Graphic Designer Salary

Graphic Designers earn a median $62,960 a year nationally. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

U.S. median

$62,960

$30.27 per hour

Range

$39,520 – $104,910

10th to 90th percentile

Employed

197,830

across the U.S.

Graphic Designer take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Your take-home pay

$52,768

per year · effective tax rate 16.2%

$4,397Monthly

$2,199Twice a month

$2,030Every 2 weeks

$25.37Hourly

Federal income tax$5,375
Social Security (6.2%)$3,904
Medicare (1.45%)$913
Texas income tax$0
Take-home pay$52,768

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

Percentile	Salary	Hourly	Take-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)	$39,520	$19.00	$33,934
25th percentile	$49,040	$23.58	$41,584
Median (50th)	$62,960	$30.27	$52,768
75th percentile	$81,830	$39.34	$66,397
90th percentile (top earners)	$104,910	$50.44	$82,634

Best cities for graphic designers (after tax & cost of living)

#	Metro area	Median	Take-home	Real value*	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$97,360	$71,232	$64,508	1,280
2	Bridgeport, CT	$81,800	$63,452	$59,377	650
3	Washington, DC	$85,420	$64,631	$59,357	4,420
4	San Francisco, CA	$92,050	$68,059	$58,868	3,870
5	Seattle, WA	$76,720	$62,803	$56,511	2,710
6	Baltimore, MD	$75,790	$58,912	$56,382	1,350
7	Boston, MA	$78,270	$60,199	$55,603	3,560
8	Austin, TX	$65,060	$54,456	$55,530	1,880
9	Providence, RI	$70,450	$56,367	$55,385	970
10	Columbus, OH	$64,000	$52,626	$55,124	1,470
11	Hartford, CT	$70,870	$56,364	$54,858	500
12	Las Vegas, NV	$65,060	$54,456	$54,339	1,210
13	Dayton, OH	$61,030	$50,322	$54,288	480
14	Denver, CO	$72,500	$57,352	$54,217	2,590
15	New York, NY	$79,280	$60,919	$54,120	15,160
16	Sacramento, CA	$74,680	$57,634	$54,030	920
17	Albuquerque, NM	$63,810	$51,618	$54,024	480
18	Memphis, TN	$59,000	$49,587	$53,794	590
19	Cincinnati, OH	$62,260	$51,276	$53,765	1,730
20	Tulsa, OK	$59,620	$47,947	$53,744	560
21	Richmond, VA	$66,350	$52,491	$53,640	760
22	Portland, OR	$75,650	$56,260	$53,367	3,090
23	Jacksonville, FL	$63,090	$52,873	$53,147	1,010
24	Madison, WI	$63,970	$51,546	$52,984	700
25	San Antonio, TX	$59,710	$50,157	$52,955	970

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

San Jose, CA — $97,360
San Francisco, CA — $92,050
Washington, DC — $85,420
Bridgeport, CT — $81,800
New York, NY — $79,280
Boston, MA — $78,270
Seattle, WA — $76,720
Baltimore, MD — $75,790
Portland, OR — $75,650
Sacramento, CA — $74,680
Denver, CO — $72,500
Los Angeles, CA — $72,400
Hartford, CT — $70,870
Providence, RI — $70,450
Chicago, IL — $66,490

Graphic Designer salary by state

State	Median	Take-home	Range	Jobs
District of Columbia	$87,920	$66,177	$62,240 – $136,660	1,150
Rhode Island	$78,220	$61,541	$49,330 – $107,580	750
New York	$77,340	$59,659	$43,680 – $131,250	14,530
Massachusetts	$76,710	$59,180	$47,830 – $108,970	4,450
California	$75,130	$57,909	$46,190 – $129,560	27,390
Maryland	$75,120	$58,472	$44,810 – $109,630	3,050
New Jersey	$73,790	$58,212	$47,490 – $122,940	5,670
Washington	$72,710	$59,981	$47,780 – $115,210	3,960
Connecticut	$72,700	$57,551	$47,420 – $106,830	1,930
Virginia	$72,310	$56,356	$39,020 – $121,680	4,740
Colorado	$66,330	$53,266	$47,030 – $118,560	4,200
Oregon	$66,040	$50,294	$45,260 – $170,680	4,140
Vermont	$65,690	$53,087	$42,640 – $123,500	410
Minnesota	$63,860	$50,672	$42,690 – $96,960	5,570
Nevada	$62,890	$52,712	$39,470 – $88,890	1,570
Alaska	$62,570	$52,455	$39,380 – $103,440	180
Illinois	$62,560	$49,495	$36,060 – $98,750	8,960
Utah	$62,310	$50,408	$39,170 – $96,810	2,720
Florida	$61,660	$51,724	$39,810 – $101,860	12,660
Pennsylvania	$60,730	$49,112	$39,430 – $102,090	8,150
New Hampshire	$60,490	$50,784	$47,030 – $95,680	790
Georgia	$60,250	$48,087	$34,860 – $100,110	5,920
Texas	$60,150	$50,511	$36,340 – $92,910	13,670
Delaware	$60,130	$47,834	$41,040 – $92,920	360
Ohio	$60,080	$49,584	$39,050 – $99,370	7,280
Maine	$60,030	$47,544	$39,160 – $79,000	560
Wisconsin	$59,900	$48,455	$42,680 – $85,050	4,130
Arizona	$58,510	$47,939	$43,780 – $88,590	3,560
North Carolina	$58,450	$47,321	$37,680 – $95,380	5,660
Hawaii	$58,070	$45,956	$31,890 – $91,080	520
Michigan	$57,350	$46,074	$38,770 – $86,320	6,070
Tennessee	$57,270	$48,196	$37,910 – $92,540	3,880
South Carolina	$57,170	$45,843	$37,190 – $90,000	1,930
Montana	$56,890	$45,974	$37,790 – $104,780	610
Missouri	$56,750	$46,049	$36,950 – $83,270	4,500
New Mexico	$56,730	$46,262	$35,400 – $75,680	850
Nebraska	$56,700	$46,038	$37,440 – $78,840	1,670
North Dakota	$56,470	$47,554	$37,610 – $75,700	460
Indiana	$55,480	$45,151	$38,520 – $98,020	3,450
Kansas	$53,630	$43,079	$37,440 – $86,260	1,730
Oklahoma	$53,630	$43,404	$27,310 – $80,980	2,040
Kentucky	$52,960	$42,997	$32,620 – $81,690	2,060
Alabama	$51,070	$40,926	$33,050 – $89,130	1,760
Idaho	$50,350	$41,076	$32,900 – $82,140	920
Iowa	$50,310	$41,344	$36,970 – $75,510	2,100
Louisiana	$49,910	$41,172	$35,910 – $76,300	1,750
South Dakota	$48,390	$41,061	$36,290 – $66,620	470
Arkansas	$46,220	$37,728	$31,570 – $79,730	1,390
Mississippi	$45,640	$37,758	$32,260 – $75,480	830
Wyoming	$45,150	$38,458	$32,820 – $82,990	240
West Virginia	$40,350	$33,491	$29,530 – $61,640	520

Frequently asked questions

How much does a graphic designer make?

The national median salary for graphic designers is $62,960 a year ($30.27 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,520 and the top 10% earn over $104,910. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays graphic designers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $87,920. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many graphic designers are there in the U.S.?

About 197,830 people work as graphic designers nationwide.

All 64 cities