Graphic Designers
What they do
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.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About graphic designers
Other titles
Artist, Designer, Graphic Artist, Graphic Designer, Online Producer, Production Artist, Publications Designer
Tasks they perform
- Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
- Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
Skills they need
- 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.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as graphic designers.
Web and Digital Interface Designers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Art Directors
Interior Designers
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about graphic designers with these helpful sites.
- AIGA, the professional association for design (external link opens new tab)
- Council for Advancement and Support of Education (external link opens new tab)
- Graphic Artists Guild (external link opens new tab)
- KelbyOne (external link opens new tab)
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Graphic designers (external link opens new tab)
- Society for Experiential Graphic Design (external link opens new tab)
- University and College Designers Association (external link opens new tab)