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5 Jobs You Can Get Into with a Graphic Design Major

Guest Writer
Guest Writer
graphic design major

Table of Contents

You’ve always dreamed about having a job that requires creativity, is art-related, and makes you employable. So, you decided to major in graphic design.

In certain aspects, you may think that this idea is worthless. Art and creativity don’t require a degree, do they? While it can be true, there are several benefits of pursuing a degree, namely:

  • Boost in employability
  • Increase in your potential income
  • Ability to sharpen your skills

You may have the most fantastic resume, but the recruiting manager can ditch it simply for lacking the word “degree.” So, a degree enhances your chances of getting employed.

The degree also adds to your professional image. Yes, many graphic designers work without a degree, but their salaries tend to be lower compared to those with a degree. 

Mainly because they are still sharpening their skills. A degree allows you to sharpen your skills and get the necessary feedback. If you’re struggling with college work, you can order homework from a top-notch service. It will make you more prepared for your tasks at your job. 

After figuring out the benefits of majoring in graphic design, one question remains. What jobs does this major allow you to get into?

Well, all of them are directly or indirectly graphic design-related. The main point is that all those jobs require creativity, are art-related, and require people like you.

So, let’s check them out without any further ado. 

Graphic Design

The most apparent profession you can do with a graphic design major is graphic design. According to Prospects, more than half (51%) of graphic design graduates in employment in the UK are working as graphic designers fifteen months after graduation.  

The graphic designer job will get you involved in creating visuals for various products and activities. You will develop a website design. Create visuals for advertising and posters. You can also work on books, magazines, product packaging, and computer games. 

Working as a graphic designer, your primary responsibilities will be meeting with clients to discuss their demands and your ideas. After that, you will have to estimate the time required to finish the job. Then you will create design briefs to show the client while the work on the final product is in progress. And then present the final result. 

This profession requires creative thinking and the ability to produce new ideas and concepts. You will work as a part of a team of photographers, stylists, illustrators, copywriters, printers, and marketing experts. 

The profession is time-consuming, regardless of whether you work as a freelancer. When you are working on the project, you will be busy up to forty hours a week. Starting salaries for a graphic designer are in the $20,000-$25,000 range. But you can earn up to $40,000 after gaining some experience. Working as a freelancer, you can earn between $250 and $500 per hour. 

See also: 2022 Best Graphic Design Programs and Colleges

Web Designer

As a web designer, you will be responsible for the technical and graphical aspects of the website. You may also be involved in the maintenance of the website. Mind that you are not working on the back-end development.

You design the website aspectual the web page is responsive regardless of the device it’s viewed from. Thus, this job requires a lot of website testing in various design stages. 

The profession of a web designer requires drawing the website specifications, designing a page layout, and designing graphics and animation. You will also be responsible for registering the web domain, coding, and working with different content management systems. You will collaborate with graphic designers and web developers. 

The starting salaries for a web designer are in the $35,000-$50,000 range. But after several years of experience, the pay may grow to $75,000. In case you move to manage web designers, you can expect to make up to $120,000 per year. However, starting rates for inexperienced web designers ranges from $75 to $90 per hour. 

UX Designer

UX stands for user experience, which hints at the fact that this profession is about creating aesthetically appealing sites and apps that are easy to use for players. But the job requires much more than just that.

As a UX designer, you will be working on designing digital products and services with a complete understanding of the motivations, ensuring that the end product is convenient in usability for end users. 

You will collaborate with the digital and marketing teams to ensure that the product meets the client’s needs. Depending on your experience level, you can get from $20,000 to $75,000. The former sum is the typical starting salary for an inexperienced UX designer. You can earn between $35 and $130 per hour as a freelancer, depending on your experience. 

See also: Why Do Graphic Designers Opt for Mac Over PC?

Animator

There are various types of animation, from 2D to 3D, from stop-motion to computer-generated. An animation produces multiple frames that give an illusion of movement when sequenced. For these purposes, an animator can use hand-drawn or digitally generated images.

The main thing is that you need to be artistically skillful and passionate.

According to Business of animation, one of the animations’ biggest appeals is that it is extremely universal. You don’t need to recast an animation video to make it suits an audience who belongs to a different language group. All you need is a translation! Animations like Spongebob have been translated into over 50 languages, in over 200 countries!

There are various industries that open doors for animators. You can work in the film industry, as animation is frequently used in motion pictures. You can work in the video games industry as well. Another important aspect is that, while artistic ability is essential, you must be familiar with various computer packages. 

Depending on the industry you are working in, the role of the animator may include creating storyboards based on the screenplay, drawing sketches, and designing artwork. You may also work on designing models, characters, and backgrounds. The work also requires developing the timing and pace of movements for sequencing the images. 

It’s teIt’srk when developing video games or producing an animated movie. You will work with editors, sound directors, and actors, as you need the characters to sync with voice-over actors. Being an animator is an exciting and challenging job. 

The starting salaries of animators range from $25,000 to $50,000. An experienced animator can make between $70,000 and $135,000 annually. Everything depends on the specialization, as the 2D artist gets between $30,000 and $55,000 on average, while storyboard artists tend to make $90,000 to $130,000 per year.

You can earn between $20 and $150 per hour as a freelance animator. According to Indeed, In the United States, animators can expect to make an average salary of $42,006 per year. Of course, this number can change based on your skill level, employer, work experience, and geographic location.

Animators working for well-known studios can often expect to make more money than those starting their careers. Some animators work as freelance artists, working with clients for the duration of a single project or contract period.

See also: Traits and Tasks You Need to Become a Successful Graphic Designer

Game Artist

Developing a game sounds appealing to you. Why not try becoming a game artist? You will create visual elements in 2D or 3D. You are designing the game for various platforms, working on the progress from the concept to the complete realization, and being a part of the team. That’s what you will get if you become a game artist. 

You may specialize in a specific area or work in several simultaneously. In small studios, multitasking is welcomed, while in large companies, you may be responsible solely for character design, texture, lighting, environment, weapons, or vehicles. You can simply create sketches or help to develop them further. 

Game artists generally collaborate with a team of other game artists, developers, designers, animators, QA testers, and the marketing team. Your responsibilities may vary depending on the size of the company, as well as on your experience. 

As a game artist, you must create artwork for the game and ensure that it follows the project. You must follow the deadlines and report on the progress to managers or clients. The great thing about the game artist is that you constantly learn something new, as you need to keep your skill up to date. 

Depending on the studio you are working for, you will have a 35 or 40 hours working week and a 9-to-5 schedule. However, certain companies offer flexible schedules and remote work. The only thing required is reporting on the progress and keeping up with deadlines. 

The starting salaries for a game artist position range between $30,000 and $50,000. With more experience and projects behind your back, you can make between $85,000 and $140,000 per year. If you prefer working as a freelancer, you can expect an hourly rate in the $40-$85 range. 

See also: 10 Fantastic Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Graphic Designer

Final thoughts

So, now you have five positions you can get if you are a graphic design major. Those jobs are just the tip of the iceberg, as there are more occupations you can acquire having a degree in graphic design. You can work as an illustrator, creative director, printmaker, and production designer. You can also work as an advertising art director. 

All in all, there are dozens of jobs that are directly graphic design-related and dozens more that are related to your degree indirectly. While on various levels, all the professions related to graphic design require creativity and passion, so you will never get bored working on them. Besides, nothing prevents you from switching from one graphic design-related job to another. 

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