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Best states for a graphic design manager
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
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- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a graphic design manager and really want to work at Cognizant? Turns out, your chances to become a graphic design manager are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant graphic design manager jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. New York is the best state in the country for graphic design manager jobs.
New York is the best state for jobs for graphic design managers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in New York is $81,807, while the median pay in Mississippi is $49,547.We found that the South is best for graphic design managers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for graphic design manager jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for graphic design managers in 2026
1. New York
Total graphic design manager jobs: 1,147 Average annual salary: $81,807 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
2. Washington
Total graphic design manager jobs: 821 Average annual salary: $77,571 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
3. California
Total graphic design manager jobs: 3,535 Average annual salary: $78,419 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 1.78
4. Massachusetts
Total graphic design manager jobs: 745 Average annual salary: $74,674 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
5. District of Columbia
Total graphic design manager jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $81,721 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
6. Michigan
Total graphic design manager jobs: 593 Average annual salary: $67,247 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
7. Rhode Island
Total graphic design manager jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $70,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Oregon
Total graphic design manager jobs: 492 Average annual salary: $69,120 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.75
9. Virginia
Total graphic design manager jobs: 720 Average annual salary: $70,667 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
10. Alaska
Total graphic design manager jobs: 59 Average annual salary: $75,093 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
Graphic design manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a graphic design manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a graphic design manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $81,807 | $60,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,147 |
| 2 | Washington | $77,571 | $57,000 | 7,405,743 | 821 |
| 3 | California | $78,419 | $54,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,535 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $74,674 | $55,000 | 6,859,819 | 745 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $81,721 | $59,000 | 693,972 | 154 |
| 6 | Michigan | $67,247 | $49,000 | 9,962,311 | 593 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $70,789 | $52,000 | 1,059,639 | 86 |
| 8 | Oregon | $69,120 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 492 |
| 9 | Virginia | $70,667 | $51,000 | 8,470,020 | 720 |
| 10 | Alaska | $75,093 | $66,000 | 739,795 | 59 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $66,366 | $50,000 | 755,393 | 56 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $73,624 | $54,000 | 9,005,644 | 413 |
| 13 | Illinois | $66,663 | $49,000 | 12,802,023 | 718 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $65,600 | $48,000 | 3,588,184 | 243 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $65,114 | $47,000 | 12,805,537 | 643 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $67,986 | $49,000 | 1,815,857 | 42 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $63,081 | $45,000 | 10,273,419 | 583 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $61,165 | $44,000 | 579,315 | 41 |
| 19 | Arizona | $62,096 | $44,000 | 7,016,270 | 416 |
| 20 | Indiana | $64,619 | $47,000 | 6,666,818 | 268 |
| 21 | Colorado | $65,062 | $46,000 | 5,607,154 | 356 |
| 22 | Ohio | $63,286 | $46,000 | 11,658,609 | 512 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $61,793 | $46,000 | 1,342,795 | 111 |
| 24 | Maryland | $65,218 | $47,000 | 6,052,177 | 433 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $61,648 | $45,000 | 5,795,483 | 322 |
| 26 | Texas | $59,189 | $41,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,448 |
| 27 | Delaware | $62,561 | $45,000 | 961,939 | 73 |
| 28 | Vermont | $59,153 | $44,000 | 623,657 | 58 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,900 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 69 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $59,484 | $42,000 | 6,715,984 | 228 |
| 31 | Utah | $57,436 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 223 |
| 32 | Nevada | $59,914 | $41,000 | 2,998,039 | 100 |
| 33 | Maine | $59,622 | $44,000 | 1,335,907 | 70 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $58,227 | $43,000 | 5,576,606 | 409 |
| 35 | Georgia | $57,543 | $41,000 | 10,429,379 | 584 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $57,629 | $41,000 | 4,454,189 | 127 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $61,190 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 47 |
| 38 | Idaho | $55,536 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 95 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $56,084 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 81 |
| 40 | Missouri | $56,614 | $41,000 | 6,113,532 | 255 |
| 41 | Iowa | $54,119 | $39,000 | 3,145,711 | 196 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $55,839 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 87 |
| 43 | Alabama | $52,849 | $37,000 | 4,874,747 | 204 |
| 44 | Kansas | $52,527 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 157 |
| 45 | Florida | $52,817 | $36,000 | 20,984,400 | 815 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $52,977 | $38,000 | 3,930,864 | 113 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $53,012 | $37,000 | 2,088,070 | 77 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $53,208 | $37,000 | 4,684,333 | 77 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $50,262 | $35,000 | 5,024,369 | 191 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $44,918 | $33,000 | 869,666 | 49 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $49,547 | $35,000 | 2,984,100 | 61 |
Highest paying states for graphic design managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Graphic Design Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $81,807 |
| 2 | Washington | $77,571 |
| 3 | California | $78,419 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $74,674 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $81,721 |
| 6 | Michigan | $67,247 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $70,789 |
| 8 | Oregon | $69,120 |
| 9 | Virginia | $70,667 |
| 10 | Alaska | $75,093 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $66,366 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $73,624 |
| 13 | Illinois | $66,663 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $65,600 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $65,114 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $67,986 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $63,081 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $61,165 |
| 19 | Arizona | $62,096 |
| 20 | Indiana | $64,619 |
| 21 | Colorado | $65,062 |
| 22 | Ohio | $63,286 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $61,793 |
| 24 | Maryland | $65,218 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $61,648 |
| 26 | Texas | $59,189 |
| 27 | Delaware | $62,561 |
| 28 | Vermont | $59,153 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,900 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $59,484 |
| 31 | Utah | $57,436 |
| 32 | Nevada | $59,914 |
| 33 | Maine | $59,622 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $58,227 |
| 35 | Georgia | $57,543 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $57,629 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $61,190 |
| 38 | Idaho | $55,536 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $56,084 |
| 40 | Missouri | $56,614 |
| 41 | Iowa | $54,119 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $55,839 |
| 43 | Alabama | $52,849 |
| 44 | Kansas | $52,527 |
| 45 | Florida | $52,817 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $52,977 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $53,012 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $53,208 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $50,262 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $44,918 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $49,547 |
Expert opinions on the best states for graphic design managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graphic design managers 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