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Where Do Graphic Designers Make The Most Money?
If you are thinking about following your goal of working in graphic design, it is common to have any doubts or worries. Working in the workforce has trained you to have still a strategy, which is why you should do more homework before making the career shift you are dreaming about.
One of the key worries is undoubted whether a traditional graphic design wage would be enough to satisfy your financial needs. You might be asking yourself, “How much do graphic designers earn, anyway?” and “Is this a worthwhile career change?”
As much as you want to follow the desires blindly, the sensible side is a little more vigilant. Take heart to the fact that high-paying graphic design careers exist, and they could be yours with enough planning and training. Continue reading for a closer look at graphic designer wages as well as some specific jobs that may pique your curiosity.
Having a closer look at graphic designer salary
The word “graphic artist” is tossed around a lot these days. This group covers a wide variety of individual specialist positions. Designers who specialise in a niche field are more likely to receive higher wages than others who qualify as generalists.
The majority of these jobs are classified as graphic designers or web developers. Job titles in the graphic designer bucket include production artist, magazines designer, graphic maker, and internet creator. The web developer umbrella includes web designer, web engineer, webmaster, and others; however, most design-related web developer jobs concentrate on front-end creation.
Until we get into individual roles, let us look at the overall earnings prospects for these two categories. This will give you a clearer understanding of the broader landscape of graphic design wages.
Graphic artists received a median annual income of £48,700 in 2017.
The median annual income for web developers in 2017 was £67,990.
Keep in mind that the 2017 national average for all jobs was £37,690. This suggests that the earning capacity for all professional classes in this sector is above average. This alone may be enough to refute your belief that graphic designers are underpaid.
3 Graphic design jobs with higher-than-average earnings prospects
Now that you have a clearer idea of graphic designer compensation let us take a closer look at three individual jobs that usually pay well. Bear in mind that your academic degree, years of experience, and geographic position will all affect your earning potential.
However, these averages will also provide a fair indicator of what to expect in these positions. Think about the roles of each and what it takes to land these prestigious graphic design careers.
1. Animator and multimedia artist
Animation and special effects are created by multimedia designers and animators for use in films, TV shows, computer games, and other types of media. They bring ideas to life by writing code and using computer tools to make pictures move. These employees, also known as motion graphics designers or visual designers, are mostly self-employed or work for a business, television or film studio.
The median annual income in 2017 was £70,530.
Education: Usually, employers need a Bachelor’s degree, a strong portfolio of jobs, and strong professional skills. Many visual designers and animators have a degree in Graphic Design.
On-the-job preparation is provided by certain companies for employees who need to study specific software and programming programmes. Fortunately, with the right experience and expertise, you can break into this area reasonably easily.
2. Creative director
Art directors oversee the general aesthetic direction or advertisement for magazines, publications, major corporations, or agencies. They usually supervise teams of creative professionals to ensure budgets are met, deadlines are met, and the client’s creative vision is realised. Art directors must also check and approve all artistic products before they are submitted to a customer.
The median annual income in 2017 was £92,500.
Education: Most companies choose applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. Many people in advanced leadership positions have a Master in Fine Arts (MFA) or a Master in Business Administration (MBA).
Training: Most people work as graphic artists, illustrators, or copy editors for five years or more before going up the corporate ladder to the art director level.
3. Application Developer
The brains behind our favourite applications and games on our favourite tech devices are technology creators. They use different programming languages to design, construct, and change computer applications. Many of these jobs are highly technical. Still, they also need a good dose of imagination and design experience to ensure the apps are user-friendly and satisfy the customer’s demands. App development encompasses various functions, but tech-oriented practitioners may find a home in areas such as user experience/user interface (UX/UI) design and front-end mobile app development.
The median annual income in 2017 was £101,790.
Education: The majority of web developer’s hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher. A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a similar area is usually required for this highly technical role.
Training: While writing code is not necessarily their primary responsibility, it is important to have a computer programming background. It is also important for technology developers to remain up to date with emerging industry trends and developments, adding additional capabilities to their repertoire over time.
Begin earning a graphic design salary
You have also found that the three positions described above are very distinct from one another. This shows that artists of all sorts will make a lot of money. You can now determine which career choice best matches your particular talents and desires now that you have let down your guard on how many graphic designers earn.
The positive thing is that graphic designer wages are generally better than the national average. Knowing this helps you to consider your opportunities and follow your dream career with confidence. The following move is to acquire the requisite qualifications and preparation to apply for these roles.
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Creative Suite’s expert knowledge is a required capability, if not a prerequisite, for graphic designers. However, it is not always straightforward to illustrate your competence in the absence of a good portfolio. Adobe provides certifications to help you demonstrate your proficiency in their items on a resume. You can learn graphic design and Adobe software with Blue Sky Graphics, so check it out today!
Collaboration and communication
These are not approved certifications, but they are worth noting because almost every professional we talked with listed communication and teamwork skills as the most valuable tools a graphic designer may have. Design is not an independent art form, and often employers want partners who can design while still working as part of a team with the rest of the group.
