Graphic Designers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $123,590 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in Los Angeles earn between $53,790 and $95,440.
- $46K10th
- $54K25th
- $72KMedian
- $95K75th
- $124K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $81,680 | $6,807 | $39.27 |
| Median | $72,400 | $6,033 | $34.81 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $53,790 | $4,482 | $25.86 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $95,440 | $7,953 | $45.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Graphic Designers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Graphic designers in Los Angeles earn 6% less than the California average ($86,800) and 16% more than the U.S. average ($70,560). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $62,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $81,680 | $72,400 | $45,500 | $123,590 | 13,810 |
| California | $86,800 | $75,130 | $46,190 | $129,560 | 27,390 |
| United States | $70,560 | $62,960 | $39,520 | $104,910 | 197,830 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $81,680, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $62,788 a year, or $5,232 a month and $2,415 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $81,680 buys what about $71,923 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 11.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 5th of 20 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($107,360).
- San Jose$107,360
- San Francisco$102,130
- Santa Maria$84,370
- Santa Rosa$82,320
- Los Angeles$81,680
- Vallejo$81,440
- Sacramento$80,000
- Napa$79,990
- Oxnard$79,010
- Riverside$74,730
Highest-paying cities for graphic designers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,360).
- San Jose, CA$107,360
- San Francisco, CA$102,130
- Portland, OR$92,530
- Washington, DC$89,540
- New York, NY$85,950
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Graphic Designers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$39.27 an hour on average, and $34.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $53,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $62,788 a year ($5,232 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $81,680. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do graphic designers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($70,560).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1024; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.73, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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