What salary does a graphic designer earn?

So you have decided on a career as a professional graphic designer. What kind of money can you expect to make in this field? First of all, you need to consider what you will earn when you enter the field compared to what you can earn throughout your career. The American Institute of Graphic Arts found in 2008 that beginning graphic designers earned an average of $35,000 a year, while experienced senior designers with supervisory assignments earned an average of $60,000. Those graphic designers who were creative heads of departments , owners of their own design firms or partners in design firms enjoyed salaries of around $95,000 a year.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2008, graphic designers earned an overall average of $42,400 a year: the lowest-paid 10 percent of graphic designers earned less than $26,110 a year, while those in the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $76,660. After considering entry-level vs. experienced graphic designers, there are salary differences depending on the industry you are employed in. Among the five industries that employ the largest number of graphic designers, computer systems design and related services are the highest paying at an average of $47,860 a year, and printing and related support activities are the highest paying less with an average of $36,100 a year.

College education, specifically a degree, has a marked effect on the amount of money a designer can earn. An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Graphic Design earns a designer an average salary of $36,074; earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts gives one a slighter head start of $41,260.

Where you work as a graphic design professional also makes a difference in salary. According to payscale.com, the average annual salary for a graphic designer in San Francisco is approximately $52,000; The next best city to work for is Seattle: The average annual salary for graphic designers in that city is about $47,000. Other cities that offer good salaries for graphic designers are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas. And as for working for a small company or a large company, when it comes to graphic designer salary, it’s best to work for the “big guy”: Those at companies that employ less than 10 people earn a little over $ 35,000 average annual salary. , while those working at large companies with 50,000 or more employees see an increase of more than $53,000 a year.

So how does all this compare to the average American worker? According to the 2007 findings of the United States Census Bureau, the average salary in the United States is about $81,000 a year, taking into account all types of jobs and experience. If you are a designer with a college degree who has worked for a large company for several years or successfully built your own design business, you could meet or exceed that average. The future of designers seems to hold the opportunity for growth and advancement, especially for those who are constantly improving their technological skills and keeping abreast of society’s needs and wants. For graphic designers especially, staying power equals purchasing power.