6 Graphic Design Roles and How to Get Started

Graphic design is a broader term that involves many subfields and specialties. Graphic design roles share the common ground that they all use a combination of art and technology to do their jobs. It’s also a steadily growing field with solid opportunities for those with the right skill set and knowledge base. Globally, the graphic design market will likely reach a value of $78.25 billion in 2030, up from $57.5 billion in 2023, according to data from Next Move Strategy Consulting [1].

Discover more about the field in general, and get need-to-know details about several graphic design roles to help you prepare for your career path. 

What is graphic design?

Graphic design combines art and technology and is used as a form of communication. It can influence emotions and thoughts, making it an important tool in many industries. 

Some of the key elements involved in graphic design are:

• Color

• Texture

• Form

• Line

• Shape

• Space

• Size

To consider the key elements, graphic designers also abide by established principles to guide them to their final product. Some of the primary principles that help designers communicate their messages effectively include:

• Balance: Provides structure and coherence to the design 

• Alignment: Ensures visual connection between various elements of design

• Contrast: Gives the design a dynamic quality 

• Emphasis: Highlights importance; what you want the viewer to see first

• White space: Blank space that helps visual elements stand out

• Movement: Features a design that should be easy for viewers to navigate

• Proportion: Shows importance by making some elements large and some small 

• Rhythm: Influences the audience’s level of engagement 

6 graphic design roles

Graphic design encompasses many different careers. Explore exciting roles such as user experience designer, web designer, art director, illustrator, and game designer to begin planning your career in graphic design. 

Graphic designer

Average annual US salary: $67,710 [2]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 2 percent [3]

Graphic designers create visual art using technology or hand-drawn work. They often collaborate with businesses to develop things like advertisements, brochures, and magazines. As a graphic designer, you would have a wide range of tasks, including creating concepts for new designs, collaborating with other departments, choosing the overall design of a product (font size, type, color scheme, etc.), and researching trends. You could work in many different sectors, including entertainment, advertising, marketing, and education.

User experience (UX) designer

Average annual US salary: $84,296 [4]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 8 percent [5]

A UX designer focuses on the human experience and interaction with products and services. To deliver an outstanding experience, you’ll go through a multi-step process comprised of researching, designing, and testing. In this graphic design role, you will focus on creating and maintaining a user-friendly and enjoyable site. 

Web designer

Average annual US salary: $69,307 [6]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 8 percent [5]

Web designers are responsible for designing websites’ layouts and features. In this position, you’ll collaborate with businesses to create an aesthetically pleasing website and focus on design aspects such as color scheme and typography. It is also common for web designers to create graphics like animations, images, icons, and logos that go on the website. 

Art director

Average annual US salary: $91,883 [7]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 5 percent [8]

Art directors commonly oversee and lead groups of creative professionals. In this role, you’ll ensure the final design product matches the style requested. As an art director, you could build a career in many industries, like publishing, advertising, marketing, theater, and cinema. 

Illustrator

Average annual US salary: $84,642 [9]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 3 percent [10] 

Illustrators have strong backgrounds in art and are responsible for transforming concepts and ideas into images for clients. You have a broad range of illustrator jobs to consider. For instance, as an editorial illustrator, you could work with newspapers, magazines, and journals. Other possibilities include working as a book or comic book illustrator, a product illustrator working on packaging, or a job as a storyboard illustrator in the entertainment field.

Game designer

Average annual US salary: $88,710 [11]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 8 percent [5]

A game designer has a strong technical background and focuses on developing all aspects of the game, ensuring everything works properly and emphasizing user entertainment. You will create and implement storylines and characters and work closely with UX and user interface (UI) designers. Game designers are commonly divided into groups like level designers and systems designers, giving you opportunities to specialize in areas like combat balance, spreadsheets and simulations, writing, and directing. 

Graphic design job outlook

As society continues to embrace technology and a heavy web presence, the need for graphic design professionals will increase. More companies have become focused on creating an online presence and need graphic design professionals to assist them with the creation and maintenance of these websites. An estimated 21,100 job openings for graphic design per year through 2033, alluding to a plentiful job market for those seeking a career in graphic design [3]. 

How to start in graphic design

To gain a career in graphic design, you’ll need to meet various requirements surrounding your education and experience. Learn more about these steps to begin planning your educational journey to reach your goals. 

Education and training

If you’re looking to get a job in the graphic design field, you will likely need a bachelor’s degree in fine arts or a related field. This education is important as it teaches you many different aspects of art and design in general and prepares you for communicating with clients and understanding graphic design software. 

Certifications

Adobe offers various certificates that highlight your proficiency in different Adobe programs that graphic designers frequently use. The Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certification allows you to show your competency in entry-level graphic design skills and offers four specializations.

• ACP in marketing design: Shows proficiency in utilizing the content creation and marketing application Adobe Express and expertise in either visual design in Adobe Photoshop or document creation and management in Adobe Acrobat Pro 

• ACP in visual design: Focuses on proficiency in using Adobe Photoshop for visual design and expertise in either Adobe Illustrator for graphic design and illustration or Adobe InDesign for print and digital media publication 

• ACP in video design: Highlights competency in using Adobe Premiere Pro for digital video and either Adobe Photoshop for visual design or Adobe After Effects for visual effects and motion graphics 

• ACP in web design: Involves using Adobe Dreamweaver for web authoring and obtaining certification in either Adobe Photoshop for visual design or Adobe Animate for multiplatform animation 

Experience

Many employers look for candidates who have some relevant experience in the graphic design field. Entry and mid-level positions often require three years of experience, while higher-level positions may require at least six years. You can also gain knowledge through volunteer graphic design work for businesses or individuals. 

Portfolios 

Most employers require a portfolio along with your resume. As a visual collection of your work, graphic design portfolios showcase your past work, allowing employers to see what areas you have experience in and where your talents lie. Portfolios are also vital when doing freelance work, as they are a way to showcase what you’re capable of to potential clients. Many graphic designers use Adobe Express to create their digital portfolios. Make sure to carefully select colors, typefaces, and images to create an eye-catching, cohesive, unique look. 

Build skills to succeed in graphic design roles with Coursera

Pursuing a career in graphic design provides many different job options, and most of these options continue to be in high demand. Begin building your graphic design skills on Coursera with the Graphic Design Specialization course from CalArts, or further your education in your desired graphic design specialty with a Google UX Design certificate.