Graphic designer pay by city
Across the 49 largest US metros, typical graphic designer pay ranges from $50,300 in Oklahoma City, OK to $97,360 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Graphic Designers, SOC 27-1024).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $97,360 | $65,700 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $92,050 | $59,900 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $85,420 | $59,300 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $76,720 | $56,500 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $78,270 | $55,600 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $65,060 | $55,500 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $70,450 | $55,400 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $74,680 | $54,900 |
| 9 | Hartford, CT | $70,870 | $54,900 |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $65,060 | $54,300 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $72,500 | $54,100 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $75,790 | $54,100 |
| 13 | Memphis, TN | $59,000 | $53,800 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $66,350 | $53,600 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $64,000 | $53,400 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $75,650 | $53,300 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $63,090 | $53,100 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $59,710 | $53,000 |
| 19 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,260 | $52,600 |
| 20 | Nashville, TN | $60,370 | $52,600 |
| 21 | Tampa, FL | $62,900 | $52,200 |
| 22 | New York, NY | $79,280 | $51,800 |
| 23 | Dallas, TX | $63,780 | $51,800 |
| 24 | Kansas City, MO | $59,990 | $51,800 |
| 25 | Orlando, FL | $62,360 | $51,600 |
| 26 | Milwaukee, WI | $61,780 | $51,500 |
| 27 | Salt Lake City, UT | $65,450 | $51,400 |
| 28 | St. Louis, MO | $61,000 | $51,200 |
| 29 | Cleveland, OH | $59,780 | $51,000 |
| 30 | Raleigh, NC | $61,700 | $50,700 |
| 31 | Chicago, IL | $66,490 | $50,600 |
| 32 | Los Angeles, CA | $72,400 | $50,300 |
| 33 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,520 | $50,000 |
| 34 | Atlanta, GA | $62,680 | $49,900 |
| 35 | Riverside, CA | $65,900 | $49,900 |
| 36 | Houston, TX | $58,400 | $49,800 |
| 37 | Buffalo, NY | $60,000 | $49,800 |
| 38 | Charlotte, NC | $59,810 | $49,700 |
| 39 | Minneapolis, MN | $65,610 | $49,600 |
| 40 | Virginia Beach, VA | $60,150 | $48,900 |
| 41 | Louisville, KY | $57,340 | $48,400 |
| 42 | Grand Rapids, MI | $57,870 | $47,800 |
| 43 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,830 | $47,600 |
| 44 | Philadelphia, PA | $63,090 | $47,300 |
| 45 | Phoenix, AZ | $59,090 | $46,800 |
| 46 | Detroit, MI | $60,210 | $46,700 |
| 47 | Miami, FL | $61,870 | $45,400 |
| 48 | Birmingham, AL | $52,480 | $45,300 |
| 49 | Oklahoma City, OK | $50,300 | $45,200 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays graphic designers the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical graphic designer pay among the 49 largest US metros: $97,360 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $50,300. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does graphic designer pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical graphic designer pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC. It goes the least far in Oklahoma City, OK, where it's worth about $45,200 in typical-US-city dollars.