Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in West Virginia (2026)
Graphic designers in West Virginia earn a median $40,350 a year ($19.40 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 36% below the US median of $62,960; West Virginia is 51st of 53 states and territories. That is below the $45,300 median for all jobs in West Virginia.
- $40,350median a year in West Virginia
- $19.40median an hour
- −36%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 520employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in West Virginia?
Half of graphic designers in West Virginia earn between $35,260 and $48,550. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.1 times the 10th, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $29,530 | $39,520 | $14.20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $35,260 | $49,040 | $16.95 |
| Median | $40,350 | $62,960 | $19.40 |
| 75th | $48,550 | $81,830 | $23.34 |
| 90th percentile | $61,640 | $104,910 | $29.63 |
The mean (average) is $45,600, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does West Virginia compare with other states?
West Virginia is near the bottom: 51st of 53. The best-paying state, District of Columbia, has a median of $87,920.
| Kentucky | $52,960 | +31% | 2,060 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $75,120 | +86% | 3,050 |
| Ohio | $60,080 | +49% | 7,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,730 | +51% | 8,150 |
| Virginia | $72,310 | +79% | 4,740 |
Which cities in West Virginia pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in West Virginia where BLS publishes a median for the job, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays most, at $85,420, 112% above the state median.
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,420 | $85,420 | $41.07 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 90 | $47,670 | $22.92 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 80 | $39,420 | $18.95 |
| Charleston, WV | 60 | $37,920 | $18.23 |
| Morgantown, WV | 60 | $40,460 | $19.45 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 60 | $41,450 | $19.93 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 60 | $62,450 | $30.03 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 30 | $39,250 | $18.87 |
How many graphic designers work in West Virginia?
BLS estimates 520 employee jobs, 0.74 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.58, where 1 is the US average.
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 West Virginia?
5 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in West Virginia.
| UX/UI designer | $71,880 | 200 |
|---|---|---|
| Copywriter | $64,410 | 110 |
| Motion designer | $60,940 | 40 |
| Video editor | $48,440 | 30 |
| Videographer | $43,390 | 60 |
| Photographer | $36,110 | 110 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. West Virginia's employee median of $19.40 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 West Virginia?
The median is $40,350 a year and the mean is $45,600, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 520 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in West Virginia?
The median hourly wage is $19.40. The bottom 10% earn under $14.20 and the top 10% over $29.63.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in West Virginia?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in West Virginia earn under $35,260 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $29,530, 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 = 520 jobs in the West 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
- Virginia $72,310
- Colorado $66,330
- Oregon $66,040