How Much do Graphic Artists Earn?

The good news is that graphic design jobs vary in salary. If you want a high profile, high paying job, you can find one. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports on AIGA research that shows the highest paid graphic design professionals earn $90,000 to $100,000 annually.

Design Salaries Big and Small

The other end of the salary spectrum is also well-represented among graphic artists. Graphic artists just graduating college should prepare to keep their spending at a modest level. According to the BLS' reporting of AIGA research, entry-level graphic designers earned a median salary of $32,000 in 2005.

Of course, a salary of $32,000 in Kansas City will go a lot farther than it would in a town like San Francisco, for example. You can get a sense of what graphic designers in Boise make compared with those in New York, or just about any other American city by visiting websites of Salary.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At this point you're probably thinking, "I'm not going to be an entry-level graphic designer for long, so what's the big deal--I'll be making decent money in no time, right?" Well, that's possible, but it isn't quite the experience of every graphic designer.

For example, if you work as a staff graphic designer for a small to mid-size company, you'll likely make a more modest salary, one that's closer to the BLS' median for mid-level designers, which is $42,500.

Where the Money Is in Graphic Design

If you plan on adopting an expensive lifestyle, start setting your sights on jobs that pay handsomely. Graphic designers and artists that make upwards of six figures work as "creative heads of design firms or in-house corporate design departments" or "graphic designers with ownership or partnership interests in a firm," reports the BLS. Those graphic art jobs aren't easy to come by, as is the case with many well-paying jobs. They also come with a price, often demanding longer hours and much more responsibility and accountability. On the other hand, such graphic design jobs can be very exciting, and of course, financially rewarding.

Sources
The Bureau of Labor Statistics