Graphic Design Job Outlook

Graphic Designer Career Path

Graphic designers are the creative thinkers responsible for the look and feel of every brand. They use state-of-the-art software to communicate visual ideas. A graphic design career will allow you to inspire, inform and captivate consumers. You will create beautiful images that send a message on a company's behalf.

You will find skilled graphic design professionals behind every website, magazine cover, billboard or logo. They use industry standard knowledge of layout, unity, color and more. These highly-trained specialists work to deliver beautiful designs with purpose.

As a professional graphic designer, you should be able to:

Assist a design department in the development process
Perform production-level design tasks
Develop and edit assets and artwork for print or web
Assess specs and communicate feedback
Review development and pre-production assets

Graphic Designer Career Options

The rise of artificial intelligence, automation, and free-to-use graphic design tools has changed the graphic design industry dramatically over the last 10 years. Modern technology has revolutionized the way designs are created and shared with an audience. As a result, graphic designers wear many hats.

They may specialize in brand identity, web and mobile, or print design. They could even branch out into animation, motion graphics, gaming and special effects sectors. It’s possible a graphic designer could work for a brand, at an agency, or independently as a freelancer. Most importantly, the skill set of a graphic designer varies based on the industry and the individual.

Here are a few job options for graphic designers:

Junior Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer
Brand Designer
Visual Designer
Studio Manager
Art Director
Creative Director

Titles may vary based on experience, skills, company, sector, etc. This shortlist is a great resource to help you further your graphic designer job outlook research.

Graphic Designer Average Salary

According to PayScale, entry-level graphic designers can expect to make $42,216 annually.¹ The average graphic designer earns $50,651 a year, or $20.19 per hour.²

Our online Graphic Design Course will teach you all the skills necessary to dive into this exciting new field. Get started on the path toward a successful career in this rewarding creative industry.

Sources:
¹ PayScale. “Average Entry-Level Graphic Designer Salary.” Accessed February 13, 2024.
² PayScale. “Average Graphic Designer Salary.” Accessed February 13, 2024.

Statements found on Payscale are not a guarantee of any post-graduation salary, in part because the data used includes workers from differing educational backgrounds, levels of experience, and geographic areas of the country. Statistics found on Payscale are based on their data collection methodologies, which may or may not reflect your area.