What You Need to Know About Graphic Designer
Job Description & Duties 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.
Life As a Graphic Designer: What Do They Do?
- Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
- Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
- Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.
- Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.
- Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
- Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
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What Every Graphic Designer Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Graphic Designers say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles
- Graphic Art Designer
- User Interface Designer
- Advertising Layout Worker
- Creative Manager
- Production Artist
What Kind of Graphic Designer Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 266,300 jobs for Graphic Designer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.2% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 11,100 new jobs for Graphic Designer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 26,000 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Graphic Designer are Utah, Washington, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Graphic Designer Average Salary
Graphic Designers make between $29,610 and $85,760 a year.
Graphic Designers who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or New York, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Graphic Designers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,960 |
| Alaska | $59,640 |
| Arizona | $54,030 |
| Arkansas | $42,250 |
| California | $61,100 |
| Colorado | $56,670 |
| Connecticut | $60,700 |
| Delaware | $50,920 |
| District of Columbia | $71,180 |
| Florida | $48,780 |
| Georgia | $54,260 |
| Hawaii | $51,690 |
| Idaho | $45,620 |
| Illinois | $56,890 |
| Indiana | $45,030 |
| Iowa | $43,920 |
| Kansas | $46,270 |
| Kentucky | $44,550 |
| Louisiana | $45,660 |
| Maine | $45,800 |
| Maryland | $58,610 |
| Massachusetts | $64,010 |
| Michigan | $47,700 |
| Minnesota | $53,500 |
| Mississippi | $42,640 |
| Missouri | $50,350 |
| Montana | $42,220 |
| Nebraska | $47,980 |
| Nevada | $49,330 |
| New Hampshire | $51,710 |
| New Jersey | $59,140 |
| New Mexico | $44,040 |
| New York | $64,840 |
| North Carolina | $49,700 |
| North Dakota | $41,800 |
| Ohio | $50,130 |
| Oklahoma | $40,710 |
| Oregon | $56,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,050 |
| Rhode Island | $58,720 |
| South Carolina | $45,790 |
| South Dakota | $36,300 |
| Tennessee | $48,760 |
| Texas | $50,700 |
| Utah | $48,130 |
| Vermont | $50,000 |
| Virginia | $60,540 |
| Washington | $60,530 |
| West Virginia | $45,360 |
| Wisconsin | $47,980 |
| Wyoming | $38,490 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Graphic Designers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Graphic Designers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- jQuery
- Microsoft Access
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Structured query language SQL
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
- FileMaker Pro
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
Becoming a Graphic Designer
Are there Graphic Designers education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Graphic Designer?
Graphic Designers Sector
Below are examples of industries where Graphic Designers work:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Are you already one of the many Graphic Designer in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Szilas in the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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