour |
$40/hour |
$80/hour |
1-4 years |
Upwork |
$25/hour |
$50/hour |
$90/hour |
2-5 years |
5. Art Director
It’s time to talk about the highest-paying and leadership role of graphic artists – Art Directors. They are the creative visionaries who foresee, analyze, and take care of the artistic process for diverse projects. It may include high-impact advertising campaigns, elegant corporate reports, and so on. They guide teams of designers, photographers, and illustrators to bring innovative ideas into realistic graphics.
This means they are the leaders in their field. That’s why Art Directors are rewarded with an average salary of $100,890 per year. This salary contribution truly showcases their expertise and creative direction. Mostly, they work between the creative team in the project and have more things to solve, decide, and watch.
| Platform | Junior Art Director Salary | Mid-Level Art Director Salary | Senior Art Director Salary | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indeed |
$60,000/year |
$100,000/year |
$140,000/year |
5-8 years |
Glassdoor |
$80,000/year |
$120,000/year |
$160,000/year |
8-12 years |
LinkedIn |
$100,000/year |
$140,000/year |
$180,000/year |
12-15 years |
Fiverr |
$40/hour |
$80/hour |
$120/hour |
5-8 years |
Upwork |
$50/hour |
$100/hour |
$150/hour |
5-8 years |
Remember, there are various factors that can influence a Graphic artist salary. But, one thing is clear: staying ahead of the curve by providing creative services is essential to get success in this field, especially in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and the United States. The marketplaces are congested here for the creative professionals. You need to accept the latest industry trends, adopt best practices, and use cutting-edge tools to stay competitive. It helps to propel your salary growth and you’ll get continuous projects in this exciting and constantly evolving field. See the estimate model of each field salary and then decide what salaries estimates over time are the right ones. Geographic location also matters a lot.
Final Word:
As you can see, there are different graphic design roles with a wide range of graphic designer salary – from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. However, you need to understand that the role you select will largely depend on your skill set and interests. All of the roles within the graphic designing field offer the opportunity to earn a good salary. Rest assured that all paths offer the potential for a lucrative career no matter if you’re drawn to UI design, visual design, or art direction. Special effects artists are also interesting graphic designers.
Lastly, consider whether you want a freelance graphic designing job or a traditional company job. Their working scenarios, job requirements, and salaries will differ. There are some specialized design services firms that are getting high wages while working as a team of designers. You’ll find hundreds of talented designers in the graphics industry, especially the advertising industry and fashion industry. Zenith Clipping artists have a degree in arts, 10-12 years experience in the fields, and can deliver projects on time.
