jobfacts

Graphic designer

Graphic and multimedia designers — SOC 2020 2142

Graphic and multimedia designers use illustrative, sound, visual and multimedia techniques to convey a message for information, entertainment, advertising, promotion or publicity purposes, and create special visual effects, 3D models and animations for computer games, film, interactive and other media.

Also calledCreative designerExhibition designerAnimator2d animator3d animatorStop-frame animatorand 86 more titles
Typical full-time pay£32,5002025 Provisional
People in the job123,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month1,200↑ 2.2%on last year · 163rd of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time graphic designers earn between £26,900 and £40,000 a year.

What full-time graphic designers earn, 2025
£32,500 typical£24,400lowest 10%£42,200top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£26,900–£40,000)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£24,400
Lowest 20% earn less than£26,200
25%£26,900
Median£32,500
75%£40,000
Top 20% earn more than£42,200
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Many (30%) of graphic designers work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed graphic designers earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £32,500
London!£41,400
Scotland!£33,300
West Midlands!£32,900
Wales!£32,300
North West!£32,100
South West!£31,800
South East!£31,800
East Midlands!£27,500
Yorkshire and The Humber!£27,000
North East!£25,900
East of England!£25,600
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £32,500
London£41,400 (small sample)
Scotland£33,300 (small sample)
West Midlands£32,900 (small sample)
Wales£32,300 (small sample)
North West£32,100 (small sample)
South West£31,800 (small sample)
South East£31,800 (small sample)
East Midlands£27,500 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£27,000 (small sample)
North East£25,900 (small sample)
East of England£25,600 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £29,500
  • 2024 £31,700
  • 2025 Provisional£32,500
↑ 10% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,200 jobs for graphic designers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,707
Jul 20261,409
Jun 20261,151
May 20261,118
Apr 2026989
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026886
Jan 20261,020
Dec 2025881
Nov 20251,408
Oct 20251,224
Sept 20251,160
Aug 20251,197
Jul 20251,388
Jun 20251,368
May 20251,562
Apr 20251,055
Mar 20251,338
Feb 20251,289
Jan 2025996
Dec 2024631
Nov 2024951
Oct 20241,148
Sept 20241,083
Aug 20241,171
Jul 20241,195
Jun 20241,286
May 20241,511
Apr 20241,465
Mar 20241,233
Feb 20241,356
Jan 20241,618
Dec 20231,213
Nov 20231,203
Oct 20231,213
Sept 20231,099
Aug 20231,410
Jul 20231,278
Jun 20231,971
May 20231,958
Apr 20231,553
Mar 20231,822
Feb 20232,165
Jan 20232,206
Dec 20221,947
Nov 20222,101
Oct 20222,145
Sept 20222,014
Aug 20222,307
Jul 20222,483
Jun 20222,767
May 20223,146
Apr 20222,439
Mar 20222,930
Feb 20222,895
Jan 20223,077
Dec 20212,555
Nov 20212,527
Oct 20212,761
Sept 20212,748
Aug 20212,332
Jul 20212,441
Jun 20212,293
May 20212,361
Apr 20212,085
Mar 20213,102
Feb 20211,602
Jan 20211,526
Dec 20201,282
Nov 20201,330
Oct 20201,567
Sept 20201,415
Aug 20201,265
Jul 20201,339
Jun 20201,164
May 20201,251
Apr 20201,485
Mar 20202,531
Feb 20202,936
Jan 20202,667
Dec 20191,915
Nov 20192,821
Oct 20192,654
Sept 20192,318
Aug 20192,575
Jul 20192,940
Jun 20193,108
May 20193,288
Apr 20192,319
Mar 20192,845
Feb 20192,728
Jan 20192,789
Dec 20181,775
Nov 20182,384
Oct 20182,293
Sept 20182,236
Aug 20182,121
Jul 20182,709
Jun 20182,451
May 20182,823
Apr 20182,709
Mar 20183,153
Feb 20183,300
Jan 20183,024
Dec 20172,037
Nov 20172,489
Oct 20172,474
Sept 20172,544
Aug 20172,567
Jul 20172,289
Jun 20173,038
May 20172,917
Apr 20172,816
Mar 20173,033
Feb 20172,687
Jan 20173,066
Is there a shortage of graphic designers?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertainty in change in hours worked.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
28%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for science, research, engineering and technology professionals, which includes graphic designers. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London1,036
Manchester141
Leeds100
Birmingham82
Bristol, City of68
Glasgow City65
Newcastle upon Tyne51
Nottingham45
Buckinghamshire40
Cambridge38
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where graphic designers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 183 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, United States, France, ranking it 80th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of graphic designers
5.6%!
37%
29%
20%
7.6%!
1.6%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–245.6% (small sample)
25–3437%
35–4429%
45–5420%
55–647.6% (small sample)
65+1.6% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent78%
Higher education below degree6.8%
A levels or equivalent!5.8%
GCSEs or equivalent!6.2%
Other qualifications!2.7%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent78%
Higher education below degree6.8%
A levels or equivalent5.8% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent6.2% (small sample)
Other qualifications2.7% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: specialised design activities (27%), computer programming activities (8%), advertising agencies (7%), motion picture, video and television programme production activities (7%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
78%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
5
from level 4, including degree apprenticeships
Apprenticeships take
18 months to 3 years
typically
Self-employed
30%
of people in the job

Routes in

Graphic designer

You can get into this job through:

University

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a design related subject, such as:

  • graphic design
  • art and design
  • graphic communication
  • illustration

Getting work experience during your course will give you an advantage when you start applying for jobs. Talk to your university careers service about work experience, internships and year placement opportunities, as well as any support to help you put together a portfolio.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • a foundation diploma in art and design
  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could take a college course, which may help later when applying to join a company as a design assistant.

Courses include:

  • graphic design
  • art and design
  • creative and digital media
  • photography

As part of your course, you would build a portfolio to showcase your creative ideas and skills to employers.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You will need a good working knowledge of desktop design, image editing and publishing software for all jobs.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Chartered Society of Designers and the International Society of Typographical Designers for professional development and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can get more information about careers in design from the Design Business Association (DBA).

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for graphic designer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Exhibition designer

You can get into this job through:

University

You could study for a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:

  • spatial design (exhibitions)
  • interior design
  • three-dimensional (3D) design
  • interior architecture
  • theatre design

You may also find exhibition design options as part of some events management, and museums and galleries courses.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • a foundation diploma in art and design
  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Scenic Construction Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship with an events design or scenery building company.

You could also apply to do a Collections Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, if working on specialist exhibitions in museums or galleries.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You may be able to get into this type of work as a junior design assistant. To do this, you are likely to need a qualification in art and design, like a diploma or an A level.

Experience in using computer-aided design (CAD) software packages would also be helpful.

Volunteering

You could volunteer to help set up exhibitions, for example with local arts festivals, galleries or libraries.

This would help you get practical skills, as well as an insight into the project management that goes on behind the scenes.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You'll need to put together a portfolio of your work to highlight your design skills to show at interview. Some work experience would also give you an advantage when applying for training and jobs.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Chartered Society of Designers, for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for exhibition designer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Animator

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or a degree in:

  • animation
  • art and design
  • computer games development
  • animation production
  • visual effects

You may have an advantage when looking for jobs if you choose a course that includes a work placement.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could do a college course to get some of the skills you'll need to become a trainee animator.

Courses include:

  • creative and digital media
  • games, animation and VFX skills
  • creative art and design
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a higher or degree level apprenticeship with a production studio, such as:

  • Junior Animator Level 4
  • Junior VFX Artist or Assistant Technical Director Level 4
  • VFX Artist or Technical Director Level 6
  • Storyboard Artist Level 7
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as an animation runner with a company and with further training, work your way up to a digital painter, assistant animator, then animator.

Volunteering

Employers value work experience so it's important to get as much as you can. To find work experience or volunteering opportunities, you could contact:

  • broadcasting companies
  • advertising agencies
  • animation studios
  • computer games companies

You can also find out more about the different ways to get work experience.

Other routes

You could take a training course in animation or animation software to get some practical animation skills.

These courses are usually offered by film schools, regional screen agencies and private training providers.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You'll need to create a showreel and animation portfolio to highlight your best work and ideas.

Put your work on your own blog, website or video-sharing website to make it easy to find for employers.

Further information

You can get advice about the different roles in animation and how to get into them from ScreenSkills and Into Games.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for animator. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

5 for this job
Level 6About 3 yearsDegree

Creative digital design professional

You gain
BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) in Creative Digital Design BA
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
FD AnimationHigher technical5

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • liaises with client to clarify aims of project brief, discusses media, software and technology to be used, establishes timetable for project and defines budgetary constraints
  • undertakes research into project, considers previous related projects and compares costs of using different processes
  • prepares sketches, scale drawings, models, colour schemes and other mock-ups to show clients and discusses any required alterations
  • prepares specification and instructions for realisation of the project
  • liaises with other parts of the production team to ensure graphic design fits with other elements, processes and timescales
  • produces or oversees creation of the final product

Skills

  • design graphics
  • finish project within budget
  • develop animations
  • follow a brief
  • operate 3D computer graphics software
  • adapt to type of media
  • analyse a script
  • follow work schedule
  • apply 3D imaging techniques
  • convert into animated object
  • create 3D characters
  • study media sources
  • consult with production director
  • create 3D environments

Knowledge

  • copyright legislation
  • graphic design
  • multimedia systems
  • 3D lighting
  • ICT software specifications
  • graphics editor software
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop

Suits people who like

  • Creating and designing
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for science, research, engineering and technology professionals, a group of 28 jobs that includes graphic designers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 18%about 394,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

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