What Is the Pay Scale for a Digital Graphic Designer?

Digital Differences

While digital graphic designers are compiled into the general graphic design category by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field does have some specific differences. Digital graphic designers must master a number of animation and graphics software programs, such as Adobe Flash, Photoshop and InDesign and Microsoft Paint and Publisher. Digital graphic designers create work specifically for the Internet, such as website logos, pop-up videos and interactive games, whereas traditional graphic designers may work for more tangible media such as magazines and product packaging. Education for the two fields follows mostly the same path, although graphic designers focusing on digital media may have specializations or minors available to them, depending on the school.

When the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics polled the country's 200,870 graphic designers in 2009, it didn't separate out those in the digital sector but established the national median wage for the field at $43,180. The BLS also reported that the graphic designers in the 90th percentile earned $76,450 while the bottom 10th percentile earned $26,440. While the BLS has no data on computer skills, a higher education or knowledge of more software programs may add to a digital graphic designer's salary.

Although specialized design services was the top employer of graphic designers in 2009, its above-average salary of $50,280 didn't even make the BLS top-five list. Graphic designers employed by the federal government earned the highest salaries, at $74,030. The computer manufacturing industry also paid higher-than-average wages for its graphic designers, at $66,250. The BLS third-highest paying industry, motion pictures and videos, paid $64,710.

The District of Columbia was the pinnacle location for graphic designers in 2009. The area had both the highest salary for the profession, $68,110, and was the largest employer of graphic designers per-capita. California placed second-highest for salary, at $57,180. New York, which placed second in per-capita employment of graphic designers, was the third-highest payer at $56,680. Also on the east coast were the fourth and fifth place states, Connecticut and Maryland, paying $55,780 and $51,880 respectively.