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Job outlook for layout designers in the United States
Are layout designer jobs in demand?
Layout designer job and salary trends over time
Layout designer jobs over time
Layout designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,201 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,186 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,271 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,282 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,278 | 0.00% |
Average layout designer salary over time
Layout designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $94,509 | $45.44 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $92,260 | $44.36 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $89,179 | $42.87 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $86,223 | $41.45 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $84,346 | $40.55 | +1.6% |
Layout designer jobs by state
Most common states for layout designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 205 | 30% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 777 | 10% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 415 | 10% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 615 | 9% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,724 | 7% |
| 6 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 683 | 7% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 628 | 7% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 368 | 7% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,192 | 6% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 334 | 6% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 323 | 6% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 201 | 6% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 87 | 6% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 65 | 6% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 671 | 5% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 585 | 5% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 505 | 5% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 297 | 5% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 62 | 5% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 47 | 5% |
Most common cities for layout designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andover | 1 | 3% | $89,150 |
| 2 | Carpentersville | 1 | 3% | $72,823 |
| 3 | Cupertino | 1 | 2% | $123,999 |
| 4 | Kokomo | 1 | 2% | $81,465 |
| 5 | Columbia | 1 | 1% | $85,426 |
| 6 | Santa Clara | 1 | 1% | $124,017 |
| 7 | Southfield | 1 | 1% | $66,549 |
| 8 | Austin | 1 | 0% | $95,969 |
| 9 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $90,647 |
| 10 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $89,757 |
| 11 | Mesa | 1 | 0% | $90,774 |
| 12 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $124,663 |
| 13 | Seattle | 1 | 0% | $95,930 |
| 14 | Tucson | 1 | 0% | $87,970 |
Layout Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of layout designer experts
Highline College
Texas State University
Bowling Green State University
Belmont University
Eastern Illinois University
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Art Academy of Cincinnati
MJSA
Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY
University of Toledo
Texas A&M University
Valencia College
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
College of Central Florida
What hard/technical skills are most important for Layout Designers?
Diana Boyd: -Adobe Illustrator - Vector drawing skills
-Adobe Photoshop - Working with raster images
-Adobe InDesign - Layout skills
-Adobe Animate - Animation
-Adobe XD - UX/UI prototyping
-Wordpress/Adobe Portfolio/Adobe Dreamweaver - web design/development
-Microsoft Word /PowerPoint
What skills will help Layout Designers earn the most?
Diana Boyd: -Originality/Creativity
-UX/UI design
-Branding
-Marketing and Advertising
-Illustration
What soft skills should all Layout Designers possess?
Diana Boyd: -Collaboration/Teamwork
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
Holly Sterling
Associate Professor of Communication Design, Internship CoordinatorTexas State University
School of Art and Design
What skills will help Layout Designers earn the most?
Holly Sterling: - If you're talking about hard skills, there's a run on "all things UX," and there are more positions to fill than designers to fill them. Also, strong visual designers who can do also do some illustration and motion graphics are in high demand.
- If you're talking soft skills, hiring managers frequently tell me that "who" the designer is every bit as important as what they can do, so be a good human that people will want to work with. This will serve you well throughout your entire career.
Jenn Stucker
Associate Professor, Chair of The Graphic Design DivisionBowling Green State University
School of Art
What soft skills should all Layout Designers possess?
Jenn Stucker: A good designer's soft skills include empathy, critical thinking, context, collaboration, leadership, networking, and the ability to present and articulate ideas.
Doug Regen
Professor of PracticeBelmont University
Graphic Design Department
What skills stand out on Layout Designer resumes?
Doug Regen: Ability to problem-solve with strong creative solutions. Innovative. Detail-oriented. Ability to design creative solutions based on research...understanding the target audience, trends, etc.
What skills will help Layout Designers earn the most?
Doug Regen: Brilliant Ideas are executed flawlessly. Team player. Ability to motivate and lead others. Strong communicator and presentation skills.
Samantha Osborne
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Owner, Samantha Osborne DesignEastern Illinois University
Art + Design
What skills will help Layout Designers earn the most?
Samantha Osborne: An ability to effectively communicate, navigate creative resources, network, empathize with others, and come up with innovative creative solutions. That said, your work still needs to be stellar and consistently great if you're going to be a big earner.
What skills stand out on Layout Designer resumes?
Samantha Osborne: Soft skills are equally important to hard skills. Graphic designers are visual communicators. Visual communication is a universal learned skill, vs. a linguistic capability. This means that graphic designers must learn to recognize and effectively utilize mood and tone in their own visual compositions in regard to color theory and psychology, gestalt principles, and font or lettering design. Essentially a well-skilled graphic designer becomes part psychologist in working through design problems and deciphering client direction, part problem-solver in developing an effective solution to the design problem, and part artist in bringing astonishing and original visual communication and graphics to reach a solution.
What soft skills should all Layout Designers possess?
Samantha Osborne: Three soft skills stand out most: an ability to see the big picture, an ability to "read" people, and an ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s).
i. An ability to see big picture: there are an infinite number of details in graphic design, whether you work in website design on the front or back end, or in print media with physical outputs. It's easy to get caught up on the details, especially when clients are making specific demands about things such as paper type. A skilled designer must be able to see beyond the details and look at the big picture for an effective design solution. For example, a client may be asking for an invitation design for an up-coming event. A skilled designer will ask questions and dig in, eventually uncovering that perhaps for a successful event, the client also needs a splash page and social media, either in place of or in addition to an invitation. A skilled designer addresses design problems holistically, rather than minutely.
ii. An ability to "read" people: designers are trained in art-specific vocabulary. Hue, saturation, pixels, gestalt...most non-art folks don't use or speak that language. When clients are describing their goals, they aren't using art-vocabulary. It's a designer's job to translate what the client is saying into an advanced and effective creative solution. They must be able to speak and understand the language of non-creative folks, as well as the language of the broader creative industry.
iii. An ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s): many young and inexperienced designer tend to get their hearts broken when a client smashes one of their [very well thought-out] ideas. Rather than rolling over, a designer must learn to navigate how best to build support for their idea(s). That might mean in some instances you work more fluidly with the client throughout the design process, so that they feel they have ownership in the development of the solution. In other instances it might mean that the designer is presenting options, rather than a single solution, so that the client feels empowered to make choices throughout the design process. And in some instances, it might be a matter of better explaining and presenting your idea to a client; perhaps the designer needs to push back more, perhaps they need to provide more research as to why their solution is best, or maybe they simply need to present it with more excitement and enthusiasm.
What general advice would you give to a Layout Designer?
Abby Guido: We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.
Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.
What will help Layout Designers increase their earning potential?
Mark Thomas: Professor Thomas advises graduates beginning their career in Graphic Design to focus on building a strong portfolio that showcases their skills and creativity. He also recommends networking and seeking out internships or freelance opportunities to gain real-world experience.
How do you envision technology impacting Layout Designers in the next 5 years?
Rich Youmans: Computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and lasers have become commonplace, but these technologies continue to be honed. In the past few years, 3-D printers have become more affordable, and their quality and output continue to improve. This has opened up more opportunities for jewelry at all levels to increase their productivity. Three-dimensional metal printing, in which users can take a CAD file and print them directly in metal, could disrupt the traditional casting method, but the technology isn't quite there yet -- the cost is still too exorbitant. But the best tools for jewelers are still their hands-there will always be a market for handmade work done by skilled craftsman.
Carmita Sanchez-Fong
Professor and ChairpersonFashion Institute of Technology, SUNY
Interior Design Department
What general advice would you give to a Layout Designer?
Carmita Sanchez-Fong: Be resilient. Your ability to absorb, recover, and adapt, particularly during these times of unprecedented uncertainly, will shape your future. COVID-19 has been the most significant global driver of change, and there are evolving opportunities for interior design on every front; residential, healthcare, hospitality, etc.
What Layout Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carmita Sanchez-Fong: Sketch, sketch, sketch, and work on your portfolio. Use the many resources at FIT to stay current with technology, including 3d printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality. Volunteer with one of the professional organizations, attend virtual conferences, enter a competition, develop your personal/professional profile, and become familiar with digital material resources. Work on your research and presentation skills. Create a well-organized digital library of your 2d and 3d assets. Prepare yourself to go back. Take some masterclasses. Volunteer as a virtual artist-in-residence at a local school. Be creative, remain engaged.
What type of skills will young Layout Designers need?
Barbara Miner: The reason that students who study in the Arts are immensely employable is that they have developed a broad set of skills that are transferable to an equally broad set of on-the-job challenges. As part of their training, they have had the opportunity to work both in teams and to work independently. They must hone their time-management skills, and they engage with the process of basic research and professional practices. Arts students learn to speak about their practice of self-reflection and to set goals to move their personal work forward.
Students in the Arts learn to critique their own presentations and are therefore experienced in the routine of observation, review, and iteration of a concept/performance or presentation. At the University of Toledo, as in many other institutions, several advanced writing courses are part of the Core Curriculum, so all students are encouraged to polish their written skills. Many aspects of Arts programs rely on digital skills as part of the pedagogy, and these experiences translate into important advantages when it comes to a workplace.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Layout Designers to find work opportunities?
Barbara Miner: While many people imagine that students with degrees in the Arts must move to either coast to be successful, it's just not the case. Arts students are, by nature and by training, curious, flexible thinkers, and self-starters. We hear from Arts grads that they find employment in all manner of jobs and communities. Those who want to stay local have often developed networks during school, and the ties that they have established with their faculty members keep them informed about the local job markets. When faculty are national and international scholars, broader opportunities are sometimes available through their connections.
Nancy Miller
Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Graphic DesignTexas A&M University
Department of Art & Design
What type of skills will young Layout Designers need?
Nancy Miller: As faculty teaching graphic design, keeping up with the ever-evolving shifts in technology, and forecasting occupational trends in professional practice can be overwhelming. When predicting post-graduation employability for graphic design students, I'm obligated to recognize that there is an over-saturation of entry-level designers in the applicant pool. As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), "Employment of graphic designers is projected to decline 4 percent from 2019 to 2029. Graphic designers are expected to face strong competition for available positions." Despite this statistic, a degree in Graphic Design can kick off a creative career with many exciting professional roles available. Students can become tomorrow's fulfilled and accomplished professionals, with a better understanding of the workforce that they are entering into. No matter what the market conditions, to be competitive job candidates, students must possess relevant technical skills and developed creative and strategic competencies.
At a minimum, technical proficiency in industry-standard software applications like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat are expected for new graduates. They should be able to use these applications for composition and layout in creating various print and digital touchpoints. As social media continues to rise in importance to companies, students will need to stay abreast of changes with popular social networking sites to constantly appeal to users and engage audiences across the board. Behind social media design, knowledge of marketing fundamentals (research, tactics, media, copywriting), interactive user design (websites, apps, interactive displays), and motion design (animated graphics, videos, ads) are also critical to applicants in setting them apart and making them more competitive in the candidate pool. Strategic competencies such as creative problem solving, visual communication, and the ability to parse information uniquely and originally will allow candidates to seize career opportunities and stand out in the current labor market. In addition to successful coursework and projects, students should aspire to showcase work done for clients, in order to establish a record of imaginative, creative strategy in response to client needs and/or business goals.
Many of the aforementioned skills should be evident in the curated work shown and supported in the new graduate's professionally-vetted portfolio website. In her book, "Stand Out: Design a personal brand. Build a killer portfolio. Find a great design job.," author and Assistant Professor, Denise Anderson (2016, viii) declares, "In the field of professional design, your portfolio is the single most important apparatus you have for demonstrating your talents, skills, and body of work." The visual portfolio is a critical and non-negotiable part of a job application for new graduates. Students should support their polished works with concise and reflective contextual statements to give potential employers insight into their challenges, process, and solutions for each project. In the typical hiring process, the portfolio is the apparatus that allows the student to be vetted for the ensuing in-person or virtual interview. It is in this more intimate opportunity that the student will sell their interpersonal skills in collaborative dialogues with professionals. They are establishing a level of comfort talking with professionals and clients before this juncture that will prepare students for exceptional performance in this defining employment situation.
Kristy Pennino
Professor of Graphic & Interactive DesignValencia College
Graphic & Interactive Design
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Layout Designers to find work opportunities?
Kristy Pennino: 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.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Layout Designers in the next 3-5 years?
Michelle Lockwood: A year ago, even six months ago, we would never have expected our lives to have taken the turns they have, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that same sense, we cannot know what obstacles we will encounter in the next year, six months, or even next week. The aspect of technology that seems most important now is software that can bring the human experience of connection into our individual and separated lives. Technology has enabled those of us in design and applied arts, to continue creating and communicating. As always has been, technology is a tool, but it is not usually the entire idea. Yes, every message is altered and influenced by the medium with which it was created. Still, those beginning in this field need to remember that their uniqueness comes from the union of what is in their mind and their heart, and how they articulate and communicate that union.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Layout Designers?
Michelle Lockwood: Oh, yes! There will be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates, and all of us. It has already changed so much about how we interact, do business, socialize, learn, love, and just plain live. There is no way that it could not impact the future of this field, or any area, in my opinion. I think the job market will look very different in the months and years to come. We will adapt, and there will be more opportunities for creativity, more problems to solve, and more chances to engage and inform. But those practicing will need to remain flexible, adapt gracefully to changing circumstances, and find pockets where they can solve problems, and use their unique skillset to illuminate, inform, and delight -- just as we have always done -- only differently.
Dr. Sarah Satterfield Ph.D.
Department Chair Visual and Performing Arts, Professor of Music and HumanitiesCollege of Central Florida
Engineering Technology
What general advice would you give to a Layout Designer?
Dr. Sarah Satterfield Ph.D.: I was once told, if you do what you love, you will never "work" a day in your life. I have found this true in my own career and hope our VPA graduates will find it true in theirs as well. The arts offer such a unique means of engaging and we, as arts educators, have an ability to "reach" those we have contact with, in a unique way.