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Multimedia designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected multimedia designer job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 6,800 new jobs for multimedia designers are projected over the next decade.
Multimedia designer salaries have increased 12% for multimedia designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 8,396 multimedia designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 45,329 active multimedia designer job openings in the US.
The average multimedia designer salary is $61,468.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,396 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,728 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 9,431 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 9,369 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 9,441 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $61,468 | $29.55 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $60,006 | $28.85 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $58,002 | $27.89 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $56,079 | $26.96 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $54,858 | $26.37 | +1.6% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 219 | 32% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 833 | 11% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 445 | 11% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 708 | 10% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 118 | 9% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,118 | 8% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 696 | 8% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 240 | 8% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 81 | 8% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 754 | 7% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 401 | 7% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 394 | 7% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 365 | 7% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,288 | 6% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 710 | 6% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 374 | 6% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 35 | 6% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 622 | 5% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 561 | 5% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 486 | 5% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 1 | 4% | $52,847 |
| 2 | Reston | 2 | 3% | $60,860 |
| 3 | Rockville | 2 | 3% | $62,602 |
| 4 | Amherst | 1 | 3% | $71,388 |
| 5 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $62,785 |
| 6 | Culver City | 1 | 3% | $68,804 |
| 7 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $58,060 |
| 8 | Boulder | 1 | 1% | $65,952 |
| 9 | Cherry Hill | 1 | 1% | $67,654 |
| 10 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $61,432 |
| 11 | Huntsville | 1 | 1% | $49,988 |
| 12 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $73,532 |
| 13 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $71,578 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $47,811 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $53,504 |
| 16 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $65,928 |
| 17 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $49,512 |
Arcadia University
University of Akron
Louisiana State University at Shreveport
Foothill College
Ferris State University
University of Northern Iowa

University of Cincinnati- Clermont College
Highline College
Marywood University
Belmont University

Eastern Illinois University
Flagler College

Albion College

California State University - Stanislaus
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Albion College

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Louisiana State University and A&M College

Kansas City Art Institute
Christian Patchell: There is a ton of opportunity and burgeoning markets opening up every day. We discuss this in my classes. The landscape of the arts changes at a faster pace than ever, but change doesn’t happen in a vacuum. With each new evolution there comes new opportunities. For example, many of my students find themselves interested in UX/UI. This is an area with a lot of opportunity for a new Designer but only if there is a passion for the Market. Even though this is a field first identified in the early 90s, I’d say that in the last decade or so it really has hit the Design World hard. This doesn’t mean that designing for print has to take a back seat. Print is more popular than ever in terms of designing and creating objects (books, packaging, etc.) that many of us refer to as art objects, interactive objects, or objects of influence. Telling a good story through the design of an object is pushing Graphic Design into wonderful areas and is really starting to connect with audiences on entirely new levels. Don’t let the articles listing the “Top 10 Majors at Universities” or the “25 Most Popular Jobs” fool you, Art and Design are more relevant and more important than ever before.
Christian Patchell: Oddly, what most people like and dislike are the same thing. Designers many times stand at a starting point, the line where technology and art merge into something beautiful and engaging. We are early adopters, curious where the digital and traditional merge into something new or different. Making something “new” and “different” over and over again can be a difficult climb. But if you are someone with a wealth of ideas and likes to solve problems creatively, the challenge of Graphic Design may be right for you. The other side of that coin is technology. A Graphic Designer needs to stay current on emerging technologies while maintaining an eye on trends and changes in the culture. While in school it is quite easy to stay up to date on programs that are the industry standards (Adobe Publishing Suite, Figma, etc.) it can be more difficult to do this once you have graduated. As a teaching professional I try to keep my skill set current on an annual basis (sometimes shorter) so I can be of service to my students and relevant in my field. As a Graphic Designer if you do your job right, no one may really see it. However, if you do it wrong in even the slightest way, everyone might see it. At the end of the day though there is nothing quite like seeing your design out in the wild. Whether part of a team or as an individual, a Graphic Designer is given an opportunity to share their work, their art, with an extremely large audience and instigate change while creating something personal and telling a good story. That feeling of accomplishment, for me at least, outweighs any cons there might be in this creative field.
David Flynn: We spend our day creating items that need to communicate a message clearly and quickly to a person or public. Information, directions, product benefits, packaging, events, advertising, anything and everything is designed to inform.
Allen Garcie MFA: On the technical side, software is always evolving so skills related to this are always important. However, I think keeping up with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) is going to be most important for designers over the next 3 to 5 years. This is an area that's already changing the design field as companies like Adobe and others continue to integrate AI into their software. On the other hand, being a designer isn't all about developing technology-related skills though. I also think developing non-technical skills like creativity, collaboration, and adaptability are extremely important for any designer.
Foothill College
Graphic Communications
Carolyn Brown: AI will continue to grow in importance in the next 3-5 years. AI is useful in many ways. Right now, AI is mostly used for writing which is great for brainstorming and writing the messaging that graphic designers create the visuals for. AI is becoming an important tool for generating images, videos, animations, 3D, and AR/VR content. The most important skill is the ability to learn new skills and/or adapt your current skills to new technologies.
Patrick Klarecki: The Printing and Packaging Industry has had a strong history of employing college graduates each year. In my 28 years as faculty/administrator for the Graphic Communication and Graphic Media Management degrees, we have always had 3-6 jobs available for each of our graduates. Even through the 2008 economy, we were able to celebrate full employment for our graduates.
Patrick Klarecki: Graduates in May 2020 and December 2020 did not see the opportunities their previous alumni did. We were able to place only about 25% of our graduates. There are a couple that have offers of employment "When things get better."
Patrick Klarecki: Recent projections from the Printing United Alliance show business owners are optimistic about 2021 and see their needs returning to "Pre-COVID" levels by the end of 2021 or early 2022. The workforce in our industry continues to age, technology continues to evolve, and young minds' needs will prevail.
University of Northern Iowa
Department of Art
Elizabeth Sutton: What really stands out is the quality of the student's portfolios and that they have client-based real-world experience.
Elizabeth Sutton: There are many--the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively is absolutely necessary. The ability to ask for feedback and be able to take that feedback and incorporate it into a process is very important. Of course, meeting deadlines is also very important.
Elizabeth Sutton: We train our students in Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator.
Elizabeth Sutton: It's not about money. It's about liking what you do and making enough to meet you and your family's needs.... in any case, some of our Graphic Designers do very well when they add a Marketing minor from the College of Business.

University of Cincinnati- Clermont College
Digital Media Communications
Dr. Andy Curran: -File management
-Computer literacy skills
-Software proficiency
Dr. Andy Curran: Creative skills, particularly knowing how to craft an appropriate message for each project.
Diana Boyd: -Collaboration/Teamwork
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
Marywood University
Art Department
Sue Jenkins: It might be too soon to tell. At Marywood U., 97% of 2019 grads are employed or going to grad school, but we don't have figures yet for the class of 2020. What we have seen since March 2020 is an increase in remote internships and employment opportunities. This COVID-adaptive type of flexibility will likely influence how employers hire and retain designers in the post-COVID world.
Sue Jenkins: A strong understanding of the Principles and Elements of Art and Design, killer typography skills, an understanding of color theory, some training in sociology and psychology to gain a better understanding of user experience, creative and critical thinking skills, attention to details, a strong conceptual framework that supports the project goals, the ability to speak up, take critical feedback and be a team player, and above all the courage to be authentic and bring something fresh to the table.
Sue Jenkins: Before saying what stands out most, there's one thing to avoid; those skill self-assessment bar graphs that take up too much real estate and don't provide the reader with valid, useful data. A better solution is to list skills and proficiency in years, such as Adobe Photoshop, three years.
Now, what stands out most on a resume is evidence of creative engagement beyond the classroom. Has the student been a member of any clubs? Won any awards? Have you participated in any solo or group exhibitions and completed any internships, pro bono, or freelance work? Have you worked on any side projects? Run an Etsy, Society6, or RedBubble account? Sold any commissioned work? Definitely include all these types of activities along with any tangible outcomes and achievements, like "Designed a series of digital documents that downsized paper waste and reduced the client's carbon footprint by 13%." Results-oriented statements provide a better sense of the designer's understanding of their role and their value to an organization.
Belmont University
Graphic Design Department
Doug Regen: Brilliant Ideas are executed flawlessly. Team player. Ability to motivate and lead others. Strong communicator and presentation skills.

Eastern Illinois University
Art + Design
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.
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.
Flagler College
Department of Visual and Performing Arts
Diana Lodi: Adobe certifications are available for software skills; however, courses focused on understanding diversity and inclusion best practices are more desirable. As brands continue to become more aware of the non-negotiables of their brand followers, designers also need to be well-versed in guiding the client to make informed choices on representation.

Albion College
Department of Music
David Abbott: Clearly academic challenges of not getting either enough material and/or not being able to receive it as effectively as traditional in class experiencial learning has potentially negative consequences not unlike that of pre-college students although generally to a lesser degree of negative impact. Much virtual teaching can be effective and Albion has utilized this to a great deal as have many other colleges and R1 institutions. We offer combined virtual/ in person "hybrid", as well as all virtual only and all in person teaching both in classes and applied music lessons.
It remains to be seen in the coming post-pandemic years how much of a deleterious effect this pandemic will ultimately have on learning. My personal view is that the effects will vary but overall there will be negative implications across many colleges and universities. Much will depend on the success of testing/tracing which in the case of Albion College where we were very diligent and effective including use of an Aura tracking app required of all students, we were able to isolate and quarantine students suspected of illness, or with positive test results of COVID, safely isolate them for the required time and then they returned to lasses as before. During quarantine/isolation, all Albion students had virtual access to all classes after making arrangements with their individual instructors.
In comparison, I know Hillsdale College not more than 40 miles away, while an outstanding academic institution with enviably high standards, was decimated by the pandemic, simply because the administration chose not to follow science and they had at one point no less 175 positive covid cases, in early November while Albion had an average of only 3-5 on campus. I understood that the virus ravaged their music department and shut down most if not all live instruction. These numbers continued to rise in the next two weeks (Albion had only 11 total cases, all safely in isolation while Hillsdale's numbers exceeded 200 and more), it became difficult for many schools who ultimately chose to send their students home as a precaution to avoiding massive infection. Albion did this with 11 positive cases simply to follow recommended state guidelines. My understanding was Hillsdale hung on for much longer and continued to keep students on campus in spite of these dangerously high numbers of life threatening infections.
I pray their students/faculty ultimately left safe and mostly out of danger by the end of Fall semester and perhaps this was their way of maintaining academic integrity by keeping students on campus. At Albion, we ultimately sent students home only 7 school days earlier than our planned close of classes. We employed a controversial "module" system that essentially compressed 14 week classes into 7 weeks and classes met avg 5 days a week compared to the traditional 2-3x per week. Ultimately faculty/students hated this model and accepted it simply in an effort to keep students on campus for learning rather than keep everyone home in virtual only as many colleges and universities chose to do. We are continuing this module system now in the current Spring semester. We intend to return to traditional classes if at all possible by Fall '21.
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.
Abby Guido: Our field is constantly changing and adapting; sometimes it moves so fast you cannot keep up. The areas I see growing are in AR/VR and experiential design.
Abby Guido: Designers can be well-compensated for their work. Some design areas are more lucrative than others, which tend to be the jobs in digital design. These jobs include user-experience design, experiential design, interactive design, motion design, and all AR and VR design positions.

Mark Thomas: According to Professor Thomas, skills such as UX/UI design, motion graphics, and knowledge of emerging technologies like AR/VR are expected to become more important and prevalent in the field of Graphic Design in the next 3-5 years.
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.

Lisa TenHulzen: This is a big question. Because of the financial strains the pandemic has placed on the entertainment industry, I suspect we will see trends towards smaller cast shows as well as simpler productions, overall. I believe this will help to ease some of the financial burdens a large cast and crew can place on a theatre, as well as help ease the audience back into a sense of security. Depending on the location of the production, an audience might not feel comfortable attending a large-scale performance. Smaller shows lend themselves better to smaller audiences. All of this to say, I believe theatre jobs will be in short supply for quite some time. At least until theatres are able to make up some of the financial losses. This means hiring will be limited to core positions of production such as directors, stage managers, technical directors, designers, and only a few technicians. For smaller theatres, we will most likely see theatre artists taking on multiple jobs within the production.
Lisa TenHulzen: What skills need to be enhanced really depends on the area of the theatre they traditionally worked in. For makers and artisans, I would suggest pursuing any hobby or job that will continue to stretch your creative side. You do not want to go for an extended period of time without making something with your hands. The same goes for the directors and actors, but find something where you can use your creative analysis and presentation skills. Start a podcast, read new plays, make videos, etc. The skill of a theatre artist can stagnate if it is not used. Take advantage of the time you have, and pursue a personal creative project.
Lisa TenHulzen: Work hard. I don't have to tell you that being successful in the theatre business is extremely difficult, even at the best of times. Post-pandemic, I believe this will be even harder. You have to be able to push yourself to become stronger, more professional and more driven than you ever anticipated. Being in the theatre professionally is not easy, and if you expect it to be, you are in the wrong field. Even the most talented among us have to work their tails off to be successful. Pursue anything and everything that comes your way, be kind to your colleagues, and be collaborative. Understand that there are 100 more artists waiting to take your place, so treat each position with the respect it deserves. One thing that will not change post-pandemic is how small the theatre world is and how much that can help or hinder you based on the relationships you build.

Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen Ph.D.: COVID-19 accelerated the widespread use of e-commerce, and omnichannel retailing has never been more vital. Consumers are doing their research before purchasing a product, or even going into a brick-and-mortar store, making technology even more important in our word. People entering the job market know how to utilize different technologies to allow company operations to be more transparent and efficient. Job candidates must be comfortable with data analytics and forecasting future challenges. During times of industry disruption, job candidates with a broad knowledge of the industry, including product development and design, supply chain and sourcing, merchandising, and textile science will be more desirable.
Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen Ph.D.: The retail industry is robust and requires many skills. Content and industry-related knowledge are essential, including comfort with computer applications like Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Excel. Beyond knowledge of the industry, job candidates need excellent communication skills in written and oral forms. It's also highly recommended that job candidates have work experience in their area of interest, which could include an internship, job shadow, or part-time position.
Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen Ph.D.: Job opportunities are everywhere in this industry. Keep an eye on your favorite brands and the location of their corporate offices. In particular, the Midwest is home to many corporate offices. There have been shifts for other offices to move to the Midwest to take advantage of its centralized location in the United States. Thus, the industry is all around us!
Louisiana State University and A&M College
College of Art and Design
Mark Boyer: I don't think the skill set needed will change much from what it has been. Qualities that come to mind are: teachable, reliable, thoughtful, articulate, adaptable, engaged, critical thinker, technologically adept, able to think big and small, empathetic, and good listener.
Mark Boyer: I think an employer would be better to answer this question, but my speculation is that experience as an intern in an office would be important, any experience that would be in an area related to a direction the firm is going or type of projects they are pursuing. I think any type of construction or building experience would be of interest.
Mark Boyer: I would think that those who have gone through this experience will be changed in ways we still have yet to learn. Some of those changes will be positive (adaptability, endurance, resiliency), and some may be negative (depression, loss of family members or jobs).

Chris Chapin: In reflecting on the future of Product Design, several words come to mind: sustainability, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and resilience. Entrepreneurship and resilience are especially needed as graduates enter unknown territory and an unpredictable job market. Grads cannot rely on the corporate community providing a secure career start. Instead, graduates must be prepared to be the designers of their own careers, creating new opportunities for themselves that may not have previously existed. The current pandemic, with all of its new challenges, amplifies this need for self-determination, flexibility, and resilience.
In the field of Product Design, I see a growing need for personalization of products, especially in healthcare products, in order to touch people's lives in ways that are unique to them. We have a saying in the Product Design department at Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI): "Design is about changing lives for the better - Product Design is how we reach every life." So, I guess the biggest trend I see is the need for students and graduates to not be afraid to lead right away, first in their own career start and second in the meaningful use of their skills.
Chris Chapin: I would recommend they take this time to learn and practice new digital tools of the Product Design field. The expectation, once they enter the profession, is that they will already be up to speed on the tools. I advise students to research their target employers and become familiar with the ways in which they work. This pandemic period is a great opportunity for students and graduates to round out their skills, knowledge, and professional perspective via online-course offerings. There is also no guarantee that a job will be waiting for them. In which case, it is best if they are prepared to create their own career starts with a spirit of persistence and entrepreneurship.
Chris Chapin: My advice to all students and graduates is to be entrepreneurial. I define entrepreneurship as a skill set that helps us bring great design solutions to life and into the lives of those who need them. It is part business, part implementation strategy, and can manifest as a new business, as social entrepreneurship, or as intrapreneurship. In either case, it broadens career options for graduates and empowers them with the confidence and skillsets to take control of their careers.