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Best states for a graphic designer/editor
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for graphic designer/editors in the United States. Graphic designer/editor positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for graphic designer/editors.Our research shows that Virginia is the best state in the country for graphic designer/editors.
Virginia is the best state for jobs for graphic designer/editors, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Virginia is $67,016, while the median pay in South Dakota is $31,215.We found that the South is best for graphic designer/editors, and the Northeast is the worst. Enon, VA is the best city in the country for graphic designer/editor jobs, where as Virginia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for graphic designer/editors in 2025
1. Virginia
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 786 Average annual salary: $67,016 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
2. Massachusetts
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 684 Average annual salary: $60,734 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
3. New York
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 1,631 Average annual salary: $58,389 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 2.01
4. District of Columbia
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 267 Average annual salary: $61,290 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 2.51
5. California
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 2,880 Average annual salary: $59,813 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.55
6. New Jersey
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 369 Average annual salary: $66,982 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
7. Connecticut
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $58,519 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
8. Oregon
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 441 Average annual salary: $53,330 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.68
9. Washington
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 775 Average annual salary: $52,629 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
10. Rhode Island
Total graphic designer/editor jobs: 61 Average annual salary: $53,748 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
Graphic designer/editor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a graphic designer/editor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a graphic designer/editor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $67,016 | $46,000 | 8,470,020 | 786 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $60,734 | $43,000 | 6,859,819 | 684 |
| 3 | New York | $58,389 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,631 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $61,290 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 267 |
| 5 | California | $59,813 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,880 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $66,982 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 369 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $58,519 | $41,000 | 3,588,184 | 189 |
| 8 | Oregon | $53,330 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 441 |
| 9 | Washington | $52,629 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 775 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $53,748 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 61 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $48,561 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 336 |
| 12 | Michigan | $47,992 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 453 |
| 13 | Maryland | $52,039 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 388 |
| 14 | Ohio | $49,341 | $34,000 | 11,658,609 | 473 |
| 15 | Texas | $46,961 | $33,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,183 |
| 16 | Illinois | $47,935 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 715 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $46,441 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 623 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $52,069 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 44 |
| 19 | Delaware | $49,349 | $34,000 | 961,939 | 49 |
| 20 | Utah | $43,757 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 216 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $45,941 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 88 |
| 22 | Nevada | $47,411 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 84 |
| 23 | Colorado | $47,054 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 336 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $45,191 | $32,000 | 5,576,606 | 378 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $43,828 | $31,000 | 10,273,419 | 543 |
| 26 | Arizona | $45,063 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 263 |
| 27 | Alaska | $47,425 | $38,000 | 739,795 | 29 |
| 28 | Georgia | $41,272 | $29,000 | 10,429,379 | 714 |
| 29 | Florida | $43,790 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 723 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $43,351 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 20 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $41,675 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 81 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,947 | $29,000 | 6,113,532 | 286 |
| 33 | Indiana | $39,765 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 283 |
| 34 | Iowa | $40,099 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 163 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $40,273 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 225 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $41,218 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 175 |
| 37 | Vermont | $41,360 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 31 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $39,755 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 92 |
| 39 | Maine | $38,214 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 62 |
| 40 | Kansas | $38,723 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 128 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $39,488 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 87 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $39,939 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 31 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $38,189 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 127 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $38,355 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 93 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $38,885 | $26,000 | 1,427,538 | 26 |
| 46 | Idaho | $35,231 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 67 |
| 47 | Montana | $38,294 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 39 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,912 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 118 |
| 49 | Alabama | $33,665 | $24,000 | 4,874,747 | 170 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,674 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 56 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,215 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 31 |
Highest paying states for graphic designer/editors
| Rank | State | Avg. Graphic Designer/Editor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $67,016 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $60,734 |
| 3 | New York | $58,389 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $61,290 |
| 5 | California | $59,813 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $66,982 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $58,519 |
| 8 | Oregon | $53,330 |
| 9 | Washington | $52,629 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $53,748 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $48,561 |
| 12 | Michigan | $47,992 |
| 13 | Maryland | $52,039 |
| 14 | Ohio | $49,341 |
| 15 | Texas | $46,961 |
| 16 | Illinois | $47,935 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $46,441 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $52,069 |
| 19 | Delaware | $49,349 |
| 20 | Utah | $43,757 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $45,941 |
| 22 | Nevada | $47,411 |
| 23 | Colorado | $47,054 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $45,191 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $43,828 |
| 26 | Arizona | $45,063 |
| 27 | Alaska | $47,425 |
| 28 | Georgia | $41,272 |
| 29 | Florida | $43,790 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $43,351 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $41,675 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,947 |
| 33 | Indiana | $39,765 |
| 34 | Iowa | $40,099 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $40,273 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $41,218 |
| 37 | Vermont | $41,360 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $39,755 |
| 39 | Maine | $38,214 |
| 40 | Kansas | $38,723 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $39,488 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $39,939 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $38,189 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $38,355 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $38,885 |
| 46 | Idaho | $35,231 |
| 47 | Montana | $38,294 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,912 |
| 49 | Alabama | $33,665 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,674 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,215 |
Expert opinions on the best states for graphic designer/editors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graphic designer/editors 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 designer/editor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025