Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Designers, all other is a broad creative field that brings together visual thinking, communication, and practical problem-solving. With national employment of about 29,000 and projected growth of 2.0%, this career path offers a moderate level of opportunity across the country. The national median annual salary of $66,220 indicates solid earning potential, with higher pay available in selected states and metro areas. Opportunities are distributed across multiple regions, with especially notable options in California and New York, as well as specific metro areas such as San Jose, New York-Newark-Jersey City, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. Success in this field relies on a blend of creativity and innovation, strong communication, and the ability to manage projects and collaborate with others. For people interested in design careers, related paths include music directors and composers, fashion designers, artists and related workers (all other), graphic designers, and entertainers and performers (sports and related workers, all other).
The national median annual salary for designers, all other is $66,220, but actual pay can vary significantly by location. At the state level, New York stands out with a median salary of $86,030, notably higher than California at $65,420, Colorado at $65,630, Virginia at $60,000, and Washington at $57,510. Among metro areas, pay differences are even more pronounced. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports a median salary of $129,110, the highest among the listed metros. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA also shows strong earning potential at $103,040, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ sits at $82,170. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA offer median salaries of $58,930 and $61,670, respectively. These figures suggest that location choice can have a substantial impact on earnings for designers, all other, especially when comparing higher-paying coastal metros with other areas.
Designers, all other have national employment of about 29,000, with projected employment growth of 2.0%. This indicates a modest increase in overall positions over time. With 2,000 annual openings, there is a steady flow of opportunities from a combination of new positions and turnover in existing roles. The consistently listed 2.0% growth rate across the top states and metro areas shows a similar growth pattern in these key markets. States such as California, New York, Colorado, Washington, and Virginia, and metro areas including San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, New York-Newark-Jersey City, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue all reflect this same projected growth. For job seekers, this suggests that, while the occupation is not expanding rapidly, it offers ongoing openings and a relatively stable outlook across multiple regions. This can support both new entrants and career changers interested in transitioning into design roles.
Location plays a major role in opportunity for designers, all other. At the state level, California and New York lead by CareerGPS opportunity score, at 67.38 and 65.78 respectively. California combines a median salary of $65,420 with employment of 3,110, the highest employment among the listed states. New York offers a higher median salary of $86,030 but with 1,050 employed, indicating a smaller but well-paying market. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia also show meaningful opportunities, with opportunity scores between 54.96 and 56.97 and median salaries in the mid-$50,000s to mid-$60,000s. Metro-level data highlights even sharper contrasts. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest opportunity score (77.42) and median salary ($129,110), though with employment of 160. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro follows closely in opportunity score (77.27) and has higher employment (1,260). San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA also combines strong salaries with a solid opportunity score. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA provide additional sizeable markets with moderate salaries and employment levels.
Designers, all other typically need a bachelor’s degree, giving this career a clear educational starting point for students and career changers. This formal education can support the broad mix of skills associated with these roles. Key skills include creativity and innovation, which underpin concept development and visual thinking, as well as critical and analytical thinking for evaluating design choices. Project management skills help coordinate work from start to finish, while adaptability supports working in changing environments. Strong speaking and listening, interpersonal skills, and customer service abilities are important for interacting effectively with clients, collaborators, or audiences. Competence with computers and information technology is another important part of the skill profile. Leadership skills can help more experienced designers guide projects or teams, and writing and reading are essential for communicating ideas and understanding project requirements. Together, the bachelor’s degree requirement and this combination of skills create a professional foundation for success as a designer in this broad occupational group.
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