How to Become a Graphic Designer
Create visual concepts to communicate ideas that inspire and inform consumers. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $62,960 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$62,960/yr
Middle half
$49,040 to $81,830
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
20,000
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Typography
- Layout Design
- Color Theory
- UX/UI Design
Helpful certifications
- Adobe Certified Professional
- Google UX Design Certificate
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
82/100
Work-life balance
72/100
Stress level
30/100
Satisfaction
72/100
Related careers
- Film / Video Producer$90,360 median
- Set / Exhibit Designer$75,240 median
- Fine Artist / Illustrator$55,490 median
- Merchandise Displayer$39,390 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Graphic Designer make?
The median pay for a Graphic Designer is $62,960 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $49,040 and $81,830 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Graphic Designer?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, Digital Media, Advertising, Industrial Design, and Illustration.
Is Graphic Designer a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 20,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Graphic Designer use most?
Common skills for this role are Adobe Creative Suite, Typography, Layout Design, Color Theory, and UX/UI Design.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).