National and state-by-state median wages · BLS OEWS data · Updated September 10, 2026
| # | State | Median Annual Salary | vs. National | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $87,920 | ▲ 36% | 1,150 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $78,220 | ▲ 21% | 750 |
| 3 | New York | $77,340 | ▲ 19% | 14,530 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $76,710 | ▲ 18% | 4,450 |
| 5 | California | $75,130 | ▲ 16% | 27,390 |
| 6 | Maryland | $75,120 | ▲ 16% | 3,050 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $73,790 | ▲ 14% | 5,670 |
| 8 | Washington | $72,710 | ▲ 12% | 3,960 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $72,700 | ▲ 12% | 1,930 |
| 10 | Virginia | $72,310 | ▲ 12% | 4,740 |
| 11 | Colorado | $66,330 | ▲ 2% | 4,200 |
| 12 | Oregon | $66,040 | ▲ 2% | 4,140 |
| 13 | Vermont | $65,690 | ▲ 1% | 410 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $63,860 | ▼ 1% | 5,570 |
| 15 | Nevada | $62,890 | ▼ 3% | 1,570 |
| 16 | Alaska | $62,570 | ▼ 3% | 180 |
| 17 | Illinois | $62,560 | ▼ 3% | 8,960 |
| 18 | Utah | $62,310 | ▼ 4% | 2,720 |
| 19 | Florida | $61,660 | ▼ 5% | 12,660 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $60,730 | ▼ 6% | 8,150 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $60,490 | ▼ 7% | 790 |
| 22 | Georgia | $60,250 | ▼ 7% | 5,920 |
| 23 | Texas | $60,150 | ▼ 7% | 13,670 |
| 24 | Delaware | $60,130 | ▼ 7% | 360 |
| 25 | Ohio | $60,080 | ▼ 7% | 7,280 |
| 26 | Maine | $60,030 | ▼ 7% | 560 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $59,900 | ▼ 8% | 4,130 |
| 28 | Arizona | $58,510 | ▼ 10% | 3,560 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $58,450 | ▼ 10% | 5,660 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $58,070 | ▼ 10% | 520 |
| 31 | Michigan | $57,350 | ▼ 11% | 6,070 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $57,270 | ▼ 12% | 3,880 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $57,170 | ▼ 12% | 1,930 |
| 34 | Montana | $56,890 | ▼ 12% | 610 |
| 35 | Missouri | $56,750 | ▼ 12% | 4,500 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $56,730 | ▼ 12% | 850 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $56,700 | ▼ 12% | 1,670 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $56,470 | ▼ 13% | 460 |
| 39 | Indiana | $55,480 | ▼ 14% | 3,450 |
| 40 | Kansas | $53,630 | ▼ 17% | 1,730 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $53,630 | ▼ 17% | 2,040 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $52,960 | ▼ 18% | 2,060 |
| 43 | Alabama | $51,070 | ▼ 21% | 1,760 |
| 44 | Idaho | $50,350 | ▼ 22% | 920 |
| 45 | Iowa | $50,310 | ▼ 22% | 2,100 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $49,910 | ▼ 23% | 1,750 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $48,390 | ▼ 25% | 470 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $46,220 | ▼ 29% | 1,390 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,640 | ▼ 30% | 830 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $45,150 | ▼ 30% | 240 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $40,350 | ▼ 38% | 520 |
The national median annual salary for graphic designers is $64,771, about $31.14 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
District of Columbia tops the list at $87,920 per year.
West Virginia has the lowest median at $40,350.
At the national median, graphic designers earn about $31.14 per hour (based on a 2,080-hour work year).
The table above shows total jobs per state; states with the largest numbers of graphic designers include California.