Graphic designer

What does a graphic designer do?

• Meet clients or colleagues to understand the message, audience and budget.
• Develop design ideas through sketches, mood boards and first drafts.
• Create logos, layouts, illustrations and graphics using design software.
• Choose fonts, colours and images that suit the brand and audience.
• Prepare files correctly for print, websites, apps and social media.
• Present designs, respond to feedback and make changes.
• Keep branding consistent across all materials by following brand guidelines.

Where do they work?

Graphic designers work in design and advertising agencies, publishing and media companies, printing firms, marketing departments, charities and public bodies. Many work as freelancers, taking projects from several clients, including clients in other countries. The work is based in a studio or at home and is mostly done at a computer. Deadlines can be tight, especially in advertising and publishing, and freelancers need business skills to find clients and manage an irregular income.

What skills do you need?

• Typography and layout
• Colour theory and visual composition
• Professional design software
• Branding and visual identity
• Preparing files for print and digital use
• Creativity and generating ideas
• Taking feedback and working to deadlines
• Client communication

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• adapt to type of media
• perform market research
• convert scribbles into virtual sketches
• finish project within budget
• design graphics
• translate requirement concepts into visual design
• design prototypes
• use creative suite software
• develop creative ideas
• follow a brief
• identify customer's needs
• respect publication formats

Essential knowledge: desktop publishing · graphic design · copyright legislation

How do you become a graphic designer?

Most graphic designers study graphic design, visual communication, illustration or a related subject at a college, art school or university. Employers usually judge candidates by their portfolio rather than their qualifications, so building a varied collection of your best work is essential. Internships, student competitions and freelance projects for local businesses or charities help you gain experience. People from other fields can switch through short courses and self-study, but they need a portfolio that shows strong design skills, not just software knowledge.

1. University or art school degree. A bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communication or a related field teaches design principles, typography, image-making and professional practice. Many programmes include real client briefs, internships and a final exhibition that helps you meet employers. Some countries also offer shorter diplomas at art and design colleges.
2. Vocational training or apprenticeship. Vocational diplomas and apprenticeships in design, media or printing are available in many countries. In Germany and Switzerland, for example, you can train as a media or graphic designer through a recognised apprenticeship. These routes combine practical work with study and often lead directly to jobs in agencies and printing firms.
3. Self-taught or short courses. Some designers learn through online courses, books and practice, then build a portfolio through personal and freelance projects. This route is possible because clients mainly judge your work, but it is harder to get feedback and professional contacts. Joining design communities and finding a mentor can help.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Design

  A design degree teaches how to create visual communication, products, spaces, clothing and digital experiences that work well for people.

  6 linked careers

• Marketing

  A marketing degree teaches how organisations understand customers, develop products and brands, and promote them through advertising, digital channels, sales and public relations.

  5 linked careers

• Journalism and media studies

  A journalism and media studies degree teaches how news and media content is researched, produced and shared, and how media shapes society.

  5 linked careers

Ready to apply? Build a free CV and cover letter with our CV builder

Do you need a licence to work as a graphic designer?

Graphic design is not a regulated profession, and anyone can work as a graphic designer without a licence. Professional associations in many countries offer membership, codes of practice and sometimes accreditation, but these are voluntary. Designers do need to understand copyright and trademark rules, for example when using fonts, images or other people's work, and these laws differ between countries.

How much does a graphic designer earn?

Pay in the United States

• $62,960Median annual wage, May 2025
• $39,520–$104,910Range from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%
• 197.8KPeople employed in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, SOC 27-1024, May 2025. National estimates across all industries; excludes the self-employed.

Earnings of Professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes graphic designer and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Junior or assistant designer
2. Graphic designer
3. Senior designer
4. Art director or lead designer
5. Creative director

Job outlook

Organisations still need strong visual identities and content for many channels, but graphic design is a competitive field. Online templates and AI image tools now handle many simple tasks, such as basic social media graphics, which puts pressure on low-cost and entry-level work. Designers who offer strategic thinking, brand development, motion or digital design skills, or deep knowledge of a sector are in a stronger position. Many designers later move into UX/UI design or art direction.

Questions about becoming a graphic designer

Do you need a degree to be a graphic designer?

A degree is common but not always required. Clients and employers mainly judge your portfolio, so self-taught designers and people with short-course training can find work. A degree or diploma gives you structured training, feedback, contacts and internships, and it can help with larger employers and work visas in some countries.

What should a graphic design portfolio include?

Choose a small selection of your strongest projects rather than everything you have made. Show a range of work, such as branding, print and digital design. For each project, explain the brief, your ideas and the final result. Real client or internship work carries extra weight, and an online portfolio makes it easy to share.

Is graphic design a good career?

It can be rewarding if you enjoy solving visual problems and are comfortable with feedback and deadlines. It is competitive, and pay for beginners and freelancers is often modest. AI and template tools are reducing some simple work, so designers who build strategic, digital or specialist skills usually have better long-term prospects.

What is the difference between a graphic designer and a UX/UI designer?

Graphic designers create visual communication for print and digital media, such as logos, posters and brand materials. UX/UI designers design how digital products work and how people use them, which involves user research and testing as well as visual design. Many graphic designers move into UI design by adding these skills.

Related careers

• UX/UI designer

  UX/UI designers make websites, apps and digital services easy and pleasant to use.

  Degree often expected

• Animator

  Animators create moving images for films, television, games, advertising, websites, apps and education.

  Degree often expected

• Interior designer

  Interior designers plan the inside of homes, offices, shops, hotels, hospitals and other buildings so that spaces are practical, safe and attractive.

  Degree often expected

• Digital marketer

  Digital marketers promote products, services and organisations online through search engines, social media, email, websites and online advertising.

  Degree often expected

Sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — SOC 27-1024, national estimates, May 2025
2. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
3. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 2166.10

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a graphic designer: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/graphic-designer/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

Report a data or content issue