Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in Michigan (2026)
Graphic designers in Michigan earn a median $57,350 a year ($27.57 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is close to the US median for the job ($62,960), 31st of 53 states and territories. The median for every job in Michigan is $49,270, so this pays 16% more than the typical job there.
- $57,350median a year in Michigan
- $27.57median an hour
- −9%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 6,070employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in Michigan?
Half of graphic designers in Michigan earn between $46,370 and $70,400. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.2 times the 10th, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $38,770 | $39,520 | $18.64 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $46,370 | $49,040 | $22.29 |
| Median | $57,350 | $62,960 | $27.57 |
| 75th | $70,400 | $81,830 | $33.85 |
| 90th percentile | $86,320 | $104,910 | $41.50 |
The mean (average) is $60,250, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Michigan compare with other states?
Michigan sits 31st of 53, between Hawaii ($58,070) and Tennessee ($57,270).
Which cities in Michigan pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in Michigan where BLS publishes a median for the job, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays most, at $60,210, 5% above the state median.
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,710 | $60,210 | $28.95 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 730 | $57,870 | $27.82 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 320 | $59,990 | $28.84 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 280 | $55,020 | $26.45 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 160 | $51,370 | $24.70 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 150 | $57,820 | $27.80 |
| Flint, MI | 110 | $49,410 | $23.76 |
| Niles, MI | 90 | $58,420 | $28.09 |
How many graphic designers work in Michigan?
BLS estimates 6,070 employee jobs, 1.38 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 1.08).
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in Michigan?
3 of the 4 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Michigan.
| Motion designer | $86,630 | 230 |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI designer | $81,010 | 1,750 |
| Video editor | $59,100 | 360 |
| Videographer | $55,290 | 380 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. Michigan's employee median of $27.57 an hour is inside that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average graphic designer salary in Michigan?
The median is $57,350 a year and the mean is $60,250, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 6,070 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in Michigan?
The median hourly wage is $27.57. The bottom 10% earn under $18.64 and the top 10% over $41.50.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in Michigan?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in Michigan earn under $46,370 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $38,770, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-1024, Graphic Designers. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 6,070 jobs in the Michigan estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Graphic designer pay in other states
- District of Columbia $87,920
- Rhode Island $78,220
- New York $77,340
- Massachusetts $76,710
- California $75,130
- Maryland $75,120
- New Jersey $73,790
- Washington $72,710
- Connecticut $72,700
- Virginia $72,310
- Colorado $66,330
- Oregon $66,040