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Best states for a graphic designer
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
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Are you thinking of becoming a graphic designer and really want to work at Minuteman Press? Turns out, your chances to become a graphic designer are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that District of Columbia is the best state for graphic designers in America. The best city in America for graphic designers with the highest pay is Washington, DC.
District of Columbia is the best state for jobs for graphic designers, and Montana is the worst. The most common pay in District of Columbia is $62,988, while the median pay in Montana is $33,534.We found that the South is best for graphic designers, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for graphic designer jobs, where as District of Columbia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for graphic designers in 2025
1. District of Columbia
Total graphic designer jobs: 228 Average annual salary: $62,988 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.92. Massachusetts
Total graphic designer jobs: 775 Average annual salary: $58,553 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.183. Washington
Total graphic designer jobs: 930 Average annual salary: $57,422 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.784. New York
Total graphic designer jobs: 1,402 Average annual salary: $57,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.535. Virginia
Total graphic designer jobs: 753 Average annual salary: $56,436 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.126. Rhode Island
Total graphic designer jobs: 92 Average annual salary: $54,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.067. Maine
Total graphic designer jobs: 83 Average annual salary: $56,874 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.888. Michigan
Total graphic designer jobs: 540 Average annual salary: $50,070 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.979. Maryland
Total graphic designer jobs: 423 Average annual salary: $54,398 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.9310. Oregon
Total graphic designer jobs: 490 Average annual salary: $49,537 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
Graphic designer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a graphic designer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a graphic designer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $62,988 | $44,000 | 693,972 | 228 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $58,553 | $42,000 | 6,859,819 | 775 |
| 3 | Washington | $57,422 | $38,000 | 7,405,743 | 930 |
| 4 | New York | $57,176 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,402 |
| 5 | Virginia | $56,436 | $39,000 | 8,470,020 | 753 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $54,484 | $39,000 | 1,059,639 | 92 |
| 7 | Maine | $56,874 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 83 |
| 8 | Michigan | $50,070 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 540 |
| 9 | Maryland | $54,398 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 423 |
| 10 | Oregon | $49,537 | $33,000 | 4,142,776 | 490 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $51,256 | $36,000 | 12,805,537 | 693 |
| 12 | California | $52,089 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,451 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $54,188 | $38,000 | 9,005,644 | 416 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $48,310 | $34,000 | 10,273,419 | 633 |
| 15 | Illinois | $47,696 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 795 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,408 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 219 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $51,299 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 53 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $45,469 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 131 |
| 19 | Colorado | $47,544 | $34,000 | 5,607,154 | 395 |
| 20 | Ohio | $45,369 | $32,000 | 11,658,609 | 545 |
| 21 | Delaware | $47,750 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 64 |
| 22 | Alaska | $51,987 | $41,000 | 739,795 | 34 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $45,284 | $32,000 | 5,576,606 | 443 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $43,383 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 354 |
| 25 | Arizona | $44,674 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 315 |
| 26 | Nevada | $45,211 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 102 |
| 27 | Texas | $42,171 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,410 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $44,841 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 39 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $43,186 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 155 |
| 30 | Utah | $39,836 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 269 |
| 31 | Indiana | $42,939 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 276 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $47,448 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 36 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $41,164 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 30 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $41,779 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 212 |
| 35 | Kansas | $40,358 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 164 |
| 36 | Missouri | $41,835 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 284 |
| 37 | Vermont | $40,874 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 45 |
| 38 | Georgia | $38,707 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 806 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $40,414 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 261 |
| 40 | Florida | $40,800 | $29,000 | 20,984,400 | 838 |
| 41 | Idaho | $40,829 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 78 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $39,452 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 112 |
| 43 | Alabama | $39,021 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 201 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $38,567 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 113 |
| 45 | Iowa | $36,695 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 181 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $36,290 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 97 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $34,887 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 46 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $33,740 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 145 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,021 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 132 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,488 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 77 |
| 51 | Montana | $33,534 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 52 |
Highest paying states for graphic designers
| Rank | State | Avg. Graphic Designer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $62,988 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $58,553 |
| 3 | Washington | $57,422 |
| 4 | New York | $57,176 |
| 5 | Virginia | $56,436 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $54,484 |
| 7 | Maine | $56,874 |
| 8 | Michigan | $50,070 |
| 9 | Maryland | $54,398 |
| 10 | Oregon | $49,537 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $51,256 |
| 12 | California | $52,089 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $54,188 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $48,310 |
| 15 | Illinois | $47,696 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,408 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $51,299 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $45,469 |
| 19 | Colorado | $47,544 |
| 20 | Ohio | $45,369 |
| 21 | Delaware | $47,750 |
| 22 | Alaska | $51,987 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $45,284 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $43,383 |
| 25 | Arizona | $44,674 |
| 26 | Nevada | $45,211 |
| 27 | Texas | $42,171 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $44,841 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $43,186 |
| 30 | Utah | $39,836 |
| 31 | Indiana | $42,939 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $47,448 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $41,164 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $41,779 |
| 35 | Kansas | $40,358 |
| 36 | Missouri | $41,835 |
| 37 | Vermont | $40,874 |
| 38 | Georgia | $38,707 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $40,414 |
| 40 | Florida | $40,800 |
| 41 | Idaho | $40,829 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $39,452 |
| 43 | Alabama | $39,021 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $38,567 |
| 45 | Iowa | $36,695 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $36,290 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $34,887 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $33,740 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,021 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,488 |
| 51 | Montana | $33,534 |
Expert opinions on the best states for graphic designers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graphic designers to find work opportunities?
Kristy Pennino
Professor of Graphic & Interactive Design, Valencia College
All major cities in the U.S. have been known to offer the most employment opportunities for graphic designers, simply because that is where there's a greater concentration of paying clients. I guess the silver lining - as a result of the pandemic - is that people will be less likely to select their employers, clients, or residences based solely on their location. With our program internship requirement, I have already witnessed students being hired to work remotely for employers who are not local and who are not even located in the same state or country. I helped three graduates get employed in the past 48 hours for companies who are not local and eager to hire our graduates to work remotely.
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Updated January 8, 2025