Quick answer: California employs about 27,390 graphic designers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through target employers or clients on the portfolio work they expect. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare graphic design programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in California
Graphic design is not licensed and has no required certification. The portfolio is the credential - the degree’s value is sustained critique, production coursework and client process built around it.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with target employers or clients on the portfolio work they expect that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 99 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Graphic Designers in California earn a median $75,130 per year, above the national median of $62,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Graphic Design Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$75,130
$62,960
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$46,190
$39,520
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$55,500
$49,040
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$99,240
$81,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$129,560
$104,910
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
27,390
197,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.18
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
2.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $75,130 sits above the national median of $62,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.18 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Design employment concentrates around agency markets, corporate marketing departments and publishing, and a meaningful share of the work is freelance and remote.
Graphic Designers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), graphic designers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
13,810
$72,400
$81,680
$45,500
$123,590
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
3,870
$92,050
$102,130
$54,470
$142,460
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
2,090
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
1,370
$65,900
$74,730
$41,540
$105,810
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
1,280
$97,360
$107,360
$59,870
$164,520
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
920
$74,680
$80,000
$46,870
$117,870
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
390
$67,300
$79,010
$43,450
$106,290
Fresno
250
$58,280
$64,870
$40,230
$97,310
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
210
$78,500
$84,370
$49,350
$127,920
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
210
$75,750
$82,320
$46,220
$122,320
Bakersfield-Delano
160
$61,970
$69,300
$40,690
$108,560
Stockton-Lodi
150
$61,030
$68,010
$42,680
$108,190
Modesto
140
$69,110
$73,700
$43,750
$104,390
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
120
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
90
$64,510
$73,440
$42,260
$108,280
Vallejo
90
$74,800
$81,440
$47,900
$127,890
Salinas
80
$66,940
$73,390
$43,040
$113,980
Chico
70
$58,040
$63,400
$39,460
$97,780
Visalia
70
$66,040
$68,330
$41,600
$102,900
Napa
60
$79,090
$79,990
$45,640
$107,410
El Centro
30
$49,190
$57,800
$36,580
$88,600
Merced
30
$63,340
$67,450
$40,240
$93,370
Redding
30
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do graphic designers make in California?
The median annual wage for graphic designers in California is $75,130, above the national median of $62,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $55,500 at the 25th percentile to $99,240 at the 75th.
How many graphic designers work in California?
California holds about 27,390 graphic designer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 197,830, and BLS projects about 20,000 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a graphic designer in California?
Graphic design is not licensed and has no required certification. The portfolio is the credential - the degree's value is sustained critique, production coursework and client process built around it. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with target employers or clients on the portfolio work they expect before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a graphic design associate or bachelor's online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers or clients on the portfolio work they expect.
What is the highest-paying area of California for graphic designers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $97,360 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for graphic designers?
On pay, the state median of $75,130 sits above the national $62,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.18 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Graphic Designers (SOC 27-1024), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
