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Here's How Much Money Graphic Designers Earn In Every State

Andrew DePietro

I cover real estate, economics and cost of living.

With the explosion of the internet and digital revolution in general, the career of a graphic designer has been given a major jolt, leading to intense competition for available jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). From 2016 to 2026, the employment of graphic designers is expected to grow 4%, adding 11,100 jobs, which is slower than the average for all occupations.

According to BLS, the mean annual wage for graphic designers in the U.S. in 2018 is $54,680. This is just a tad higher than the mean annual wage for all occupations in the U.S., $51,960.

However, not all states pay graphic designers the same salary. So, if you want to earn the most money in this field, read on for a full breakdown of where graphic designers' incomes are the lowest, and where their incomes are the highest.

10 States Where Graphic Designers Earn the Most Money

Graphic designers in the District of Columbia earn the most money on average, with a mean annual wage of $71,180. Here's a list of the top-10 states in order of the highest average incomes for graphic designers.

Rank State 2018 Average Annual Wage
1 New York $64,840
2 Massachusetts $64,010
3 California $61,100
4 Connecticut $60,700
5 Virginia $60,540
6 Washington $60,530
7 Alaska $59,640
8 New Jersey $59,140
9 Rhode Island $58,720
10 Maryland $58,610

New York and Massachusetts take the No. 1 and No. 2 spots with average graphic designer salaries in excess of $64,000 a year. The drop-off from No. 2 to No. 3 is nearly $3,000. Geographically, the U.S. Northeast and West Coast dominate, with the former represented by five states, and the latter by three states. Maryland and Virginia lay in the U.S. South, according to the Census Bureau.

More: How Much Architects Earn in Every State

10 States Where Graphic Designers Earn the Least Money

The states that pay graphic designers the least are a mix of states in the U.S. Census-designated West North Central division (South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa), Mountain division (Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico) and South region (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Kentucky)

Rank State 2018 Average Annual Wage
50 South Dakota $36,300
49 Wyoming $38,490
48 Oklahoma $40,710
47 North Dakota $41,800
46 Montana $42,220
45 Arkansas $42,250
44 Mississippi $42,640
43 Iowa $43,920
42 New Mexico $44,040
41 Kentucky $44,550

How Much Graphic Designers Earn in All 50 States

Here's a look at average graphic designer salaries by state. Each state's overall ranking is included, and D.C. is included as well.

Rank State 2018 Average Annual Wage
33 Alabama $46,960
7 Alaska $59,640
15 Arizona $54,030
45 Arkansas $42,250
3 California $61,100
13 Colorado $56,670
4 Connecticut $60,700
20 Delaware $50,920
District of Columbia $71,180
27 Florida $48,780
14 Georgia $54,260
19 Hawaii $51,690
38 Idaho $45,620
11 Illinois $56,890
40 Indiana $45,030
43 Iowa $43,920
34 Kansas $46,270
41 Kentucky $44,550
37 Louisiana $45,660
35 Maine $45,800
10 Maryland $58,610
2 Massachusetts $64,010
32 Michigan $47,700
16 Minnesota $53,500
44 Mississippi $42,640
22 Missouri $50,350
46 Montana $42,220
30 Nebraska $47,980
26 Nevada $49,330
18 New Hampshire $51,710
8 New Jersey $59,140
42 New Mexico $44,040
1 New York $64,840
25 North Carolina $49,700
47 North Dakota $41,800
23 Ohio $50,130
48 Oklahoma $40,710
12 Oregon $56,690
17 Pennsylvania $53,050
9 Rhode Island $58,720
36 South Carolina $45,790
50 South Dakota $36,300
28 Tennessee $48,760
21 Texas $50,700
29 Utah $48,130
24 Vermont $50,000
5 Virginia $60,540
6 Washington $60,530
39 West Virginia $45,360
31 Wisconsin $47,980
49 Wyoming $38,490

Graphic designer salaries in Hawaii have seen very impressive growth from 2015 to 2018. In 2015, the average annual salary for a graphic designer was $41,670. By 2018, that had risen to $51,690, an increase of 24% in three years. Other states that have seen excellent growth in incomes from 2015 to 2018 include:

  • Alaska: 16.9% increase
  • Idaho: 16.7% increase
  • Arizona: 16.6% increase
  • South Carolina: 16.4% increase
  • Mississippi: 16.3% increase

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Andrew DePietro

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how much do graphic designers make per month

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2019/04/23/graphic-designer-salary-state/