According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary of graphic designers in various industries is one of the highest among design jobs. Graphic designers who have their own firms have the most potential in terms of earning capacity, earning more than double than their employed counterparts. So where does one find the highest paying jobs for graphic designers?
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Graphic Design Industries
The same source mentioned above further states the top five industries where the highest concentration of graphic designers can be found. These include specialized design services; newspaper, periodicals, books, and directory publishers; advertising, public relationships, and related services; printing and related support activities; and computer systems design and related services. These industries have the highest number because of the constant need for the skills and expertise specific to graphic designers. This is where entry-level job opportunities in graphic designing are commonly found.
Another list provided states the top five industries in terms of earning potential to graphic designers. These industries are the Federal Executive Branch; Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing; Motion Picture and Video Industries; Aerospace and Parts Manufacturing; and Consumer Goods Rental. Although the demand for graphic designers is much lower in these industries, they offer the highest paying jobs where competition is quite fierce.
Location
In the search for the highest paying jobs for graphic designers, it is inescapable for employment location to come up. A study shows that there are specific locations that appear to offer the highest pay to graphic designers. These are San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City in California, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, also in California; Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, in Connecticut; Framingham in Massachusetts; and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria in DC-VA-MD-WV. The salaries offered to graphic designers in these metropolitan areas are considerably higher than the average annual salary in the US. However, graphic designers who intend to move physically in the pursuit of a good paying job should also consider other factors such as the cost of living, unemployment rate in the area, and the future potentials offered in the graphic design field.
The Freelance and Entrepreneur Option
Instead of being limited by what existing design companies have to offer in terms of employment and pay, many exceptionally skilled graphic designers find their highest paying jobs when they strike on their own.
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This either means not being employed to a single company and offering services to different companies or putting up their own design firm wherein which to put in all the talents which a graphic designer possesses to make a name of his own in the industry.
When employed, the pay of graphic designers is usually commensurate in the level of responsibility held. For freelancers, earnings will depend on the number of clients served. Business owners are only limited by the amount of hard work they are willing to give to the company. This is an industry where passion ranks high as the pay.
Not all graphic designers are created equal, so is their pay. More skills equates to more compensation. More compensation allows more freedom to diversify and explore in finding the highest paying jobs for graphic designers.
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