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Entry Level Illustrator Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

QA Graphics

Be Seen First

Vector/SVG Production Designer

Ankeny, IA · On-site

$22 - $25/hr

This is a production focused design role for someone with strong Adobe Illustrator skills, clean ... Ability to take feedback and apply it consistently * Entry level candidates will be considered if ...

Three Point Solutions

Graphic Designer

Rock Valley, IA · On-site

$22 - $24/hr

... Summary Entry-level Graphic Designer responsible for creating marketing materials, product ... - 1+ year • Adobe Illustrator / Acrobat - 1+ year • Excel proficiency - 1+ year • ...

Road Media Group

Graphic Designer

Des Moines, IA

We're looking for a kick-ass entry level graphic designer to join our growing agency. The perfect ... Adobe Suite proficiency (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) * Attention to detail * Strong ...

Road Media Group

Graphic Designer

Des Moines, IA · On-site

We're looking for a kick-ass entry level graphic designer to join our growing agency. The perfect ... Adobe Suite proficiency (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) * Attention to detail * Strong ...

Road Media Group

Front End Designer

Des Moines, IA · On-site

We're looking for an entry level front end designer to join our growing agency. The perfect ... Proficiency in Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver) * Attention ...

Road Media Group

Front End Designer

Des Moines, IA

We're looking for an entry level front end designer to join our growing agency. The perfect ... Proficiency in Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver) * Attention ...

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All JobsIllustrator JobsEntry Level Illustrator JobsEntry Level Illustrator Jobs in Iowa

Entry Level Illustrator information

See Iowa salary details

$30.5K

$55.7K

$90.2K

How much do entry level illustrator jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level illustrator in Iowa is $55,741.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $36,200.00 and $63,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of projects and tasks can an entry level illustrator expect to work on in their first year?

As an entry level illustrator, you’ll typically work on a variety of projects such as creating basic illustrations for marketing materials, social media content, and internal presentations. You may also assist more senior illustrators with larger projects, help refine existing artwork, and handle revisions based on client or team feedback. Early on, you'll gain hands-on experience with digital illustration tools and collaborate closely with graphic designers, writers, and marketing teams. This exposure helps you build a versatile portfolio and develop a strong understanding of industry workflows.

What is the difference between Entry Level Illustrator vs Junior Graphic Designer?

AspectEntry Level IllustratorJunior Graphic Designer
Required CredentialsPortfolio, basic design skills, some art or design educationPortfolio, design skills, relevant education or coursework
Work EnvironmentCreative agencies, publishing, advertisingMarketing firms, media companies, advertising agencies
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in industries requiring custom illustrations and artworkUsed in industries needing visual branding and layout design

Both roles often require a strong portfolio and basic design skills. An Entry Level Illustrator focuses on creating original artwork and illustrations, while a Junior Graphic Designer typically handles layout, branding, and visual content. The roles overlap in creative environments, but illustrators emphasize artistic skills, whereas graphic designers focus on visual communication and design principles.

What are entry level illustrators?

Entry level illustrators are professionals at the beginning of their careers who create visual artwork for books, magazines, advertisements, digital media, and more. They typically work under the guidance of senior illustrators or art directors and may use traditional or digital tools to produce illustrations. Entry level illustrators often focus on building their portfolios, learning industry standards, and gaining experience with different styles and techniques. Their work helps communicate ideas, tell stories, or enhance the visual appeal of various projects.

What Does an Entry-Level Illustrator Do?

Illustrators use multimedia and graphic design software to create logos and other creative elements like infographics and diagrams, which companies publish in conjunction with articles, sales collateral, and other materials. As an illustrator, your work could appear in a book or as a visual component of a website. Your responsibilities likely include frequent interaction with clients and collaboration with other design team members. You must be able to translate imaginative ideas and visual solutions into clear, readable imagery, accept feedback from your client, and then refine your illustrations to meet their specifications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level Illustrator, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Illustrator, you need strong drawing skills, a solid understanding of color theory and composition, and a relevant portfolio or degree in illustration or a related field. Familiarity with digital illustration tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (especially Photoshop and Illustrator) is commonly expected. Creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to accept feedback are valuable soft skills that help you grow in this role. These skills and qualities are essential for producing high-quality artwork that meets client or employer expectations and for developing professionally in a competitive field.
More about Entry Level Illustrator jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Illustrator jobs in Iowa? The most popular types of Illustrator jobs in Iowa are:
What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Illustrator jobs in Iowa? For Entry Level Illustrator jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Illustrator jobs in Iowa look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Illustrator jobs in Iowa are:
Entry Level Illustrator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Illustrator job openings in Iowa as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $55,741 per year, or $26.8 per hour.
Vector/SVG Production Designer

Vector/SVG Production Designer

QA Graphics

Ankeny, IA • On-site

$22 - $25/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago

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Job description

Opportunity

QA Graphics is looking for a Vector/SVG Production Designer to join our in house creative team in Ankeny, Iowa.

This is a production focused design role for someone with strong Adobe Illustrator skills, clean vector artwork ability, and excellent attention to detail. The right person does not need years of industry experience, but they do need the ability to follow standards, work from reference images, learn quickly, and produce consistent artwork.

This is not a general creative design position. The focus is technical vector production, clean SVG artwork, file quality, consistency, and repeatable output.

QA Graphics specializes in visual design for the building automation industry. Our team creates system graphics, floor plan graphics, 3D graphics, equipment graphics, animations, and related visual solutions used by contractors, engineers, facility teams, and building owners.

This full time position is available immediately and will be located at QA Graphics’ office in Ankeny, Iowa.

Company

QA Graphics is a leader in the building automation industry. The company specializes in HVAC graphic development services, system graphics, floor plan graphics, 3D graphics, animation, and related visual solutions.

All core production work is completed in house by our team in Iowa. We do not outsource our graphic production work.

Visit www.qagraphics.com to learn more.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Vector/SVG Production Designer will work with our design team to create clean, accurate, and consistent vector assets.

  • Create vector artwork from reference images, screenshots, drawings, and other source material
  • Manually trace and recreate artwork using Adobe Illustrator
  • Build clean, scalable SVG artwork
  • Maintain a consistent visual style across large groups of assets
  • Organize files with clean layers, naming, and artboard structure
  • Optimize SVG files for quality and performance
  • Follow established QA Graphics file setup, naming, and production standards
  • Make revisions based on team feedback
  • Maintain organized project files and meet assigned deadlines
  • Work in a structured, team based production environment

Qualifications

  • Strong Adobe Illustrator skills required
  • Strong vector illustration ability
  • Experience with manual vector tracing
  • Experience creating or exporting SVG files
  • Strong Pen Tool and Bezier curve skills
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Ability to follow standards and repeat a consistent process
  • Ability to work from reference images
  • Good organization and time management skills
  • Ability to take feedback and apply it consistently
  • Entry level candidates will be considered if they have a strong portfolio
  • Must be able to work in person at our Ankeny, Iowa office

Additional Desired Skills

  • SVG file optimization
  • Raster to vector conversion
  • Technical illustration
  • Icon design
  • Color management
  • Gradient and shading control
  • AI, SVG, EPS, PDF, and DXF file handling
  • Adobe Photoshop experience
  • HTML5 or SVG animation experience
  • Experience with detailed production artwork
  • Experience with 3D reference workflows is helpful but not required

Not the Main Focus

This position is not primarily focused on logo design, brand identity, marketing graphics, web design, motion graphics, or 3D modeling.

The priority is clean production artwork, technical accuracy, SVG cleanup, and consistent vector library development.

Compensation

Pay is determined based on experience and portfolio quality. Entry level candidates will be considered.

QA Graphics offers full benefits, including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with matching, paid time off, and both long term and short term insurance.

Company Description

QA Graphics is a full-service outsourcing company, providing custom HVAC system graphics, as well as design services for interactive platforms. We help clients visualize their needs and simply their lives. Our talented designers come form a wide range of backgrounds to provide the personal attention and expertise needed to being our clients’ ideas to life.