Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| New York | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $77,340 | $64,771 | +19% |
| Median hourly wage | $37.18 | $31.14 | +19% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $71,677.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $81,311 | $54,000 | $108,000 | 187 |
The median annual salary for a Graphic Designer in New York is $77,340, or about $37.18 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Graphic Designers is $64,771. New York is +19% above the national median.
Entry-level graphic designers in New York typically earn from $54,000 depending on the city and employer.
With 14,530 graphic designer jobs on record and a median salary of $77,340, New York offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, graphic designers rank 338 of the 776 occupations reported in New York — higher than 56% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Choreographers at $173,100, Art Directors at $137,320, Producers and Directors at $107,550 — all figures are median annual wages for New York.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. New York levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 130.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, graphic designers rank 338 of the 776 occupations reported in New York — higher than 56% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in New York | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Choreographers | $173,100 | $340 |
| Art Directors | $137,320 | $8,720 |
| Producers and Directors | $107,550 | $27,990 |
| Film and Video Editors | $103,440 | $3,710 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $101,990 | $1,400 |
| Editors | $101,480 | $16,800 |
New York levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 130.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 776 occupations in New York.