Graphic Designers salary in Washington, DC

Median pay for graphic designers in Washington, DC: $80,100/yr

Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $47,690 – $122,450 · about 5,470 employed locally

Above the typical metro median ($50,005) by +$30,095 (+60%).

What it's really worth in Washington

With Washington's cost of living at 110 (US=100), that $80,100 has the buying power of about $73,122 in an average-cost US metro.

Local context: median household income $119,803 · median home $583,013 · median rent $2,416/mo.

Full Washington cost of living & taxes →

How Washington ranks for this job

On raw pay, Washington, DC is 3rd of the 186 metros we hold graphic designers wages for. Once Washington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 3rd.

Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Washington sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.

What that salary buys in Washington

A median home in Washington, DC costs $583,013 — about 7.3× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.

Median rent of $2,416/mo works out at 36% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.

Where graphic designers earn more

Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Washington.

Metro	Median pay	vs Washington	Rent vs Washington
San Jose, CA	$96,260	+20%	1.5×
San Francisco, CA	$92,380	+15%	1.3×
New York, NY	$75,900	−5%	1.4×
Seattle, WA	$74,390	−7%	0.9×

Other jobs in Washington