Graphic Designers in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California graphic designers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $55,500 and $99,240, with a median of $75,130.
Graphic Designers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 737 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $138,946. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 92 | $56,663 |
| Level II — qualified | 190 | $117,500 |
| Level III — experienced | 177 | $149,499 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 272 | $175,800 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Graphic Designers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google LLC | UX Designer | 77 | $176,000 |
| Apple Inc. | Human Interface Designer | 41 | $143,900 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | UX Designer II | 40 | $158,100 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Product Designer | 36 | $208,239 |
| Intuit Inc. | Senior Product Designer | 28 | $149,400 |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | UX Designer II | 18 | $152,200 |
| LinkedIn Corporation | Product Designer | 13 | $150,000 |
| Adobe Inc. | User Experience Designer | 11 | $177,000 |
| Rubrik, Inc. | Senior Product Designer | 10 | $160,000 |
| Ingram Micro Inc. | Sr. Principal, Product Designer | 9 | $110,600 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Staff Content Designer, XD Financial Services at PayPal, Inc.$170,000San JoseWage Level IVDecided —I-203-26084-730049
- Senior Staff UX Designer at Palo Alto Networks, Inc.$161,241Santa ClaraDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-722165
- Senior Designer at Tools for Humanity Corporation$205,000San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided Mar 30, 2026I-203-26082-722498
- Sr. Designer, UX Design at Shutterfly, LLC$142,415San JoseWage Level IIIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-720079
- Senior Graphic Designer at Production Club Inc.$91,000Los AngelesWage Level IIIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-203-26080-720282
- Employee Engagement Creative Lead at Everpure, Inc.$153,000Santa ClaraWage Level IVDecided Mar 26, 2026I-203-26078-716000
- Staff Product Designer at Intuit Inc.$180,389San DiegoDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-713880
- Sr. Animator at SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC$134,900Los AngelesWage Level IIIDecided Mar 23, 2026I-200-26075-705050
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Graphic Designers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Graphic Designers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 520 certified offers. The most common variant is Product Designer at a median of $165,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Designer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 161 | $165,000 |
| UX Designer | Google LLC | 123 | $162,000 |
| Graphic Designer | Apple Inc. | 85 | $64,480 |
| Designer | OKBL USA Technology Inc. | 50 | $107,500 |
| Visual Designer | Hauslane, Inc. | 19 | $110,000 |
| User Experience Designer | Adobe Inc. | 15 | $172,000 |
| Brand Designer | Abbie Home Trading Inc | 14 | $121,113 |
| Interaction Designer | Google LLC | 14 | $194,500 |
| Manager III, UX/Design | Amazon.com Services LLC | 14 | $184,700 |
| Human Interface Designer | Apple Inc. | 12 | $175,800 |
| Marcom Art Director | Apple Inc. | 8 | $143,900 |
| Marcom Designer | Apple Inc. | 5 | $117,400 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Graphic Designers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 729 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $160,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 385 | $160,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 110 | $90,500 |
| Professional services | Ingram Micro Inc. | 107 | $110,000 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 73 | $119,200 |
| Finance and insurance | OKBL USA Technology Inc. | 25 | $171,000 |
| Media and entertainment | Richard Lewis Media Group, Inc. | 9 | $83,200 |
| Transportation and logistics | IL FANTUAN LTD. | 7 | $60,798 |
| Education | Art Center College of Design | 6 | $68,224 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Chinese for Affirmative Action | 3 | $79,830 |
| Energy and utilities | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 2 | $144,550 |
| Real estate | Navigators Real Estate, Inc | 1 | $72,000 |
| Healthcare | Olive Children Foundation | 1 | $56,100 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Fine Arts
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Communications and Media
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Originality
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Fluency of Ideas
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Near Vision
Ability
- 3.8 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
- 02
Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
- 03
Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- 04
Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
- 05
Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
- 06
Use computer software to generate new images.
- 07
Prepare digital files for printing.
- 08
Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+2.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for graphic designers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$97,360
- San Francisco$92,050
- Sacramento$74,680
- Los Angeles$72,400
- Riverside$65,900
- San Diego—
Compare Graphic Designers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Graphic Designers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Graphic Designers in California is $75,130.
- How does California compare to the national median for Graphic Designers?
- The California median is +16.0% versus the BLS national figure of $64,771.
- What is the salary range for Graphic Designers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $46,190 and the 90th-percentile at $129,560, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Graphic Designers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 2.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Graphic Designers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.