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Best states for a digital designer
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you thinking of becoming a digital designer and really want to work at Robert Half? Turns out, your chances to become a digital designer are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that California is the best state for digital designers in America. The best city in America for digital designers with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
The median salary for digital designers in California is $92,977. Compare that to the median salary in Oklahoma of $51,632, which ranked worst for digital designers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that California is the best state for digital designer jobs, whereas Oklahoma is the worst.
10 best states for digital designers in 2025
1. California
Total digital designer jobs: 4,343 Average annual salary: $92,977 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.59
2. Massachusetts
Total digital designer jobs: 1,112 Average annual salary: $88,785 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
3. Virginia
Total digital designer jobs: 904 Average annual salary: $90,732 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
4. Washington
Total digital designer jobs: 1,096 Average annual salary: $77,363 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 1.61
5. Oregon
Total digital designer jobs: 561 Average annual salary: $78,114 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
6. District of Columbia
Total digital designer jobs: 330 Average annual salary: $81,430 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 2.11
7. New Jersey
Total digital designer jobs: 572 Average annual salary: $88,918 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
8. Rhode Island
Total digital designer jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $76,321 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. New York
Total digital designer jobs: 1,785 Average annual salary: $77,968 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
10. Connecticut
Total digital designer jobs: 314 Average annual salary: $80,100 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
Digital designer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a digital designer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a digital designer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $92,977 | $59,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,343 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $88,785 | $55,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,112 |
| 3 | Virginia | $90,732 | $56,000 | 8,470,020 | 904 |
| 4 | Washington | $77,363 | $51,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,096 |
| 5 | Oregon | $78,114 | $51,000 | 4,142,776 | 561 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $81,430 | $50,000 | 693,972 | 330 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $88,918 | $54,000 | 9,005,644 | 572 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $76,321 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 122 |
| 9 | New York | $77,968 | $48,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,785 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $80,100 | $49,000 | 3,588,184 | 314 |
| 11 | Texas | $75,056 | $49,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,745 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $69,218 | $43,000 | 1,342,795 | 167 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $80,503 | $54,000 | 1,427,538 | 60 |
| 14 | Nevada | $73,449 | $47,000 | 2,998,039 | 129 |
| 15 | Arizona | $68,783 | $45,000 | 7,016,270 | 447 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $65,003 | $43,000 | 5,795,483 | 463 |
| 17 | Delaware | $65,071 | $40,000 | 961,939 | 126 |
| 18 | Utah | $61,980 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 363 |
| 19 | Illinois | $63,767 | $42,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,225 |
| 20 | Vermont | $64,189 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 73 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $69,565 | $44,000 | 1,815,857 | 70 |
| 22 | Michigan | $63,392 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 667 |
| 23 | Maryland | $68,972 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 596 |
| 24 | Florida | $66,352 | $42,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,117 |
| 25 | Ohio | $65,238 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 666 |
| 26 | Colorado | $65,897 | $45,000 | 5,607,154 | 558 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $61,810 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 619 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $61,040 | $37,000 | 12,805,537 | 907 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $61,052 | $39,000 | 10,273,419 | 821 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $60,213 | $41,000 | 579,315 | 48 |
| 31 | Maine | $60,289 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 115 |
| 32 | Georgia | $58,911 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,057 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $62,874 | $41,000 | 2,088,070 | 111 |
| 34 | Alaska | $64,656 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 53 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $56,745 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 63 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $56,448 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 340 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $56,014 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 170 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $58,438 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 251 |
| 39 | Iowa | $54,654 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 240 |
| 40 | Missouri | $56,938 | $38,000 | 6,113,532 | 336 |
| 41 | Montana | $54,645 | $38,000 | 1,050,493 | 84 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $57,365 | $37,000 | 4,684,333 | 171 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $54,576 | $37,000 | 1,920,076 | 159 |
| 44 | Kansas | $53,994 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 220 |
| 45 | Idaho | $49,729 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 127 |
| 46 | Indiana | $53,329 | $35,000 | 6,666,818 | 347 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $53,610 | $35,000 | 2,984,100 | 101 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $52,808 | $34,000 | 4,454,189 | 206 |
| 49 | Alabama | $48,539 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 255 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $43,487 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 66 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $51,632 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 144 |
Highest paying states for digital designers
| Rank | State | Avg. Digital Designer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $92,977 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $88,785 |
| 3 | Virginia | $90,732 |
| 4 | Washington | $77,363 |
| 5 | Oregon | $78,114 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $81,430 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $88,918 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $76,321 |
| 9 | New York | $77,968 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $80,100 |
| 11 | Texas | $75,056 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $69,218 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $80,503 |
| 14 | Nevada | $73,449 |
| 15 | Arizona | $68,783 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $65,003 |
| 17 | Delaware | $65,071 |
| 18 | Utah | $61,980 |
| 19 | Illinois | $63,767 |
| 20 | Vermont | $64,189 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $69,565 |
| 22 | Michigan | $63,392 |
| 23 | Maryland | $68,972 |
| 24 | Florida | $66,352 |
| 25 | Ohio | $65,238 |
| 26 | Colorado | $65,897 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $61,810 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $61,040 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $61,052 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $60,213 |
| 31 | Maine | $60,289 |
| 32 | Georgia | $58,911 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $62,874 |
| 34 | Alaska | $64,656 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $56,745 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $56,448 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $56,014 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $58,438 |
| 39 | Iowa | $54,654 |
| 40 | Missouri | $56,938 |
| 41 | Montana | $54,645 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $57,365 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $54,576 |
| 44 | Kansas | $53,994 |
| 45 | Idaho | $49,729 |
| 46 | Indiana | $53,329 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $53,610 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $52,808 |
| 49 | Alabama | $48,539 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $43,487 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $51,632 |
Expert opinions on the best states for digital designers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for digital 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