Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a graphic artist
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like graphic artists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for graphic artists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for graphic artists. We found that Washington is the best state in the nation for graphic artists, and people in Olympia earn the most in the field.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for graphic artists. Washington is the best state for graphic artists, where the median salary is $94,267.If you are currently seeking employment as a graphic artist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for graphic artists in 2026
1. Washington
Total graphic artist jobs: 457 Average annual salary: $94,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location Quotient: 1.84
2. Oregon
Total graphic artist jobs: 257 Average annual salary: $72,605 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 1.82
3. California
Total graphic artist jobs: 1,795 Average annual salary: $75,645 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.8
4. New York
Total graphic artist jobs: 817 Average annual salary: $67,503 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 1.87
5. Massachusetts
Total graphic artist jobs: 354 Average annual salary: $67,626 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
6. Nevada
Total graphic artist jobs: 47 Average annual salary: $69,324 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
7. New Hampshire
Total graphic artist jobs: 74 Average annual salary: $59,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
8. Rhode Island
Total graphic artist jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $58,636 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
9. Virginia
Total graphic artist jobs: 319 Average annual salary: $62,729 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
10. New Jersey
Total graphic artist jobs: 173 Average annual salary: $67,541 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
Graphic artist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a graphic artist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a graphic artist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $94,267 | $60,000 | 7,405,743 | 457 |
| 2 | Oregon | $72,605 | $46,000 | 4,142,776 | 257 |
| 3 | California | $75,645 | $48,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,795 |
| 4 | New York | $67,503 | $43,000 | 19,849,399 | 817 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $67,626 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 354 |
| 6 | Nevada | $69,324 | $44,000 | 2,998,039 | 47 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $59,335 | $38,000 | 1,342,795 | 74 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,636 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 48 |
| 9 | Virginia | $62,729 | $40,000 | 8,470,020 | 319 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $67,541 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 173 |
| 11 | Colorado | $63,630 | $42,000 | 5,607,154 | 184 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $64,932 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 101 |
| 13 | Arizona | $61,199 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 133 |
| 14 | Ohio | $55,212 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 291 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $55,802 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 17 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $57,408 | $37,000 | 3,588,184 | 117 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $54,194 | $36,000 | 5,795,483 | 183 |
| 18 | Idaho | $59,141 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 30 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $55,466 | $35,000 | 12,805,537 | 311 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $57,642 | $37,000 | 1,815,857 | 21 |
| 21 | Illinois | $54,898 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 373 |
| 22 | Alaska | $62,295 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 10 |
| 23 | Texas | $52,861 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 646 |
| 24 | Michigan | $51,693 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 247 |
| 25 | Delaware | $55,596 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 31 |
| 26 | Maryland | $56,417 | $36,000 | 6,052,177 | 198 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $53,064 | $35,000 | 5,576,606 | 208 |
| 28 | Iowa | $53,085 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 89 |
| 29 | Indiana | $52,022 | $34,000 | 6,666,818 | 158 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $61,173 | $47,000 | 1,427,538 | 17 |
| 31 | Vermont | $53,521 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 16 |
| 32 | Utah | $49,593 | $32,000 | 3,101,833 | 136 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $52,079 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 48 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $49,246 | $32,000 | 4,454,189 | 97 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $50,244 | $33,000 | 6,715,984 | 112 |
| 36 | Missouri | $51,146 | $34,000 | 6,113,532 | 122 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $49,317 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 55 |
| 38 | Maine | $49,897 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 36 |
| 39 | Alabama | $50,515 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 64 |
| 40 | Kansas | $49,464 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 67 |
| 41 | Georgia | $47,658 | $31,000 | 10,429,379 | 341 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $49,700 | $32,000 | 4,684,333 | 50 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $48,666 | $31,000 | 5,024,369 | 76 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $45,774 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 272 |
| 45 | Florida | $46,413 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 378 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $47,691 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 12 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $47,812 | $31,000 | 2,984,100 | 25 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $46,840 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 29 |
| 49 | Montana | $46,574 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 18 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $39,774 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 53 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $38,433 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 18 |
Highest paying states for graphic artists
| Rank | State | Avg. Graphic Artist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $94,267 |
| 2 | Oregon | $72,605 |
| 3 | California | $75,645 |
| 4 | New York | $67,503 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $67,626 |
| 6 | Nevada | $69,324 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $59,335 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,636 |
| 9 | Virginia | $62,729 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $67,541 |
| 11 | Colorado | $63,630 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $64,932 |
| 13 | Arizona | $61,199 |
| 14 | Ohio | $55,212 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $55,802 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $57,408 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $54,194 |
| 18 | Idaho | $59,141 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $55,466 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $57,642 |
| 21 | Illinois | $54,898 |
| 22 | Alaska | $62,295 |
| 23 | Texas | $52,861 |
| 24 | Michigan | $51,693 |
| 25 | Delaware | $55,596 |
| 26 | Maryland | $56,417 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $53,064 |
| 28 | Iowa | $53,085 |
| 29 | Indiana | $52,022 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $61,173 |
| 31 | Vermont | $53,521 |
| 32 | Utah | $49,593 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $52,079 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $49,246 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $50,244 |
| 36 | Missouri | $51,146 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $49,317 |
| 38 | Maine | $49,897 |
| 39 | Alabama | $50,515 |
| 40 | Kansas | $49,464 |
| 41 | Georgia | $47,658 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $49,700 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $48,666 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $45,774 |
| 45 | Florida | $46,413 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $47,691 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $47,812 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $46,840 |
| 49 | Montana | $46,574 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $39,774 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $38,433 |
Expert opinions on the best states for graphic artists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graphic artists 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.
Graphic artist best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for graphic artist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025