Creative pay 2026
Graphic designer salary in Wisconsin (2026)
Graphic designers in Wisconsin earn a median $59,900 a year ($28.80 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is close to the US median for the job ($62,960), 27th of 53 states and territories. The median for every job in Wisconsin is $50,270, so this pays 19% more than the typical job there.
- $59,900median a year in Wisconsin
- $28.80median an hour
- −5%vs the US median ($62,960)
- 4,130employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a graphic designer in Wisconsin?
Half of graphic designers in Wisconsin earn between $48,390 and $73,360. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.0 times the 10th, against 2.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $42,680 | $39,520 | $20.52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $48,390 | $49,040 | $23.26 |
| Median | $59,900 | $62,960 | $28.80 |
| 75th | $73,360 | $81,830 | $35.27 |
| 90th percentile | $85,050 | $104,910 | $40.89 |
The mean (average) is $62,410, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Wisconsin compare with other states?
Wisconsin sits 27th of 53, between Maine ($60,030) and Arizona ($58,510).
Which cities in Wisconsin pay graphic designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in Wisconsin where BLS publishes a median for the job, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington pays most, at $65,610, 10% above the state median.
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,690 | $65,610 | $31.54 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,200 | $61,780 | $29.70 |
| Madison, WI | 700 | $63,970 | $30.76 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 280 | $58,670 | $28.21 |
| Green Bay, WI | 240 | $59,260 | $28.49 |
| Appleton, WI | 210 | $59,980 | $28.84 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 130 | $57,960 | $27.86 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 130 | $56,630 | $27.23 |
How many graphic designers work in Wisconsin?
BLS estimates 4,130 employee jobs, 1.4 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. It is about as common here as nationally (location quotient 1.10).
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 Wisconsin?
3 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Wisconsin.
| UX/UI designer | $95,340 | 880 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $64,890 | 210 |
| Copywriter | $64,370 | 710 |
| Video editor | $53,430 | 240 |
| Videographer | $52,810 | 300 |
| Photographer | $42,060 | 850 |
What do freelance graphic designers charge?
Upwork, graphic designers list $15 to $35 an hour, worldwide. Wisconsin's employee median of $28.80 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 Wisconsin?
The median is $59,900 a year and the mean is $62,410, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 4,130 employee jobs.
How much does a graphic designer make an hour in Wisconsin?
The median hourly wage is $28.80. The bottom 10% earn under $20.52 and the top 10% over $40.89.
What does a starting graphic designer earn in Wisconsin?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of graphic designers in Wisconsin earn under $48,390 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $42,680, 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 = 4,130 jobs in the Wisconsin 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