In many ways, graphic design is the ultimate design job, and it’s been around for a long time.
But when I look at the jobs available, I realize how limited they are.
If you’re looking for a job that requires graphic design skills, there’s a very good chance you won’t be able to get it.
In fact, the median salary for graphic design professionals is $63,000, according to a survey conducted by Gartner.
If I were to estimate that a graphic designer needs to make $100,000 to $200,000 per year to be able afford the living expenses of a middle-class family, that would put a huge dent in the salaries of the median wage earner in graphic design.
And even that might not be enough to get you through a typical year.
That’s because of a problem called the graphic design workforce shortage, according a report released this month by the Center for Information Technology Policy and Governance.
According to the report, about 5.4 million graphic designers were working in 2016, and the median hourly wage in that group was just $22.80.
To make up for the shortfall, a growing number of companies are offering full-time, entry-level positions, which pay a median of $40.40 an hour.
But that raises the question of whether you can really afford that living.
So how do you know if you can afford to live on a salary that’s higher than your peers?
Here’s how I figured out how much money a graphic design professional would need to make in order to afford a $100k lifestyle.
If your salary is $60k or $70k, you might be able live on that, but if your salary falls below that, your options are much more limited.
1.
You need to have a bachelor’s degree.
Graphic designers must have at least a bachelor degree in graphic arts, digital media, or a related field to be eligible for a position in graphic Design.
There are more than 100 college-level courses available for students to complete, according the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Many graphic designers have an advanced degree in another field, such as web design, but the average student earns less than $20,000 in college for these degrees.
2.
You must have a minimum of 10 years of experience working as a graphic artist or designer.
In 2017, the average salary for a graphic professional was $71,400.
That includes $36,100 for graphic designers and $31,100 in design jobs.
3.
You can get a job as a designer with less than three years experience.
The average salary was $54,600 for graphic designer positions, according of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
But there are many exceptions to this rule.
For example, some designers with six years of design experience can make a salary of $55,000.
And there are several job categories that are not affected by experience.
For instance, graphic designers with three years of work experience can earn as much as $62,400, according, but there are fewer jobs in those positions than there are in other categories.
4.
You should have a B.A. in graphic art.
There’s an even higher median salary in graphic work for graphic artists, according with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This salary range is $71 to $85 per year for graphic work, according.
But graphic designers who have at the very least three years’ experience in graphic designs are not eligible for that position, according Gartners.
5.
You’ll have to take classes.
While graphic design jobs are extremely lucrative, you can’t expect to earn as many as five credits in a year to make up the difference.
And many graphic designers only take one or two courses a year.
The Bureau of Education, Labor, and Statistics found that just over a third of graphic design courses are for those with one to two years of training, according on their website.
But if you want to get into the field of graphic designs as a professional, you’ll need to take a minimum number of courses and get them at least once a year, according The Atlantic.
6.
You will have to spend a lot of money.
The median salary of a graphic work in graphic artists is $68,100, according in the report.
But a graphic designing job typically pays $100 an hour, according an article from the Financial Times.
The most expensive course is called “Design for Designers,” which costs $75,000 and can take up to five years of education.
And if you take a class like “Visual Design in Action,” it costs $100 per hour and takes four years of college.
7.
You’re not eligible to apply for jobs in some categories.
Some graphic design programs require you to have some other certifications.
Some jobs require you have a particular degree.
And some programs require certain certifications in order for you to be hired.
For illustration and