Becoming a Digital Designer via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Grand Canyon University, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering graphic design courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
graphic designers,
animation designers,
fashion designers,
web designers,
graphic artists, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 29,170 people employed as
commercial and industrial designers alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$61,400.
Graphic designers make on average $47,820
per year and there are about 200,870
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Grand Canyon University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a Digital Designer
- newspaper
- television
- magazine company
- web design firm
- freelance
- university
- hospital
- travel agency
- amusement park
- marketing firm
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Digital Designer
- team leader oppurtunities
- get attractive salary
- developing the skills
- work flexibale hours
- digital designers can find work in many different settings
- most creative work
- the best opportunities will be open
- to work on a freelance basis
- work with different kinds of people
- opportunities to work with a successful brand
Potential Drawbacks
- work long hours at computer
- avoid bad posture by sitting correctly and take regular breaks
- often work alone
- work in a competitive field
- have knowledge of many programs
- continually learn new software
- expect low wages
- expect to deal with copyright issues for image use
- make sure you take exercise out of working hours due to jobs inactivity
- be expected to work quickly
Related Professions to Consider
- Graphic Designer
- Senior Interaction Designer
- Manager
- Digital Media Designer
- Digital Hardware Designer
- Interactive Designer
- Surface Designer
- Print and Web Designer
- Senior User Experience Designer
- Industrial Designer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Digital Designer
- Why do you want to be a designer?
- What is your biggest achievement as a designer?
- What types of projects do you enjoy working on?
- If you weren't a designer what would you do?
- What are your aspirations as a designer?
- What types of programming language do you know?
- What programs do you use?
- When did you decide you wanted to be a designer?
- What is your best design project to date?
- Do you function well in a fast paced environment?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Architectural Designer
- Website Designer
- Fabricators
- Fashion Designer
- Lighting Designer
- Communication Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Integrated Designer
- Interior Designer
- Photographer
Digital Designer Training books
Digital Designer (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Digital animation
- E-commerce
- Information design
- Information law and ethics
- Introduction to digital design
- Introduction to multimedia
- Programming for digital media
- Two- and three-dimensional design
- Website management
- Website design
Digital Designer Salary Information
Category: Commercial and industrial designers
| Total # Employed in the US |
29,170 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$29.52/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $15.29 |
$20.21 |
$27.92 |
$37.16 |
$46.11 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$61,400 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $31,810 |
$42,040 |
$58,060 |
$77,300 |
$95,910 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.7% |
13.0% |
19.3% |
14.1% |
42.5% |
7.1% |
1.1% |
|
Commercial and industrial designers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Massachusetts |
$35.15/hr
|
$73,100
|
| Missouri |
$35.04/hr
|
$72,880
|
| Maine |
$34.67/hr
|
$72,100
|
| Montana |
$34.45/hr
|
$71,660
|
| Oregon |
$33.43/hr
|
$69,540
|
| Colorado |
$33.16/hr
|
$68,970
|
| North Dakota |
$32.54/hr
|
$67,690
|
| Oklahoma |
$30.38/hr
|
$63,190
|
| Michigan |
$29.29/hr
|
$60,920
|
| Guam |
$29.28/hr
|
$60,910
|
| Hawaii |
$29.2/hr
|
$60,740
|
| Idaho |
$29.18/hr
|
$60,700
|
| Nevada |
$29.15/hr
|
$60,640
|
| Virginia |
$28.77/hr
|
$59,850
|
| Arkansas |
$27.87/hr
|
$57,960
|
| New York |
$27.84/hr
|
$57,920
|
| Wyoming |
$27.73/hr
|
$57,670
|
| Puerto Rico |
$27.69/hr
|
$57,600
|
| South Carolina |
$27.67/hr
|
$57,550
|
| Delaware |
$27.61/hr
|
$57,420
|
| Tennessee |
$27.45/hr
|
$57,100
|
| Connecticut |
$27.29/hr
|
$56,770
|
| New Hampshire |
$26.46/hr
|
$55,040
|
| Utah |
$26.14/hr
|
$54,370
|
| Alabama |
$26.11/hr
|
$54,300
|
| Nebraska |
$26.08/hr
|
$54,240
|
| North Carolina |
$26.06/hr
|
$54,210
|
| Kentucky |
$25.52/hr
|
$53,080
|
| Wisconsin |
$25.45/hr
|
$52,940
|
| South Dakota |
$25.41/hr
|
$52,860
|
| Kansas |
$24.87/hr
|
$51,740
|
| Indiana |
$24.55/hr
|
$51,060
|
| Washington |
$24.41/hr
|
$50,780
|
| Maryland |
$23.29/hr
|
$48,450
|
| Louisiana |
$23.09/hr
|
$48,020
|
| California |
$22.89/hr
|
$47,610
|
| Mississippi |
$22.19/hr
|
$46,160
|
| New Mexico |
$20.55/hr
|
$42,750
|
| Pennsylvania |
$20.15/hr
|
$41,920
|
| Iowa |
$18.76/hr
|
$39,030
|
| West Virginia |
$17.13/hr
|
$35,630
|
| New Jersey |
$15.85/hr
|
$32,960
|
Category: Graphic designers
| Total # Employed in the US |
200,870 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$22.99/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $12.71 |
$15.93 |
$20.76 |
$27.95 |
$36.75 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$47,820 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $26,440 |
$33,130 |
$43,180 |
$58,140 |
$76,450 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.7% |
13.0% |
19.3% |
14.1% |
42.5% |
7.1% |
1.1% |
|
Graphic designers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Florida |
$32.74/hr
|
$68,110
|
| Colorado |
$27.49/hr
|
$57,180
|
| Oklahoma |
$27.25/hr
|
$56,680
|
| Delaware |
$26.82/hr
|
$55,780
|
| Mississippi |
$24.94/hr
|
$51,880
|
| Missouri |
$24.66/hr
|
$51,290
|
| Virginia |
$24.6/hr
|
$51,170
|
| Kansas |
$24.56/hr
|
$51,080
|
| North Dakota |
$24.45/hr
|
$50,850
|
| District of Columbia |
$23.28/hr
|
$48,420
|
| Idaho |
$23.13/hr
|
$48,100
|
| Indiana |
$22.76/hr
|
$47,340
|
| New York |
$22.35/hr
|
$46,490
|
| Nebraska |
$22.22/hr
|
$46,220
|
| Connecticut |
$21.68/hr
|
$45,100
|
| Wyoming |
$21.32/hr
|
$44,350
|
| Arkansas |
$21.3/hr
|
$44,290
|
| New Hampshire |
$21.24/hr
|
$44,180
|
| Tennessee |
$21.23/hr
|
$44,150
|
| Alabama |
$21.22/hr
|
$44,130
|
| Montana |
$20.67/hr
|
$42,980
|
| Ohio |
$20.62/hr
|
$42,890
|
| Utah |
$20.61/hr
|
$42,870
|
| Puerto Rico |
$20.5/hr
|
$42,630
|
| Guam |
$20.46/hr
|
$42,550
|
| Oregon |
$20.45/hr
|
$42,540
|
| South Carolina |
$20.39/hr
|
$42,410
|
| North Carolina |
$20.24/hr
|
$42,100
|
| Hawaii |
$20/hr
|
$41,600
|
| Alaska |
$19.83/hr
|
$41,250
|
| Maine |
$19.29/hr
|
$40,120
|
| Wisconsin |
$19.19/hr
|
$39,910
|
| Washington |
$19.07/hr
|
$39,660
|
| Michigan |
$18.89/hr
|
$39,280
|
| Kentucky |
$18.64/hr
|
$38,780
|
| Louisiana |
$18.62/hr
|
$38,730
|
| New Mexico |
$18.41/hr
|
$38,290
|
| New Jersey |
$17.99/hr
|
$37,420
|
| Massachusetts |
$17.52/hr
|
$36,440
|
| California |
$17.32/hr
|
$36,030
|
| Maryland |
$17.26/hr
|
$35,910
|
| Iowa |
$17.24/hr
|
$35,860
|
| South Dakota |
$17.12/hr
|
$35,610
|
| Nevada |
$16.64/hr
|
$34,610
|
| Pennsylvania |
$16.17/hr
|
$33,630
|
| West Virginia |
$15.44/hr
|
$32,120
|
