SOC 27-1024 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Graphic Designers wages by metro
National median annual wage
$62,960
- 10th percentile
- $39,520
- 25th percentile
- $49,040
- Median
- $62,960
- 75th percentile
- $81,830
- 90th percentile
- $104,910
- Mean
- $70,560
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 197,830.
That median is 23.5% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
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Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,280 | $59,870 | $97,360 | $164,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,870 | $54,470 | $92,050 | $142,460 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,420 | $48,580 | $85,420 | $131,810 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 650 | $48,670 | $81,800 | $106,970 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 15,160 | $47,490 | $79,280 | $132,520 |
| Napa, CA | 60 | $45,640 | $79,090 | $107,410 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 210 | $49,350 | $78,500 | $127,920 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,560 | $51,440 | $78,270 | $116,000 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,710 | $51,660 | $76,720 | $125,220 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 60 | $50,110 | $76,140 | $107,610 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,350 | $45,990 | $75,790 | $107,120 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 210 | $46,220 | $75,750 | $122,320 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 3,090 | $47,890 | $75,650 | $170,680 |
| Vallejo, CA | 90 | $47,900 | $74,800 | $127,890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 920 | $46,870 | $74,680 | $117,870 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 90 | $46,440 | $74,520 | $126,250 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,590 | $47,990 | $72,500 | $123,900 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,810 | $45,500 | $72,400 | $123,590 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 250 | $48,670 | $71,750 | $102,320 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 500 | $47,180 | $70,870 | $110,000 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 15,160 | $47,490 | $79,280 | $132,520 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,810 | $45,500 | $72,400 | $123,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,590 | $43,750 | $66,490 | $100,620 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,790 | $38,960 | $63,780 | $94,510 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,420 | $48,580 | $85,420 | $131,810 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,060 | $36,860 | $62,680 | $103,100 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,950 | $44,370 | $61,870 | $105,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,870 | $54,470 | $92,050 | $142,460 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,690 | $46,900 | $65,610 | $101,890 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,560 | $51,440 | $78,270 | $116,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,360 | $44,610 | $63,090 | $102,140 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 3,090 | $47,890 | $75,650 | $170,680 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,810 | $45,760 | $59,090 | $89,390 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,770 | $34,270 | $58,400 | $90,590 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,710 | $44,610 | $60,210 | $91,390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,710 | $51,660 | $76,720 | $125,220 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,590 | $47,990 | $72,500 | $123,900 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,090 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,010 | $39,930 | $61,000 | $88,740 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,980 | $43,140 | $62,360 | $99,980 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,150 | $62,240 | $87,920 | $136,660 |
| Rhode Island | 750 | $49,330 | $78,220 | $107,580 |
| New York | 14,530 | $43,680 | $77,340 | $131,250 |
| Massachusetts | 4,450 | $47,830 | $76,710 | $108,970 |
| California | 27,390 | $46,190 | $75,130 | $129,560 |
| Maryland | 3,050 | $44,810 | $75,120 | $109,630 |
| New Jersey | 5,670 | $47,490 | $73,790 | $122,940 |
| Washington | 3,960 | $47,780 | $72,710 | $115,210 |
| Connecticut | 1,930 | $47,420 | $72,700 | $106,830 |
| Virginia | 4,740 | $39,020 | $72,310 | $121,680 |
| Colorado | 4,200 | $47,030 | $66,330 | $118,560 |
| Oregon | 4,140 | $45,260 | $66,040 | $170,680 |
| Vermont | 410 | $42,640 | $65,690 | $123,500 |
| Minnesota | 5,570 | $42,690 | $63,860 | $96,960 |
| Nevada | 1,570 | $39,470 | $62,890 | $88,890 |
| Alaska | 180 | $39,380 | $62,570 | $103,440 |
| Illinois | 8,960 | $36,060 | $62,560 | $98,750 |
| Utah | 2,720 | $39,170 | $62,310 | $96,810 |
| Florida | 12,660 | $39,810 | $61,660 | $101,860 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,150 | $39,430 | $60,730 | $102,090 |
| New Hampshire | 790 | $47,030 | $60,490 | $95,680 |
| Georgia | 5,920 | $34,860 | $60,250 | $100,110 |
| Texas | 13,670 | $36,340 | $60,150 | $92,910 |
| Delaware | 360 | $41,040 | $60,130 | $92,920 |
| Ohio | 7,280 | $39,050 | $60,080 | $99,370 |
| Maine | 560 | $39,160 | $60,030 | $79,000 |
| Wisconsin | 4,130 | $42,680 | $59,900 | $85,050 |
| Arizona | 3,560 | $43,780 | $58,510 | $88,590 |
| North Carolina | 5,660 | $37,680 | $58,450 | $95,380 |
| Hawaii | 520 | $31,890 | $58,070 | $91,080 |
| Michigan | 6,070 | $38,770 | $57,350 | $86,320 |
| Tennessee | 3,880 | $37,910 | $57,270 | $92,540 |
| South Carolina | 1,930 | $37,190 | $57,170 | $90,000 |
| Montana | 610 | $37,790 | $56,890 | $104,780 |
| Missouri | 4,500 | $36,950 | $56,750 | $83,270 |
| New Mexico | 850 | $35,400 | $56,730 | $75,680 |
| Nebraska | 1,670 | $37,440 | $56,700 | $78,840 |
| North Dakota | 460 | $37,610 | $56,470 | $75,700 |
| Indiana | 3,450 | $38,520 | $55,480 | $98,020 |
| Kansas | 1,730 | $37,440 | $53,630 | $86,260 |
| Oklahoma | 2,040 | $27,310 | $53,630 | $80,980 |
| Kentucky | 2,060 | $32,620 | $52,960 | $81,690 |
| Alabama | 1,760 | $33,050 | $51,070 | $89,130 |
| Idaho | 920 | $32,900 | $50,350 | $82,140 |
| Iowa | 2,100 | $36,970 | $50,310 | $75,510 |
| Louisiana | 1,750 | $35,910 | $49,910 | $76,300 |
| South Dakota | 470 | $36,290 | $48,390 | $66,620 |
| Arkansas | 1,390 | $31,570 | $46,220 | $79,730 |
| Mississippi | 830 | $32,260 | $45,640 | $75,480 |
| Wyoming | 240 | $32,820 | $45,150 | $82,990 |
| West Virginia | 520 | $29,530 | $40,350 | $61,640 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,280 | $25,640 | $34,180 | $65,920 |
| Guam | 70 | $26,880 | $33,800 | $46,120 |
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Public Relations Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Audio and Video Technicians
- Actors
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Graphic Designers?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Graphic Designers is $62,960. Employment is 197,830.
How does Graphic Designers pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Graphic Designers is 23.5% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Graphic Designers?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $97,360.