Navigation trail

• Home page
• Types of jobs
• Creative arts and design
• Graphic designer: Salary and conditions

Graphic designer: Salary and conditions

• Range of typical starting salaries: £11,000 - £18,000 (salary data collected Mar 08).
• Range of typical salaries at senior level/with experience (eg, after 10-15 years in role): £25,000 - £65,000 (salary data collected Mar 08).
• Salaries vary widely depending on the sector of employment, geographical location, and the experience and reputation of the designer. The best paid jobs are usually in the large cities. A senior designer can earn £25,000 - £45,000, a creative director £65,000, and an experienced and valued freelancer up to £40 an hour. The rate increases for designers with impressive track records. Salaries within in-house design teams tend to be higher than in design agencies, but it is generally thought that in-house work allows less creative freedom and variety. Agency work is carried out for different clients and is therefore likely to be varied.
• Working hours are typically 37 hours a week, with some flexibility around start and finish times. Extra hours are likely when deadlines are approaching, and this may involve working into the early hours to get a job finished.
• Designers are usually based in communal studios as some jobs involve teamworking. Team meetings and team evaluation often provide feedback for a designer's work. Some design work is carried out alone. At junior level, work is mainly office-based.
• Design work often involves sitting and working at a computer for long periods of time.
• Job satisfaction comes from using your creative powers to solve a problem through a set of strategic steps. The most frequently mentioned reward is the sheer job satisfaction gained from creating high-quality artwork and building a solid reputation.
• Self-employment and freelance work are common. Designers with several years' experience and professional contacts are most likely to freelance successfully. Freelancers may share offices or rent studio space. Some self-employed designers work from home. There are opportunities for part-time work, but they may be hard to find.
• The numbers of men and women entering the profession are roughly equal.
• Jobs are available in major cities and towns. Advertising agencies are predominantly based in London and the South East, Manchester and Leeds. There is a demand for British graphic designers internationally with opportunities in Europe, Japan and the USA. Before seeking work abroad, it is advisable to have gained at least one year's work in the UK.
• Although mostly studio-based, travel within the working day, to meet clients, may be required. Working away from home, however, is rare.

AGCAS

Written by Jill Baldwin, Writtle College

Last updated:

April 2008

© Copyright AGCAS & Graduate Prospects Ltd | Disclaimer