Occupation Summary

Graphic Designers

O*NET 27-1024.00

Description:

Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

Annual Wages:
$54,968.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 10.26%.
Education Level:
Bachelor's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
  2. Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
  3. Use computer software to generate new images.
  4. Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.
  5. Draw and print charts, graphs, illustrations, and other artwork, using computer.
  6. Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
  7. Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
  8. Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
  9. Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
  10. Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
  11. Study illustrations and photographs to plan presentation of materials, products, or services.
  12. Prepare notes and instructions for workers who assemble and prepare final layouts for printing.
  13. Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
  14. Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.
  15. Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.
  16. Research new software or design concepts.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Graphic Designers employed Annual Growth Rate
Specialized design services 9.4 0.81
Advertising, public relations, and related services 8 0.00
Newspaper, book, and directory publishers 4.5 -0.64
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 4.3 2.10
Other miscellaneous manufacturing 3.4 1.54
Computer systems design and related services 2.7 1.89


Labor Market Information


2022 Statewide average hourly wage $26.43
2022 National average hourly wage $31.01
2020 National employment 254,100
2020 Texas employment 16,834
Texas projected employment by 2030 18,562
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2030 1,766




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
87.00%
Communications and Media
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
85.40%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
83.80%
Fine Arts
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
78.40%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
77.00%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
72.40%
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
66.20%
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
58.40%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
55.40%
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
53.00%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
72.40%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
67.60%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
67.60%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
65.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
62.40%
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
62.40%
Operations Analysis
Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
62.40%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
62.40%
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
62.40%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
60.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Originality
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
80.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
80.00%
Fluency of Ideas
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
77.60%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
75.00%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
75.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
70.00%
Visualization
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
67.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
65.00%
Category Flexibility
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
65.00%


  • Thinking Creatively
    -- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Independence
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.



Tools

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Digital cameras: Digital cameras;

Laser printers: Computer laser printers; Wide format printers;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Photocopiers: Photocopying equipment;

Scanners: Computer scanners;

Still cameras: 35 millimeter cameras;

Tablet computers: Graphics tablets;


Technology

Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Google Drive;

Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation; PTC Creo Parametric; SignCAD Systems SignCAD; Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D; Autodesk Revit; Computer aided design and drafting CADD software; Computer aided design and drafting software CADD; Dassault Systemes CATIA;

Customer relationship management CRM software: Oracle Eloqua;

Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL; FileMaker Pro; Microsoft Access;

Desktop publishing software: QuarkXPress; Microsoft Publisher; Adobe Systems Adobe Distiller; Adobe Systems Adobe FrameMaker; Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign; Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker;

Development environment software: Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript; Verilog;

Document management software: Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook; IBM Notes;

Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML;

Graphical user interface development software: Figma;

Graphics or photo imaging software: Trimble SketchUp Pro; SmugMug Flickr; Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud software; Adobe Systems Adobe Fireworks; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop; Adobe Systems Adobe FreeHand MX; Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator; Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Music or sound editing software: Avid Pro Tools;

Object or component oriented development software: jQuery;

Office suite software: Corel WordPerfect Office Suite; Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Apple macOS;

Optical character reader OCR or scanning software: Nuance OmniPage Professional;

Presentation software: Apple iWork Keynote; Apple Keynote; Google Slides; Microsoft PowerPoint;

Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio;

Project management software: Microsoft Project;

Sales and marketing software: Google Ads;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Video creation and editing software: Maxon Cinema 4D; WeVideo; Apple iMovie; Adobe Systems Adobe Premiere Pro; Apple Final Cut Pro; Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects; YouTube;

Web page creation and editing software: Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver; Adobe Systems Adobe Macromedia HomeSite; WordPress; Social media sites; LinkedIn; Facebook;

Web platform development software: Cascading style sheets CSS; Hypertext markup language HTML; JavaScript; Oracle JavaServer Pages JSP; PHP; Adobe Systems Adobe ColdFusion; AJAX; Drupal; Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML; Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Google Docs;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Graphic Designers include:
  • 27-1011.00 Art Directors
  • 43-9031.00 Desktop Publishers
  • 27-1013.00 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
  • 27-1025.00 Interior Designers
  • 27-1027.00 Set and Exhibit Designers
  • 15-1252.00 Software Developers
  • 27-1014.00 Special Effects Artists and Animators
  • 15-1255.01 Video Game Designers
  • 15-1255.00 Web and Digital Interface Designers
  • 15-1254.00 Web Developers


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about graphic design, visit: AIGA
  • Graphic Artists Guild
  • Society for Experiential Graphic Design
  • For more information about art and design and a list of accredited college-level programs, visit: National Association of Schools of Art and Design
  • Related BLS articles
  • Career Outlook:
  • Graphic Designers

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.