24 of the Best Types of Graphic Designer Jobs in 2026

Discover some great types of Graphic Designer jobs that are hiring now.

High Paying Graphic Designer Jobs

• Senior Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $64,500 - $88,500

  To become a senior graphic designer, employers prefer candidates with multiple years of experience in a creative graphic design role. Senior graphic designers have completed various projects producing designs for a variety of clients. Starting your career in the graphic design field, you should build up your production portfolio and highlight the skills you gained on each project. When a senior position opens, your portfolio showcases your qualifications and skills.

• Freelance Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $58,000 - $87,000

  To become a Freelance Graphic Designer, you should establish yourself as a professional Graphic Designer, gaining work experience and developing your portfolio. You should study the basics of graphic design, design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, advertising, and marketing. Some in-house graphic design jobs require a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field; some only require an associate degree. As a freelancer, your most important qualifications are a strong portfolio and professional references. You must be creative and self-motivated in this field.

• Entry Level Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  To become a graphic designer, you should begin your training in high school. You need at least a bachelor’s degree to obtain an entry-level graphic design position, and many degree programs require students to have had at least one year of basic design courses in high school before they are accepted into the program. Some applicants are required to also submit sketches or portfolios of their work to show their artistic abilities. Take art and design courses when available, or find an internship that allows you to shadow a professional graphic designer. While earning your degree, practice different sketching techniques and using popular design programs to develop a substantial portfolio to use on your job search. Many employers consider a strong portfolio the biggest factor in selecting a graphic designer for their team.

• 2Nd Shift Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  The 2nd Shift is an evening or night shift. A 2nd Shift job refers to any job that requires employees to work after the first shift (traditionally 7 or 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m.) is finished. Second Shift usually means that you will work from 4 p.m. until midnight or 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Second Shift jobs are available in any career that needs coverage after traditional business hours. Some examples are medical careers, retail, and manufacturing.

• Full Time Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Full-time employment hours are generally determined by the employer. There is no single universal definition; however, various laws and policies govern different types of eligibility and statuses. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time employment but does require overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek for non-exempt employees. The Affordable Care Act, in determining Applicable Large Employers, defines full-time employees as those working an average of at least 30 hours per week, or 130 hours a month. The H-1B Visa Program defines full-time as 40 hours per week, normally, and in no event would less than 35 hours per week be considered to be full-time employment. In practice, full-time employment is typically between 32 and 40 hours per week.

• Graphic Designer Temporary

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  A Temporary job is an employment arrangement in which both parties, the employee and employer, agree in advance that the position will be filled for a set period. Temporary jobs often are based on employers’ seasonal or specific project needs. Occasionally, Temporary employees will be offered ongoing, full-time positions if their performance is excellent and a position is available. However, you should not assume this will be the case.

• Per Diem Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Per diem jobs are short-term positions which are paid by the day. The most common per diem job opportunities are in the medical field, including positions in nursing, hospice, pediatrics, and midwifery. Phlebotomists, operating (OR) assistants, and pharmacists may also work on a per diem basis. Per diem employees are often contracted to work as admissions coordinators, recreation coordinators, and assistants.

• Virtual Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  A virtual job refers to a job that can be performed outside of an employer’s office. Also known as remote, work from home, or telecommuting jobs, these positions have become increasingly common because of technology like telephones, internet, email, and video conference calls, which help to facilitate employer-employee communication.

• Executive Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  The different types of executive jobs include upper- and senior-level management as well as the C-suite—the highest levels of senior management. The C-suite executives have the word “chief” at the beginning of their titles: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) are the most common. Companies with a heavy reliance on information technology may also have a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Other executive jobs include vice president and director of various departments.

• Graphic Designer Co Op

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  The qualifications you need for a Co-Op job depend on the application requirements at your school and the organization where you want to work. You must be an officially enrolled student at your college or university, and GPA and credit hour requirements are typical. Some companies prefer Co-Op students whose major aligns with the industry. You must have strong communication skills and a willingness to learn and practice a variety of new tasks and job duties. Your responsibilities are to apply your learning to your Co-Op work experience and be a punctual and motivated employee.

• Graphic Designer Apprentice

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Graphic Designer Apprentice is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Graphic Designer Apprentice jobs pay between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $65,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Graphic Designer Apprentice job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Manager Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Managers supervise a team of people; they establish goals, assign tasks, and measure progress. The specific responsibilities of someone in a management position will vary based on the company and industry they work in, but their primary responsibilities remain largely the same. Managers monitor the accomplishments of their staff, focusing on the overall goals of the department. They work with Human Resources to determine and address staffing needs, coordinate and delegate responsibilities, check employee performance, and provide additional training and direction when necessary.

• Graphic Designer Trainee

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  The requirements to get a trainee job vary by industry. In some, such as architecture or accounting, you must graduate from an accredited college program before you can begin work. Other industries, such as retail, manufacturing, or telemarketing, may require only a high school diploma or a GED certificate to begin a training program. No matter what profession you are interested in, you should have strong verbal and written communication and an interest in continuing the career.

• At Home Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  At Home Graphic Designer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for At Home Graphic Designer jobs pay between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $65,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for At Home Graphic Designer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Temp Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Temp Graphic Designer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Temp Graphic Designer jobs pay between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $65,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Temp Graphic Designer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Summer Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Summer jobs are an integral part of American culture for students in their teens and beyond, but not all summer jobs are created equal. The difference between a great summer and an awful one can be the right job. According to Forbes, some good summer jobs for teens are camp counselor, golf caddy, nanny, food service, retail sales, and, of course, internships.

• Director Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  A director is a low-level executive in a company or organization that is responsible for a particular project, region, or division. A director of a company is employed to manage the day-to-day business activities of a group or division within an organization. There are different types of directors, but they are all tasked with leading others and meeting the goals of the organization. Directors plan, execute and manage to reach a goal. For example, the sales director would oversee the sales for a particular product or area. An HR director would be tasked with screening applicants and hiring the right candidates, making sure to comply with all employment laws and settling any personnel issues.

• On Call Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  When most people think of on-call jobs, medical professionals and first responders typically come to mind. For first responders, like firefighters and EMTs, on-call usually means you are sleeping at the station, ready to wake up and respond to a call quickly. Medical workers, on the other hand, may work a more traditional on-call schedule. While some nurses and doctors may sleep at the hospital, especially during their residency, you may also have an on-call shift where you can leave and go home, potentially never actually coming back. If you want a career as a nurse or doctor but do not like this unpredictability, rest assured that the chance of having on-call shifts decreases as you gain seniority and advanced qualifications. Repair workers like electricians may also work on-call. You may occasionally find on-call jobs in retail or customer service sectors, but this is not as common.

• Live In Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  Live In Graphic Designer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Live In Graphic Designer jobs pay between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $65,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Live In Graphic Designer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• From Home Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  From Home Graphic Designer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for From Home Graphic Designer jobs pay between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $65,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for From Home Graphic Designer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Union Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $41,500 - $65,000

  For those who work for unions, some of the specific jobs include researchers, organizers, administrators, lawyers, communications workers, and clerical staff. Your duties include entering workplaces to speak with workers and provide them encouragement and support if they are interested in joining a specific union, or to negotiate with employers for better working conditions, pay, or benefits for union members. There are numerous types of unions, including health care, public sector, construction, writing, and service workers unions, and they represent a variety of professions, such as nurses, journalists, manufacturers, construction workers, municipal workers, and hotel workers, to name only a few.

• Graphic Designer Coordinator

  Salary range: $43,500 - $60,000

  Coordinators plan and schedule events, programs, or projects. In this position, you can work in a variety of industries, so your duties and the necessary qualifications vary by field. There are project coordinators who work in the construction, manufacturing, and development industries, program coordinators, who typically work in education, community outreach, or non-profit organizations, and numerous other positions that require significant coordination experience. For those who work in labor industries, coordination might include developing timetables and budgets for the ordering and delivery of materials or services, while at a school, an instructional coordinator might prepare an afterschool program curriculum.

• Junior Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $40,500 - $54,000

  The qualifications needed for a junior graphic designer position include a bachelor's degree in graphic design or computer science with technical training in graphic design. You should take classes that develop your artistic skills and encourage a creative mindset. Your duties have you working under a senior designer to learn the skills needed to make a career as a graphic designer and gain hands-on experience. Internships are an excellent way to build a portfolio of projects and take on some responsibilities under the guidance of an industry veteran. Certification is available through graphic design software companies. Certification can show your commitment and competence in the industry, but it is not generally mandatory.

• Internship Graphic Designer

  Salary range: $30,000 - $40,000

  An Internship is a position within your desired field that pays little or no money but offers you the opportunity to gain real-world experience. This may set you apart for your future job search. Generally, Internships are almost expected by employers on an entry-level candidate’s resume. You are much more of an asset to an employer if you have some work experience.