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Best states for a graphic designer/production
Quoted expert
Kristy Pennino
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Graphic designer/production opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for graphic designer/productions, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for graphic designer/productions.We wanted to look at the best states for graphic designer/productions -- where there are plenty of graphic designer/production jobs to go around and graphic designer/productions get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
We figured that the best places for graphic designer/production jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for graphic designer/productions, and the West is the worst. Menlo Park, CA is the best city in the country for graphic designer/production jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.
10 best states for graphic designer/productions in 2026
1. California
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 5,126 Average annual salary: $56,102 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
2. New York
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 1,935 Average annual salary: $54,273 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
3. Washington
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 1,219 Average annual salary: $50,782 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
4. Oregon
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 783 Average annual salary: $49,620 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
5. Pennsylvania
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 1,534 Average annual salary: $50,562 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
6. Nevada
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 247 Average annual salary: $52,407 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
7. District of Columbia
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 246 Average annual salary: $55,777 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. Maryland
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 707 Average annual salary: $58,173 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
9. Virginia
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 1,154 Average annual salary: $53,161 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
10. Arizona
Total graphic designer/production jobs: 688 Average annual salary: $51,999 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
Graphic designer/production jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a graphic designer/production
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a graphic designer/production
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $56,102 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,126 |
| 2 | New York | $54,273 | $38,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,935 |
| 3 | Washington | $50,782 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,219 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,620 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 783 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $50,562 | $35,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,534 |
| 6 | Nevada | $52,407 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 247 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $55,777 | $39,000 | 693,972 | 246 |
| 8 | Maryland | $58,173 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 707 |
| 9 | Virginia | $53,161 | $37,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,154 |
| 10 | Arizona | $51,999 | $36,000 | 7,016,270 | 688 |
| 11 | Michigan | $46,413 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,233 |
| 12 | Utah | $45,802 | $32,000 | 3,101,833 | 495 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $54,153 | $38,000 | 9,005,644 | 743 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $49,481 | $35,000 | 1,815,857 | 141 |
| 15 | Kansas | $44,084 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 426 |
| 16 | Missouri | $44,523 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 740 |
| 17 | Illinois | $44,254 | $32,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,726 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $45,570 | $34,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,181 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $47,222 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 370 |
| 20 | Colorado | $46,590 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 700 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $44,740 | $31,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,119 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $43,143 | $31,000 | 1,920,076 | 282 |
| 23 | Alaska | $49,625 | $43,000 | 739,795 | 43 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $40,147 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,083 |
| 25 | Delaware | $47,102 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 108 |
| 26 | Texas | $43,718 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,251 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $41,167 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 679 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $41,035 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 248 |
| 29 | Idaho | $42,362 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 192 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $40,122 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,111 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $42,521 | $31,000 | 1,059,639 | 137 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $48,525 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 44 |
| 33 | Iowa | $37,894 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 619 |
| 34 | Georgia | $39,561 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,466 |
| 35 | Indiana | $37,765 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,039 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $41,152 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 43 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,217 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,632 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $41,150 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 233 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $39,946 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 493 |
| 40 | Alabama | $38,734 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 472 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $33,798 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 611 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $35,262 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 267 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $38,329 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 231 |
| 44 | Vermont | $33,634 | $26,000 | 623,657 | 100 |
| 45 | Florida | $37,789 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,550 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $38,631 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 170 |
| 47 | Maine | $29,549 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 199 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $34,605 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 90 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $32,663 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 272 |
| 50 | Montana | $31,982 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 104 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $28,984 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 97 |
Highest paying states for graphic designer/productions
| Rank | State | Avg. Graphic Designer/Production Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $56,102 |
| 2 | New York | $54,273 |
| 3 | Washington | $50,782 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,620 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $50,562 |
| 6 | Nevada | $52,407 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $55,777 |
| 8 | Maryland | $58,173 |
| 9 | Virginia | $53,161 |
| 10 | Arizona | $51,999 |
| 11 | Michigan | $46,413 |
| 12 | Utah | $45,802 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $54,153 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $49,481 |
| 15 | Kansas | $44,084 |
| 16 | Missouri | $44,523 |
| 17 | Illinois | $44,254 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $45,570 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $47,222 |
| 20 | Colorado | $46,590 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $44,740 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $43,143 |
| 23 | Alaska | $49,625 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $40,147 |
| 25 | Delaware | $47,102 |
| 26 | Texas | $43,718 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $41,167 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $41,035 |
| 29 | Idaho | $42,362 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $40,122 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $42,521 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $48,525 |
| 33 | Iowa | $37,894 |
| 34 | Georgia | $39,561 |
| 35 | Indiana | $37,765 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $41,152 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,217 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $41,150 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $39,946 |
| 40 | Alabama | $38,734 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $33,798 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $35,262 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $38,329 |
| 44 | Vermont | $33,634 |
| 45 | Florida | $37,789 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $38,631 |
| 47 | Maine | $29,549 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $34,605 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $32,663 |
| 50 | Montana | $31,982 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $28,984 |
Expert opinions on the best states for graphic designer/productions
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graphic designer/productions 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