Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

27-1024 Graphic Designers

Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
192,240 0.9 % $23.14 $48,140 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.60 $15.96 $20.92 $28.17 $36.98
Annual Wage (2) $26,200 $33,200 $43,500 $58,600 $76,910

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialized Design Services 25,360 22.23 $24.18 $50,300
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 24,920 4.94 $20.28 $42,180
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 21,410 5.24 $23.63 $49,150
Printing and Related Support Activities 16,180 3.27 $19.24 $40,010
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 8,570 0.60 $26.92 $56,000

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialized Design Services 25,360 22.23 $24.18 $50,300
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 21,410 5.24 $23.63 $49,150
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 24,920 4.94 $20.28 $42,180
Printing and Related Support Activities 16,180 3.27 $19.24 $40,010
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 6,510 2.45 $18.93 $39,370

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 1,680 0.08 $36.45 $75,810
Amusement Parks and Arcades 70 0.04 $31.68 $65,890
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 230 0.15 $30.81 $64,080
Natural Gas Distribution 40 0.04 $30.78 $64,020
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 40 0.19 $30.32 $63,060

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 26,390 1.89 1.25 $27.52 $57,240
New York 18,970 2.27 1.50 $27.65 $57,510
Florida 11,160 1.57 1.04 $20.53 $42,700
Texas 11,020 1.09 0.72 $21.44 $44,590
Illinois 9,870 1.79 1.18 $24.63 $51,220




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,490 2.34 1.54 $31.74 $66,020
New York 18,970 2.27 1.50 $27.65 $57,510
Vermont 590 2.06 1.36 $19.79 $41,170
Minnesota 5,160 2.01 1.33 $21.94 $45,640
Utah 2,210 1.92 1.27 $20.19 $41,990




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,490 2.34 1.54 $31.74 $66,020
New York 18,970 2.27 1.50 $27.65 $57,510
California 26,390 1.89 1.25 $27.52 $57,240
Connecticut 2,520 1.58 1.04 $27.42 $57,040
Maryland 3,930 1.60 1.06 $25.44 $52,920

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 15,280 3.07 2.03 $29.00 $60,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 9,290 2.43 1.61 $26.91 $55,980
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 7,800 2.20 1.46 $25.91 $53,900
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 4,910 2.14 1.42 $29.06 $60,450
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 4,090 2.44 1.61 $23.14 $48,120
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 3,660 1.66 1.10 $25.21 $52,430
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 3,410 2.06 1.36 $25.90 $53,870
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 3,280 2.39 1.58 $26.27 $54,640
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 3,230 1.79 1.18 $23.83 $49,560
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 3,100 3.27 2.16 $36.89 $76,740