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Job outlook for creative services specialists in the United States
Are creative services specialist jobs in demand?
Creative services specialist job and salary trends over time
Creative services specialist jobs over time
Creative services specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,022 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,996 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,140 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,159 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,152 | 0.00% |
Average creative services specialist salary over time
Creative services specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81,397 | $39.13 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $79,461 | $38.20 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $76,807 | $36.93 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $74,261 | $35.70 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $72,644 | $34.93 | +1.6% |
Creative services specialist jobs by state
Most common states for creative services specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 254 | 37% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 720 | 23% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,225 | 22% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 359 | 19% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 168 | 17% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 106 | 17% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,128 | 16% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 650 | 16% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 140 | 16% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 119 | 16% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 203 | 15% |
| 12 | Alaska | 739,795 | 114 | 15% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 89 | 15% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,223 | 14% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 421 | 14% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 232 | 14% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 152 | 14% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 147 | 14% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,352 | 13% |
| 20 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 989 | 13% |
Creative Services Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of creative services specialist experts
Merrimack College
University of Cincinnati- Clermont College
Highline College
Bowling Green State University
Eastern Illinois University
Methodist University
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
What will help Creative Services Specialists increase their earning potential?
Nancy Wynn: There are many different ways to intersect the creative field of graphic design or Design. You can enter utilizing production skills centered on working with an Art Director-you produce their designs with various handwork and software platforms. If you enter as a junior graphic designer-you collaborate with an Art Director and brainstorm concepts / designs for projects. You may intersect working in the service industry where you help customers produce their designs. Day-to-day tasks can be specific if you work at a very large company, or more comprehensive if you work at a smaller agency. They can range from meetings with Art Directors or marketing people; collaboration with fellow designers or other team members based on the project components; brainstorming, research, and ideation for projects; learning new technology by producing designs and client presentations; meetings with focus groups or testing of projects; and finally debrief sessions on projects results.
Dr. Andy Curran
Professor, Area CoordinatorUniversity of Cincinnati- Clermont College
Digital Media Communications
What hard/technical skills are most important for Creative Services Specialists?
Dr. Andy Curran: -File management
-Computer literacy skills
-Software proficiency
What soft skills should all Creative Services Specialists possess?
Diana Boyd: -Collaboration/Teamwork
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
Jenn Stucker
Associate Professor, Chair of The Graphic Design DivisionBowling Green State University
School of Art
What soft skills should all Creative Services Specialists possess?
Jenn Stucker: A good designer's soft skills include empathy, critical thinking, context, collaboration, leadership, networking, and the ability to present and articulate ideas.
Samantha Osborne
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Owner, Samantha Osborne DesignEastern Illinois University
Art + Design
What soft skills should all Creative Services Specialists possess?
Samantha Osborne: Three soft skills stand out most: an ability to see the big picture, an ability to "read" people, and an ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s).
i. An ability to see big picture: there are an infinite number of details in graphic design, whether you work in website design on the front or back end, or in print media with physical outputs. It's easy to get caught up on the details, especially when clients are making specific demands about things such as paper type. A skilled designer must be able to see beyond the details and look at the big picture for an effective design solution. For example, a client may be asking for an invitation design for an up-coming event. A skilled designer will ask questions and dig in, eventually uncovering that perhaps for a successful event, the client also needs a splash page and social media, either in place of or in addition to an invitation. A skilled designer addresses design problems holistically, rather than minutely.
ii. An ability to "read" people: designers are trained in art-specific vocabulary. Hue, saturation, pixels, gestalt...most non-art folks don't use or speak that language. When clients are describing their goals, they aren't using art-vocabulary. It's a designer's job to translate what the client is saying into an advanced and effective creative solution. They must be able to speak and understand the language of non-creative folks, as well as the language of the broader creative industry.
iii. An ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s): many young and inexperienced designer tend to get their hearts broken when a client smashes one of their [very well thought-out] ideas. Rather than rolling over, a designer must learn to navigate how best to build support for their idea(s). That might mean in some instances you work more fluidly with the client throughout the design process, so that they feel they have ownership in the development of the solution. In other instances it might mean that the designer is presenting options, rather than a single solution, so that the client feels empowered to make choices throughout the design process. And in some instances, it might be a matter of better explaining and presenting your idea to a client; perhaps the designer needs to push back more, perhaps they need to provide more research as to why their solution is best, or maybe they simply need to present it with more excitement and enthusiasm.
Tori Jordan Hord
Assistant Professor of Graphic DesignMethodist University
Department of Art
How do you envision technology impacting Creative Services Specialists in the next 5 years?
Tori Jordan Hord: In the graphic design field, the majority of what we do revolves around technology. Software and tools are updated daily, so we always need to be aware of, and adapting to, new technology and approaches in order to stay relevant. Remote work is not a new concept for graphic designers; however, I do think we will continue to see a rise in remote work opportunities. Because of this, I envision there to be an invigorating focus on creating and improving technology that fosters collaboration in the next few years, which is a wonderful thing for designers.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Creative Services Specialists?
Michelle Lockwood: Oh, yes! There will be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates, and all of us. It has already changed so much about how we interact, do business, socialize, learn, love, and just plain live. There is no way that it could not impact the future of this field, or any area, in my opinion. I think the job market will look very different in the months and years to come. We will adapt, and there will be more opportunities for creativity, more problems to solve, and more chances to engage and inform. But those practicing will need to remain flexible, adapt gracefully to changing circumstances, and find pockets where they can solve problems, and use their unique skillset to illuminate, inform, and delight -- just as we have always done -- only differently.