Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in Virginia (2026)
Graphic designers in Virginia earn a median $72,310 a year ($34.77 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 15% more than the US median of $62,960, and 10th of 53 states and territories with published figures. The median for every job in Virginia is $55,690, so this pays 30% more than the typical job there.
- $72,310median a year in Virginia
- $34.77median an hour
- +15%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 4,740employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in Virginia?
Half of graphic designers in Virginia earn between $52,470 and $95,420. Pay is more spread out than nationally: the top 10% earn at least 3.1 times what the bottom 10% earn, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $39,020 | $39,520 | $18.76 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $52,470 | $49,040 | $25.23 |
| Median | $72,310 | $62,960 | $34.77 |
| 75th | $95,420 | $81,830 | $45.88 |
| 90th percentile | $121,680 | $104,910 | $58.50 |
The mean (average) is $76,670, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Virginia compare with other states?
Virginia sits 10th of 53, between Connecticut ($72,700) and Colorado ($66,330).
| Kentucky | $52,960 | −27% | 2,060 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $75,120 | +4% | 3,050 |
| North Carolina | $58,450 | −19% | 5,660 |
| Tennessee | $57,270 | −21% | 3,880 |
| West Virginia | $40,350 | −44% | 520 |
| District of Columbia | $87,920 | +22% | 1,150 |
Which cities in Virginia pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in Virginia where BLS publishes a median for the job, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays most, at $85,420, 18% above the state median.
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,420 | $85,420 | $41.07 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 760 | $66,350 | $31.90 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 570 | $60,150 | $28.92 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 160 | $61,700 | $29.66 |
| Roanoke, VA | 150 | $60,120 | $28.90 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 100 | $49,570 | $23.83 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 80 | $49,020 | $23.57 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 70 | $53,310 | $25.63 |
How many graphic designers work in Virginia?
BLS estimates 4,740 employee jobs, 1.15 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 0.91).
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 Virginia?
4 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Virginia.
| Copywriter | $85,000 | 1,530 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $81,510 | 380 |
| Video editor | $78,740 | n/a |
| UX/UI designer | $77,140 | 1,990 |
| Videographer | $58,440 | 420 |
| Photographer | $46,550 | 1,580 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. Virginia's employee median of $34.77 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 Virginia?
The median is $72,310 a year and the mean is $76,670, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 4,740 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in Virginia?
The median hourly wage is $34.77. The bottom 10% earn under $18.76 and the top 10% over $58.50.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in Virginia?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in Virginia earn under $52,470 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $39,020, 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 = 4,740 jobs in the Virginia 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
- Colorado $66,330
- Oregon $66,040
- Vermont $65,690