Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in New York (2026)
Graphic designers in New York earn a median $77,340 a year ($37.19 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 23% more than the US median of $62,960, and 3rd-highest of 53 states and territories with published figures. The median for every job in New York is $59,670, so this pays 30% more than the typical job there.
- $77,340median a year in New York
- $37.19median an hour
- +23%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 14,530employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in New York?
Half of graphic designers in New York earn between $58,610 and $100,370. Pay is more spread out than nationally: the top 10% earn at least 3.0 times what the bottom 10% earn, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $43,680 | $39,520 | $21.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $58,610 | $49,040 | $28.18 |
| Median | $77,340 | $62,960 | $37.19 |
| 75th | $100,370 | $81,830 | $48.25 |
| 90th percentile | $131,250 | $104,910 | $63.10 |
The mean (average) is $82,410, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does New York compare with other states?
New York is in the top five for graphic designers' pay. Only District of Columbia and Rhode Island pay more.
| Connecticut | $72,700 | −6% | 1,930 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $76,710 | −1% | 4,450 |
| New Jersey | $73,790 | −5% | 5,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,730 | −21% | 8,150 |
| Vermont | $65,690 | −15% | 410 |
Which cities in New York pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in New York where BLS publishes a median for the job, New York-Newark-Jersey City pays most, at $79,280, 3% above the state median.
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 15,160 | $79,280 | $38.12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 650 | $63,530 | $30.54 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 540 | $60,000 | $28.85 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 450 | $63,200 | $30.39 |
| Syracuse, NY | 290 | $52,390 | $25.19 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 250 | $63,560 | $30.56 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 120 | $58,550 | $28.15 |
| Binghamton, NY | 100 | $53,460 | $25.70 |
How many graphic designers work in New York?
BLS estimates 14,530 employee jobs, 1.5 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 1.18).
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 New York?
4 of the 5 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in New York.
| UX/UI designer | $120,990 | 16,560 |
|---|---|---|
| Video editor | $103,440 | 3,710 |
| Motion designer | $96,770 | 1,540 |
| Videographer | $93,410 | 2,930 |
| Photographer | $60,050 | 3,650 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. New York's employee median of $37.19 an hour is above that range, and a freelancer also has to cover unpaid hours, kit and tax. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average graphic designer salary in New York?
The median is $77,340 a year and the mean is $82,410, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 14,530 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage is $37.19. The bottom 10% earn under $21.00 and the top 10% over $63.10.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in New York?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in New York earn under $58,610 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $43,680, 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 = 14,530 jobs in the New York 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
- 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
- Vermont $65,690