Salary for Graphic Artist / Designer Jobs

Highest Salaries By City for Graphic Artist / Designer Jobs

Top Cities by Popularity for Graphic Artist / Designer Jobs

Highest Salaries By City Top Cities by Popularity

Highest Salaries By City 1. Palo Alto, California 2. Stamford, Connecticut 3. San Francisco, California 4. Fairfax, Virginia 5. Arlington, Virginia 6. McLean, Virginia 7. Irvine, California 8. Alexandria, Virginia 9. Boulder, Colorado 10. Los Angeles, California 11. New York, New York 12. Sacramento, California 13. San Jose, California 14. Rockville, Maryland 15. Baltimore, Maryland 16. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 17. Boston, Massachusetts 18. Seattle, Washington 19. Washington, District of Columbia 20. Honolulu, Hawaii Top Cities by Popularity 1. New York, New York 2. Los Angeles, California 3. Chicago, Illinois 4. San Francisco, California 5. Seattle, Washington 6. Houston, Texas 7. Dallas, Texas

Researching Graphic Design Salaries

Graphic design is a great career for people who love a meld of creative and technical work. New technology for creating and editing pictures and video is constantly being introduced, so a graphic designer's tool set is ever-expanding. Whether using cutting-edge software or good old-fashioned colored pencil, a graphic designer is in the fortunate position of making a career from his or her art. Many highly artistic people struggle to make a living with their art, save for the very few who make it big (see musician salary data to compare). By contrast, graphic designers can make a stable living using their artistic skills in a vast array of industries, from publishing to web design to television and film. Since graphic artists are needed in so many different capacities, a Graphic Artist Job Description can be somewhat malleable. It follows that not all graphic designer salaries are created equal. The influx of new tools and fresh talent into the graphic design market mean that the average salary of a graphic designer may fluctuate from year to year. Using PayScale's salary data, you can research how factors such as experience, location and industry affect graphic designer salaries.

Graphic Designer Salary Data

West coast graphic designers have the right idea - the Graphic Designer Salary by City chart shows that Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle are all among the top cities for graphic designer salaries, and measuring Graphic Design Salaries by State shows California far out in the lead. When it comes to location, though, looking at salary numbers alone isn't enough. Use the PayScale Cost of Living Calculator to compare the Cost of Living and Graphic Designer Salary Range in Los Angeles to the national average, and you'll start to see why graphic designer salaries are as high as they are in the City of Angels. If you're looking to increase your graphic designer salary without a big move, you might be able to just wait it out. After all, the Average Salary of a Graphic Designer by Years Experience increases dramatically over 20 years. Experience is impossible to come by quickly, however, and a fledgling graphic designer doesn't have that option. Instead, take a look at Graphic Designer Salaries by Industry to compare the average salary of a graphic designer in industries such as publishing, marketing, and manufacturing/distribution. A skilled graphic artist has a lot of opportunities to change industries, which could lead not only to earning higher graphic designer salaries, but also new skills and tools to put on a resume.

For an inside look at a Graphic Designer Job Description, see the Salary Stories interview with David Grey, a self-employed graphic designer with eight years of experience in the field.