27
Graphic Designers is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Graphic Designers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 27-1024 |
| title | Graphic Designers |
| onet code | 27-1024.00 |
| description | Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 214,260 |
| a mean | 68,610 |
| a median | 61,300 |
| a pct10 | 37,600 |
| a pct25 | 47,200 |
| a pct75 | 79,000 |
| a pct90 | 103,030 |
| h mean | 32 |
| h median | 29 |
The day-to-day work of a graphic designers typically centers on key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.25 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working graphic designers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (65.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 75% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $90,710 and lowest in West Virginia at $36,870 — a 2.5× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, California, Massachusetts, Washington, New York) average $78,812. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $90,710 | $95,050 | $60,710 | $137,610 | 1,280 |
| California | $76,440 | $91,760 | $44,650 | $128,270 | 28,310 |
| Massachusetts | $76,370 | $80,030 | $47,250 | $121,560 | 4,890 |
| Washington | $76,010 | $83,550 | $47,110 | $132,510 | 5,460 |
| New York | $74,530 | $81,020 | $46,810 | $124,990 | 16,730 |
| Virginia | $70,060 | $75,060 | $38,130 | $116,180 | 5,500 |
| New Jersey | $66,600 | $74,200 | $45,010 | $115,060 | 5,870 |
| Colorado | $66,360 | $73,480 | $46,210 | $105,500 | 4,720 |
| Maryland | $66,290 | $71,460 | $41,600 | $103,880 | 3,880 |
| Connecticut | $65,360 | $71,760 | $45,860 | $103,000 | 1,980 |
| Rhode Island | $64,190 | $70,570 | $46,810 | $98,340 | 820 |
| Oregon | $63,800 | $71,950 | $39,810 | $114,490 | 3,080 |
| Vermont | $62,180 | $68,440 | $44,650 | $98,000 | 470 |
| Texas | $62,030 | $60,250 | $35,330 | $80,430 | 19,360 |
| Illinois | $60,010 | $64,070 | $37,980 | $95,350 | 7,900 |
| Utah | $59,010 | $62,610 | $34,600 | $91,530 | 3,070 |
| Minnesota | $58,590 | $63,260 | $38,870 | $93,600 | 5,460 |
| Wisconsin | $58,380 | $60,140 | $39,300 | $81,370 | 4,630 |
| Florida | $57,900 | $62,750 | $36,960 | $96,180 | 14,010 |
| Georgia | $57,860 | $62,340 | $35,090 | $97,020 | 5,410 |
| New Mexico | $57,780 | $62,570 | $36,790 | $103,460 | 1,170 |
| New Hampshire | $57,310 | $62,370 | $39,880 | $88,040 | 680 |
| Nevada | $57,180 | $58,770 | $32,250 | $84,840 | 1,970 |
| Indiana | $56,440 | $63,490 | $37,040 | $108,480 | 4,480 |
| South Carolina | $56,180 | $58,160 | $34,670 | $83,280 | 1,990 |
| Delaware | $56,160 | $58,540 | $36,670 | $83,310 | 420 |
| Montana | $55,370 | $61,990 | $34,570 | $101,340 | 650 |
| Alaska | $55,230 | $59,380 | $38,380 | $86,110 | 150 |
| Ohio | $55,140 | $58,930 | $36,700 | $86,800 | 7,010 |
| Maine | $53,490 | $59,100 | $36,780 | $84,500 | 590 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,990 | $61,600 | $36,820 | $91,770 | 8,280 |
| Michigan | $52,600 | $57,150 | $34,600 | $83,890 | 5,990 |
| Nebraska | $52,420 | $57,000 | $36,320 | $78,940 | 1,780 |
| Arizona | $52,240 | $59,910 | $38,910 | $88,750 | 4,330 |
| Tennessee | $51,740 | $58,710 | $30,280 | $89,540 | 4,190 |
| Hawaii | $51,630 | $57,840 | $29,800 | $86,990 | 510 |
| Missouri | $50,900 | $56,450 | $34,660 | $81,280 | 3,700 |
| North Carolina | $50,600 | $61,010 | $35,270 | $92,990 | 7,210 |
| Kentucky | $50,330 | $53,540 | $31,250 | $78,200 | 1,910 |
| Oklahoma | $50,310 | $52,670 | $25,810 | $77,380 | 1,770 |
| Kansas | $49,820 | $55,520 | $35,720 | $83,210 | 2,080 |
| Idaho | $48,640 | $55,710 | $26,610 | $93,600 | 970 |
| Alabama | $48,130 | $53,630 | $30,230 | $84,550 | 2,010 |
| North Dakota | $47,900 | $51,890 | $34,320 | $72,970 | 500 |
| Iowa | $47,560 | $51,830 | $34,160 | $72,710 | 2,230 |
| Arkansas | $46,430 | $53,010 | $29,590 | $81,450 | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $46,300 | $49,380 | $31,040 | $72,710 | 1,200 |
| Mississippi | $45,260 | $57,070 | $30,710 | $76,000 | 920 |
| South Dakota | $43,950 | $46,160 | $33,420 | $59,540 | 470 |
| Wyoming | $43,290 | $50,770 | $31,250 | $84,300 | 250 |
| West Virginia | $36,870 | $43,870 | $27,480 | $68,530 | 540 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for graphic designers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Ad Designer (Advertising Designer) or Ad Layout Worker (Advertising Layout Worker) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Graphic Designers compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Graphic Designers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.