Top 9 graphic design jobs and who's hiring

The graphic design field goes way beyond designing logos and brochures. There are many rewarding and well-paid graphic design jobs available, and the required skill sets are just as varied. These jobs employ various skills aside from those earned through design experience, making the field accessible to many graduates. And if you’re handy with popular design software like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, then you’re already an ideal candidate for many of these roles.

If you’re interested in a highly creative full-time or part-time career that allows you to flex your creative muscles, then read on. Below is a list of the top graphic design jobs, their necessary skills, educational requirements, and their average salaries.

1. Art director

Average salary: $141,034 per year

An art director leads a team of artists and designers in generating creative ideas for different design projects, and then delegating tasks to team members. Their job description might include managing team resources and project budgets. These projects can include anything from photoshoots to product packaging, website graphics, brochures, and everything in between.

Experience required:

At least one or two years of design experience.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, or a related field
A strong portfolio showing graphic design skills
Experience using Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, or other design software

Skills:

Leadership
Project management
Attention to detail

2. UX designer

Average salary: $95,572 per year

A UX (user experience) designer makes digital products and applications — such as websites, mobile apps, and other similar products — more engaging and user-friendly. This role requires a good mix of technical and soft skills to be successful.

They are expected to understand user psychology so they can create the best user experiences. They also need to fully grasp their company’s objectives with each application to ensure their designs are helping to meet those goals.

Experience required:

Employers typically ask for two to three years of experience to qualify. However, a strong portfolio, superior communication skills, time management, and keen attention to detail take priority.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in design, psychology, computer science, engineering, or related field
A strong portfolio showing UX design skills
Experience with UX software like InVision, Balsamiq, Figma, etc.
Familiarity with HTML/CSS and Javascript

Skills:

Analysis
Tech savviness
Attention to detail
Communication

3. Creative director

Average salary: $143,408 per year

A creative director is responsible for managing the entire creative department in a company. This includes everything from graphic design teams to copywriting teams, video production, and any other form of creative assets the company produces.

They are big-picture thinkers, keeping their eyes on the final overall output of a project, while inspiring and providing guidance to the different creative teams to accomplish the task. Their main task is to conceptualize designs for different projects.

Experience required:

This is usually a senior role. Employers typically ask for five or more years of experience in their specific industry, plus two or more years as a team leader or project manager.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in fine arts, advertising, design, etc.
Good understanding of design, copywriting, and digital marketing principles
Working knowledge of design and marketing tools
Experience in a supervisory role

Skills:

Leadership
Communication
Project management

4. Web designer

Average salary: $66,139 per year

A web designer designs, builds, and continually improves a company’s website to ensure visitors have the best browsing experience possible. They are responsible for both the aesthetic appeal and the functionality of the websites they build.

Web designers are expected to monitor user feedback and experiences, and then make adjustments to websites to accommodate their needs. This makes communication skills a high priority.

Experience required:

This is usually an entry-level position and formal work experience is often not required. Employers expect a solid portfolio to prove your design skills, and in-depth knowledge of the relevant tools and software.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree or diploma in design or related field
Experience using Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and similar tools
Proficient in HTML, CSS, and Javascript
Familiarity with content management systems

Skills:

Problem-solving and troubleshooting
Tech savviness
Time and project management
Communication

5. Design director

Average salary: $106,135 per year

A design director is a senior graphic designer who oversees and guides the creation of a company’s design elements, including logos, web pages, and printed materials. They are essentially the resident graphic design expert, leading a team of graphic designers.

While art directors focus on the overall aesthetics of different projects, the design director is more output focused. They aim to ensure that the specific design elements are created and delivered on time according to given specifications.

Experience required:

This is a senior-level position. Employers usually expect a minimum of five years of experience in a senior design or supervisory role.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in design, fine arts, or advertising
Proficient in design tools such as AdobeInDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop

Skills:

Leadership
Time and project management
Communication

6. Packaging designer

Average salary: $52,000 per year

A packaging designer or product designer is in charge of creating packages for commercial products. Their main function is to design packages that are attractive, on-brand, cost-effective, safe for consumers, and many times, eco-friendly.

Packaging designers use a mix of graphics, typography, shapes, and colors to create high-quality packages that appeal to customers.

These designers are expected to collaborate with multiple different teams to get their work done. These include accountants to ensure designs are within budget, engineers to ensure designs are safe and functional, and marketing professionals to ensure designs meet the company’s brand standards.

Experience required:

This role is great for entry-level professionals since employers are usually more concerned with a strong portfolio than they are with past work experience.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, industrial design, art, or a related field
Familiarity with different packaging materials available
Experience using 3D design software like AutoCAD
Experience using Adobe creative suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.)

Skills:

Collaboration
Communication
Attention to detail
Problem-solving
Time and project management

7. Marketing designer

Average salary: $75,590 per year

A marketing designer is a specialist graphic designer who’s focused on creating assets specifically for marketing initiatives. They work with the marketing team to design things like emails, digital ads, and social media content. In addition to key graphic design skills, marketing designers also need specific marketing knowledge to be effective.

Experience required:

Employers typically expect two or more years of experience in graphic design or marketing.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, or related field
A strong portfolio
Knowledge of design software (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, etc.)

Skills:

Project management
Attention to detail
Data analysis

8. Digital designer

Average salary: $69,369 per year

This design professional specializes in creating visual content for digital platforms. They use creative and technical skills to design and produce digital assets like websites, mobile apps, user interfaces, animations, and graphics. They typically work closely with clients or stakeholders to understand their design requirements and use design software, prototyping tools, and coding languages to bring their designs to life.

Experience required:

Employers typically ask for at least one year of experience in a design-related role. However, a solid portfolio showing your design skills is usually more valuable.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, or related field
A strong portfolio
Experience using the Adobe Creative Suite and other design software
HTML and CSS knowledge

Skills:

Tech savviness
Organization
Communication
Attention to detail

9. Multimedia designer

Average salary: $58,427 per year

A multimedia designer creates and combines various types of digital media to produce engaging (typically interactive) content involving graphic design, web design, and animation/motion graphics. Beyond static graphics, their work may include video and audio editing. They collaborate with clients to understand project requirements and work with creative teams to deliver compelling digital experiences across various platforms.

Experience required:

Practical experience with software like Adobe Creative Suite
Knowledge of design principles and emerging trends

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design, film, or a related field
A strong portfolio showcasing skills from past work experience
Proficiency in Adobe creative suite, Sketch, InVision, and similar design software
Proficiency in video editing software like Final Cut Pro, Flash, etc.
Familiarity with HTML and CSS

Skills:

Ability to work under pressure
Time and project management
Communication

Who’s hiring graphic designers on Handshake?

Your graphic design job awaits

From self-taught professionals to senior managers, there’s a well-paid graphic design job type for any skill level. A solid portfolio and in-depth knowledge of popular design software are enough to get you started in many roles. Join Handshake today to connect with employers looking for graphic design talent, and set up job alerts so you won’t miss that perfect job opening.

Sources:

Top 9 graphic design jobs and who's hiring