You possess the creativity, drive, and technical skills. Graphic design is a challenging field. Will you be able to earn enough to live comfortably?
While you are curious about the salary of graphic designers, many other important questions need to be answered. You need more information than the graphic designer’s salary to get a complete picture of this job.
How much does a graphic design make? What skills are required for graphic designers to succeed? How do you become a graphic designer? All of these questions are answered and more by us. Continue reading to find out the information you need to decide if graphic design is for you.
Questions about graphic design
It is important to know the salary information for graphic designers. A graphic design career should meet your financial needs and reflect your personality, skills, and lifestyle. You can also find the answers to other important questions regarding working as a graphic artist.
What is the average salary of graphic designers?
When evaluating graphic designer salaries information, there are many factors to consider. Earning potential depends on many factors, including education, geography, specialization and job setting.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the average annual salary for graphic designers in 2020 was $53,380. 1 Compare that to the $41,950 average national income for all occupations, and you’ll see how these creative professionals make a decent living. 1
Graphic designers’ earning potential can be affected by their industry. The BLS reports that graphic designers who work in advertising, public relations, and related services earn a slightly higher median annual salary of $55,800 in 2020 than those who work in printing or publishing.
Graphic designers have other options to improve their earning potential. Graphic designers might be able to pursue roles as special effect artists and animators, artistic directors, web developers, or digital designers.
What are the most important skills in technical graphic design?
This is an important question for any graphic designer. To align with employers’ expectations, you will need to take the time to evaluate yourself.
We used real-time job analytics software to analyze more than 52,000 job postings for graphic designers over the past year. These data helped us identify the most sought-after technical skills and competencies in graphic design.
Here are the results: 2
Adobe Creative Suite (r) (Photoshop(r), InDesign(), Illustrator(r), After Effects[r])
Typesetting
Social media
Website design
Digital design
Packaging
Management of projects
Marketing materials
Art direction
Illustration
Animation
Infographics
What are the most important characteristics of graphic designers?
Graphic designers need to have the technical skills described above to complete the tasks. You’ll also need other skills to succeed. You will need transferable skills to bring your idea to life and navigate the world of professional graphic design.
These are the most important non-technical skills and qualities you will need.
Creativity This is obvious, but graphic designers are tasked with finding creative solutions to communicate a message and solve problems. This requires a natural ability to think outside the box and develop innovative ideas daily.
Analytical, A graphic designer must be able to think outside of their head and see the product or service from different angles. This allows them to predict how the audience will respond.
Communication: Graphic artists must have strong communication skills to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues. They can ask intelligent, insightful questions to help them understand the expectations of their clients so that their designs align with their vision.
Collaboration, The final product of a graphic artist, is more of an individual effort than you might imagine. They must collaborate with copywriters, project managers, and other key stakeholders to navigate the many challenges of competing priorities.
Time management: Designers often manage multiple projects and meet different deadlines simultaneously. A successful career in design requires managing multiple projects simultaneously and adhering to strict deadlines.
Research: The trends and techniques in graphic design are always changing, so designers must continue to learn. Designers must be open to learning about their clients and exploring new strategies to ensure their designs meet client goals.
What are some of the most common specialities in graphic design?
Graphic designers are not limited to designing for print and web. They can also specialize in niche areas. Some common design specialities include:
User interface (UI) design
Web design
Application design
Motion graphics and animation
User experience (UX) design
Information architecture
Many of these specializations are oriented toward digital development. Employers place a high value on ensuring internet users have a pleasant experience with their applications and websites.
What experience and education do graphic designers require?
There are some key elements employers look for in a graphic designer who wants to get into the field.
Education level
It may seem tempting to skip formal education to become a self-taught designer. However, there are good reasons to be cautious. One, graphic designers need a bachelor’s degree.
Analyzing job postings in graphic design also shows the benefits of formal education. Our analysis of graphic design job postings revealed that 86 per cent are looking for candidates with at least an Associate’s Degree. 2
Internship experience
This is a proven way for job seekers and employers to enhance resumes. Employers will be impressed by your ability to manage yourself in a professional setting with a graphic designer internship. This experience can also enhance your portfolio by providing real-life examples of work.
Internships are a great way to network. Referring to or recommending established professionals can help you improve your chances of getting hired.
Relevant projects and relevant work experience
Learning by doing is sometimes the best way to educate graphic designers. It would help if you took on as many small and large projects as possible to improve your graphic designer portfolio. You won’t be able to do all these projects, but that’s okay! Remember that you are trying to showcase smart aesthetic choices and keep within the practical limits of a project.
You should build a portfolio that includes a variety of design projects. Employers with smaller budgets may be unable to afford a highly skilled design team. Versatility is a valuable asset. If you plan on doing so, you should ensure that your portfolio supports your interest in pursuing a speciality.
Where are graphic designers employed?
Graphic designers can work nearly anywhere–particularly as more employers embrace remote work. Employers tend to be more concentrated in larger areas, as with most professional-service jobs. These jobs can be classified into one of three types: agency, in-house or freelance.
As part of an internal company’s creative team, in-house graphic designers are employed. Agency graphic designers are employed by a business that provides design services for several clients, and freelance designers are self-employed–typically working with multiple clients.
Our article, Where Do Graphic Designers Work? Provides a deeper look into the various work environments. In-House vs Agency vs Freelance
Start your career in graphic design
How much do graphic designers earn? Now you have all the information you need and the answers to the important questions you should be asking. There is still much you don’t understand about a career as a graphic designer.
