Table of Contents
Introduction
People with a creative flair and an interest in design can thrive in the graphic design industry. Today, the need for graphic design and demand for design has increased significantly in our digitalized society. Brands and businesses are required to market their product and services. Thus, people require professional graphic design services more often than they imagine.
If you’re a graphic designer planning to switch to a freelance career, this is the right time. However, if this is your first time considering such a switch, there might be some confusion about the rates you should charge for your designs. The same uncertainty applies to brands and businesses, where they may lack clarity on how much they should pay for freelance services. To solve this issue, I’ve conducted research on the average income and earnings of freelance graphic designers and included all the relevant details in this article.
Freelance Graphic Design
Creativity is an inborn talent and skill that technology seemingly can’t assist with. Graphic design is a professional industry where creative individuals utilize their prowess to navigate the intricacies of the digital landscape.
Freelance graphic design is a form of self-employment where individuals offer their design services for a fixed rate of hours per day. The design services contributed to clients can be based on any project the client desires. It can range from branding package designs to logos or web development, with diverse project categories such as environmental designs or race car graphics. The best part of this service is the freedom and deliberation it offers to graphic designers who seek experience and pursue their passions while also honing their craft.
Freelance graphic design also provides an opportunity to work with clients across different industries around the world. By doing so, you can meet and create a vast network of professional connections much easier. Advancements in technology and communication also enable freelancers to collaborate with clients from around the globe.
In my opinion, every designer should at least try doing freelance services once in their career to explore diverse market opportunities and their own potential. This can help upcoming designers plan well ahead for their design career’s future path.
How Much Can a Freelance Graphic Designer Make?
On average, experienced freelance graphic designers typically make $65 an hour. For beginners in the United States and Canada, they often charge between $20 and $30 per hour. This means that professional freelance designers potentially earn an average salary of $38,400 to $384,000 per year. However, this can vary according to skills, project size, and the client. Nonetheless, it gives us an idea that the graphic design industry can be considered a thriving place for creative individuals to find success worldwide.
According to various online articles, if a graphic designer does not choose to freelance, they can earn an average total compensation of up to $40,268 per year in the U.S. with less than one year of experience in 2024.
When viewed from a global perspective, the highest paid graphic designers come from Germany, while the lowest-paid reside in Nigeria. Despite the difference in their wage, they all share high skill levels and experience in HTML and CSS. Therefore, there are many ways you can increase your rate to earn more while exploring your own design potential. In my opinion, freelance graphic designers can earn a lot compared to traditional employment, and with experience, one can easily juggle between an official job, potential clients, and freelance services.
Increase Your Income with these Three Tips.
Now that you understand the basic pricing and rates offered to freelance graphic designers, you can determine your hourly rate. If you’re curious about how to increase your rate further, here are three personal tips I’ve used to increase mine.
1. Polish Your Portfolio
A good portfolio can provide you with the best opportunity to work as a designer. This can be seen as the best advice in this whole article. To market your skills effectively as a designer, you should showcase a diverse portfolio highlighting your best work. Portfolios play a crucial role in securing the job you desire; they can make or break a hiring decision. You can showcase a gallery of your projects and various services you provide, along with additional information such as your rates, the tools you use, your skills, and your expectations from collaboration.
A personal tip for you is to personalize your portfolio each time before you send it to a new client. This can make a lasting impression on clients. With more information about you, they can easily determine if you’re the right fit for their project. This may also mean they are more willing to pay your requested rate. Such attention to detail can significantly increase your value in the market and establish you as a reputable freelancer, leading to more opportunities from various sources.
2. Master In-Demand Skills
You can do some research online to understand the skills that people are looking for in a freelancer. However, most in-demand skills for graphic designers revolve around Adobe products. This includes Creative Cloud, InDesign, and Illustrator, which most clients will want to know about. Personally, I believe you should mention this in your portfolio, along with the tools you use for each project. This way, clients can expect high-quality work from you.
Additionally, graphic designers should have a solid understanding of various design skills overall. This includes things like being specialized in typography, color gradients, logo designs, and other elements. Knowledge about additional tools can also help your portfolio stand out. Graphic designers are paid according to their skills, and if they are beginners, their wages can be much lower compared to freelancers who are experts in certain skills.
3. Change Your Pricing
You can start by charging the price per hour, and typically, the project rate is converted to the hourly rate. So, you can adjust your pricing after offering services to a client on a design retainer. Being a designer on retainer can have many benefits, especially when working with a special client who requires your continuous services but not on a regular basis. You can ask them to be on a monthly retainer. This retainer can help cover the potential costs you would lose if you were unavailable to other clients. So this can also motivate you to charge differently than your regular price for each hour worked for other clients.
Which Type of Freelance Graphic Designers Earn the Most?
Graphic designers don’t do the same creative work every single time. They work on different end products, using the same software suite, most probably Adobe, to finish their work. The styles and end products clients require will vary according to the type of product. Some of the most common client requests are for logo designers, infographic designers, print designers (creating book covers), and art designers.
I have heard that infographic designers tend to make the most money these days, most probably because of the rise of social media trends and how brands use infographics as part of their social media marketing strategies. Additionally, poster designs, t-shirt designs, and even logo designs can earn a lot of money for creating influential designs.
If you require unlimited graphic design services, contact Graphically. We have in-house professional designers and a turnaround time of around 24 hours.
Final Thoughts
With this information, you might have an idea that, as a freelancer, you can earn over $100,000. Of course, this happens if you have enough experience and an impressive portfolio. However, the only drawback is that as a freelancer, you won’t get the same benefits as a full-time employee. However, at the end of the day, there are many benefits to being a graphic designer in today’s market. Graphic designers all over the world are earning more than people in many other professions. So, as a graphic designer, I hope this article encourages you to explore the freelance world with confidence and hope. Happy freelancing!
FAQ
Do freelance graphic designers make money?
Graphic designers consider freelance opportunities a great way to earn money while also having the freedom to enjoy your life and career. Freelance graphic design also provides an opportunity to work with clients across different industries around the world. By doing so, you can meet and create a vast network of professional connections much easier while also earning a lot of money.
Are 90% of graphic designers freelancers?
It’s true, yes. The majority, around 90%, of graphic designers work as freelancers. On average, about 54% of graphic designers transition or switch jobs within their first two years. Fortune 500 firms employ over 17% of graphic designers. There is an anticipated 3% increase in demand for graphic design experts by the year 2031.
