Graphic designer pay in Raleigh, NC
Graphic designers in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a typical $61,700 a year. The middle half earn $50,410 to $78,940, and the top 10% earn more than $96,430. About 1,040 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Graphic Designers, SOC 27-1024).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $39,010 |
| 25th percentile | $50,410 |
| Median (typical) | $61,700 |
| 75th percentile | $78,940 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $96,430 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 31 of 49 large metros for graphic designers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $61,700, a single filer keeps about $49,800 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and North Carolina state income tax. Prices in Raleigh are 2% below the US average, so that take-home buys what $50,700 would in a typical US city. That ranks Raleigh No. 30 of 49 large metros for graphic designers after cost of living.
Where graphic designers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$97,360 typical · worth $65.7k
- San Francisco, CA$92,050 typical · worth $59.9k
- Washington, DC$85,420 typical · worth $59.3k
- Seattle, WA$76,720 typical · worth $56.5k
All 49 metros for graphic designers →
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a graphic designer make in Raleigh, NC?
The typical (median) graphic designer in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earns $61,700 a year. The middle half earn between $50,410 and $78,940, and the top 10% earn more than $96,430. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a graphic designer in Raleigh?
Anything above $61,700 pays more than half of graphic designers in Raleigh. $78,940 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $96,430 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a graphic designer in Raleigh take home after taxes?
At the typical $61,700, a single filer keeps about $49,800 a year ($4,150 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, North Carolina state income tax. With local prices 2% below the US average, that buys what $50,700 would in a typical US city.
Where do graphic designers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 49 largest US metros, typical graphic designer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC. Raleigh, NC ranks No. 30.
More: Graphic designer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Raleigh, NC
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.