Annual Salaries

• The average annual salary for a graphic designer in the U.S. is $47,820 as of May 2009, while the median salary is $43,180, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Designers in the 10th percentile earn an income of $26,440, those in the 25th percentile earn $33,130, those in the 75th percentile earn $58,140, and those in the 90th percentile earn $76,450.
  
  

Common Industries

• The industry with the highest number of employed graphic designers is specialized design services, in which designers earn an average salary of $50,280, according to the BLS. Those working for newspaper, periodical, book and directory publishers earn an average of $41,600 annually, while those in advertising, public relations, and related services earn $48,210 on average. In printing and related support activities, the average wags for graphic designers is $40,940, and those in computer systems design and related services earn an average of $55,150 a year.
  
  

Higher-Paying Industries

• Although there are fewer job opportunities for graphic designers in other industries, wages tend to be higher. Those working in consumer goods rental earn an average of $59,040 a year, according to the BLS, and the aerospace product and parts manufacturing industry pays graphic designers an average salary of $63,750. Designers in motion picture and video industries earn an average of $64,710, and those working in computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing earn an average of $66,250. The federal executive branch is the top-paying employer for graphic designers, offering an average salary of $74,030.
  
  

Location

• Wages for graphic designers vary from one location to the next, largely due to differences in the costs of living. The BLS names Washington, D.C., as the nation's top-paying state for graphic designers with an average salary of $68,110, followed by California at $57,180. New York, Connecticut and Maryland follow with salary averages ranging from $51,880 to $56,680. The metropolitan area of San Francisco, California, is the highest-paying area in the country for graphic designers with an average salary of $74,660.