Graphic designer pay in San Jose, CA
Graphic designers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a typical $97,360 a year. The middle half earn $73,990 to $127,880, and the top 10% earn more than $164,520. About 1,280 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 | $59,870 |
| 25th percentile | $73,990 |
| Median (typical) | $97,360 |
| 75th percentile | $127,880 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $164,520 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 1 of 49 large metros for graphic designers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $97,360, a single filer keeps about $72,500 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Jose are 10% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $65,700 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Jose No. 1 of 49 large metros for graphic designers after cost of living.
Where graphic designers’ pay goes furthest
- 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
- Boston, MA$78,270 typical · worth $55.6k
All 49 metros for graphic designers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among graphic designers in San Jose. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 10 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a graphic designer make in San Jose, CA?
The typical (median) graphic designer in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earns $97,360 a year. The middle half earn between $73,990 and $127,880, and the top 10% earn more than $164,520. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a graphic designer in San Jose?
Anything above $97,360 pays more than half of graphic designers in San Jose. $127,880 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $164,520 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a graphic designer in San Jose take home after taxes?
At the typical $97,360, a single filer keeps about $72,500 a year ($6,040 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 10% above the US average, that buys what $65,700 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 Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA. San Jose, CA ranks No. 1.
More: Graphic designer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Jose, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.