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The average salary for a Graphics Specialist currently stands at $56,007 per year, translating to approximately $27 per hour. This role is pivotal in industries such as advertising, marketing, and multimedia production, reflecting a blend of artistic and technical skills.
Entry-level positions typically start lower, while experienced specialists can earn significantly more. For instance, professionals with five or more years of experience can see their salaries rise to around $70,000 or more, depending on their portfolio and expertise.
Geographic location heavily influences salaries. States like California and New York often offer higher wages due to the demand in major urban centers. Additionally, sectors such as tech and digital marketing tend to offer better compensation for graphics specialists.
Understanding the salary dynamics and industry trends is crucial for career progression. Graphics specialists may consider further education or certifications in design software to enhance their marketability and earning potential.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level graphics specialist | $35,000 | $16.82 |
| Mid-level graphics specialist | $49,100 | $23.58 |
| Senior-level graphics specialist | $76,500 | $36.77 |
The average graphics specialist salary in Washington, California, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average graphics specialist salary states are Georgia, Kansas, and South Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $75,661 | $36.38 |
| 2 | California | $71,434 | $34.34 |
| 3 | New York | $64,315 | $30.92 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $70,010 | $33.66 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $59,268 | $28.49 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $60,564 | $29.12 |
| 7 | Utah | $56,131 | $26.99 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $55,211 | $26.54 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $53,975 | $25.95 |
| 10 | Texas | $56,246 | $27.04 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $58,911 | $28.32 |
| 12 | Alaska | $61,199 | $29.42 |
| 13 | Delaware | $55,611 | $26.74 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $57,957 | $27.86 |
| 15 | Maryland | $57,715 | $27.75 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $57,152 | $27.48 |
| 17 | Virginia | $55,823 | $26.84 |
| 18 | Arizona | $54,792 | $26.34 |
| 19 | Oregon | $52,160 | $25.08 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $52,255 | $25.12 |
| 21 | Vermont | $52,927 | $25.45 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $54,473 | $26.19 |
| 23 | Maine | $53,190 | $25.57 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $56,971 | $27.39 |
| 25 | Colorado | $53,674 | $25.80 |
| 26 | Montana | $53,132 | $25.54 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $52,102 | $25.05 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $48,555 | $23.34 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $47,230 | $22.71 |
| 30 | Michigan | $46,909 | $22.55 |
| 31 | Iowa | $45,261 | $21.76 |
| 32 | Illinois | $50,294 | $24.18 |
| 33 | Nevada | $47,679 | $22.92 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $48,599 | $23.36 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $45,908 | $22.07 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $46,553 | $22.38 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $47,164 | $22.68 |
| 38 | Idaho | $45,221 | $21.74 |
| 39 | Ohio | $43,695 | $21.01 |
| 40 | Florida | $42,745 | $20.55 |
| 41 | Missouri | $46,498 | $22.35 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $45,593 | $21.92 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $46,137 | $22.18 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $44,638 | $21.46 |
| 45 | Georgia | $42,098 | $20.24 |
| 46 | Kansas | $42,027 | $20.21 |
| 47 | Alabama | $43,680 | $21.00 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $38,071 | $18.30 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $41,713 | $20.05 |
| 50 | Indiana | $39,840 | $19.15 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $41,234 | $19.82 |
The highest-paying cities for graphics specialists are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $79,284 | $38.12 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $70,066 | $33.69 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $64,411 | $30.97 |
| 4 | Juneau, AK | $61,949 | $29.78 |
| 5 | Marlborough, MA | $60,567 | $29.12 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $57,900 | $27.84 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $57,591 | $27.69 |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | $56,673 | $27.25 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $53,746 | $25.84 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,112 | $25.05 |
| 11 | Vernon Hills, IL | $50,833 | $24.44 |
| 12 | Frankfort, KY | $47,337 | $22.76 |
| 13 | Lincoln, NE | $47,072 | $22.63 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $45,077 | $21.67 |
| 15 | Birmingham, AL | $43,772 | $21.04 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $43,059 | $20.70 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $42,871 | $20.61 |
| 18 | Olathe, KS | $41,887 | $20.14 |
A graphics specialist's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| Average | $56,007 | $4,667 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
The highest paying types of graphics specialists are interactive designer, visual designer, and 3d artist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
| Freelance Designer | $57,260 | $4,772 | $27.53 | 45,914 |
| Interactive Designer | $97,929 | $8,161 | $47.08 | 48,136 |
| 3D Artist | $74,721 | $6,227 | $35.92 | 3,978 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
Top companies hiring graphics specialists now:
Graphics specialist salaries at ZeniMax Media and Jacobs Engineering Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average graphics specialist salary at companies like BGC Partners and Boston Scientific are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZeniMax Media | $81,741 | $39.30 |
| 2 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $81,283 | $39.08 |
| 3 | BGC Partners | $77,549 | $37.28 |
| 4 | Boston Scientific | $68,069 | $32.73 |
| 5 | Fox News | $66,690 | $32.06 |
| 6 | AssuredPartners | $65,063 | $31.28 |
| 7 | BluEdge | $64,497 | $31.01 |
| 8 | Mcgriff, Seibels & Williams | $63,120 | $30.35 |
| 9 | Gewalt Hamilton Associates | $62,987 | $30.28 |
| 10 | Guidehouse | $62,556 | $30.07 |
| 11 | Firefly Aerospace | $62,350 | $29.98 |
| 12 | Matrix Service Company | $60,717 | $29.19 |
| 13 | HAVI | $60,318 | $29.00 |
| 14 | XLA | $58,791 | $28.26 |
| 15 | CGS | $58,648 | $28.20 |
| 16 | Hall | MileOne Autogroup | $58,034 | $27.90 |
| 17 | Grandbridge Real Estate Capital | $57,770 | $27.77 |
| 18 | The Freeman Company LLC | $57,559 | $27.67 |
| 19 | Intrepid Solutions and Services | $57,104 | $27.45 |
| 20 | Maximus | $57,095 | $27.45 |
The average graphics specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $67,322 | $32.37 |
| 2 | Technology | $65,533 | $31.51 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $60,881 | $29.27 |
| 4 | Professional | $59,264 | $28.49 |
| 5 | Media | $57,092 | $27.45 |
| 6 | Transportation | $56,682 | $27.25 |
| 7 | Real Estate | $55,149 | $26.51 |
| 8 | Retail | $44,979 | $21.62 |
The average graphics specialist salary has risen by $9,831 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average graphics specialist earned $46,176 annually, but today, they earn $56,007 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for graphics specialists over the last decade.
Compare graphics specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare graphics specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $56,000 | $26.93 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $54,700 | $26.29 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $52,800 | $25.41 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $51,100 | $24.57 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $50,000 | $24.03 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southcoast Health System | Senior Graphic Arts Specialist | Fall River, MA | 06/27/2025 | $34,540 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Graphics Specialist I-Operations & Maintenance | Cedar Falls, IA | 06/24/2025 | $42,679 |
| Siegel & Strain Architects | Marketing/Graphics Specialist | Emeryville, CA | 06/24/2025 | $70,000 |
| Procter & Gamble | Graphics Specialist | Cincinnati, OH | 06/13/2025 | $64,000 |
| Assuredpartners | Graphic Specialist | Huntingtown, MD | 06/06/2025 | $45,000 |
| Assured Partners | Graphic Specialist | Huntingtown, MD | 06/05/2025 | $45,000 |
| Siegel & Strain Architects | Marketing/Graphics Specialist | Emeryville, CA | 05/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| General Dynamics | Advanced Graphics Specialist | Bloomington, MN | 05/21/2025 | $93,682 |
| General Dynamics Mission Systems | Advanced Graphics Specialist | Bloomington, MN | 05/21/2025 | $93,682 |
| Albireo Energy | Graphics Specialist | Anaheim, CA | 05/21/2025 | $75,132 |
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