CFChooseField
Arts, Design, Media, and Sports

Graphic Designers

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Graphic Designers
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Median pay

$61,300
Median annual pay for Graphic Designers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

2.1%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

20,000
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

265,900
Estimated U.S. employment for Graphic Designers in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

+5,700
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

Bachelor's degree
Typical education needed to enter Graphic Designers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Speaking
  3. 3Active Learning
  4. 4Critical Thinking
  5. 5Writing
  6. 6Reading Comprehension

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Design
  2. 2Computers and Electronics
  3. 3Fine Arts
  4. 4Communications and Media
  5. 5English Language
  6. 6Sales and Marketing

Abilities

  1. 1Originality
  2. 2Fluency of Ideas
  3. 3Near Vision
  4. 4Written Comprehension
  5. 5Oral Comprehension
  6. 6Oral Expression

Career interests

  1. 1Artistic
  2. 2Conventional
  3. 3Enterprising
  4. 4Realistic
  5. 5Investigative
  6. 6Social

Work styles

  1. 1Innovation
  2. 2Attention to Detail
  3. 3Dependability
  4. 4Achievement Orientation
  5. 5Adaptability
  6. 6Intellectual Curiosity

Work activities

  1. 1Thinking Creatively
  2. 2Working with Computers
  3. 3Getting Information
  4. 4Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  5. 5Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  6. 6Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Spend Time Sitting
  3. 3Time Pressure
  4. 4Telephone Conversations
  5. 5Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  6. 6Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

Representative tasks

  • Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
  • Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
  • Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
  • Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
  • Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
  • Use computer software to generate new images.
  • Prepare digital files for printing.
  • Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.

Software and tools

Canva · in demandAdobe Photoshop · in demandCascading style sheets CSS · in demandAdobe InDesign · in demandAdobe Illustrator · in demandFigma · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandAdobe Creative Cloud software · in demandHypertext markup language HTML · in demandAdobe After Effects · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft PowerPoint · in demand

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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