Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in Missouri (2026)
Graphic designers in Missouri earn a median $56,750 a year ($27.28 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is close to the US median for the job ($62,960), 35th of 53 states and territories. The median for every job in Missouri is $47,800, so this pays 19% more than the typical job there.
- $56,750median a year in Missouri
- $27.28median an hour
- −10%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 4,500employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in Missouri?
Half of graphic designers in Missouri earn between $45,420 and $70,920. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.3 times the 10th, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $36,950 | $39,520 | $17.76 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $45,420 | $49,040 | $21.84 |
| Median | $56,750 | $62,960 | $27.28 |
| 75th | $70,920 | $81,830 | $34.10 |
| 90th percentile | $83,270 | $104,910 | $40.04 |
The mean (average) is $59,660, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Missouri compare with other states?
Missouri sits 35th of 53, between Montana ($56,890) and New Mexico ($56,730).
Which cities in Missouri pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in Missouri where BLS publishes a median for the job, St. Louis pays most, at $61,000, 7% above the state median.
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,010 | $61,000 | $29.33 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,720 | $59,990 | $28.84 |
| Springfield, MO | 310 | $47,790 | $22.98 |
| Columbia, MO | 140 | $49,490 | $23.79 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 110 | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 80 | $49,440 | $23.77 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 80 | $49,690 | $23.89 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 40 | $51,180 | $24.61 |
How many graphic designers work in Missouri?
BLS estimates 4,500 employee jobs, 1.53 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 1.20).
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 Missouri?
4 of the 5 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Missouri.
| UX/UI designer | $70,970 | 1,210 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $65,470 | 80 |
| Copywriter | $58,140 | 600 |
| Video editor | $57,950 | 380 |
| Photographer | $39,170 | 950 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. Missouri's employee median of $27.28 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 Missouri?
The median is $56,750 a year and the mean is $59,660, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 4,500 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in Missouri?
The median hourly wage is $27.28. The bottom 10% earn under $17.76 and the top 10% over $40.04.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in Missouri?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in Missouri earn under $45,420 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $36,950, 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 = 4,500 jobs in the Missouri 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