National summary
The AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries is the most comprehensive annual survey of compensation data for the communication design profession in the United States. Each year for more than a decade, it has been commissioned by AIGA, the professional association for design, with the support of Aquent, AIGA’s official sponsor for professional development, and in cooperation with Communication Arts magazine.
The AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2011 draws from an extensive pool of designers and others allied with the profession nationwide, and includes responses from more than 7,000 design professionals. This year’s survey featured a revised list of positions and descriptions for which data were collected. Due to the change in definitions, comparison with previous years’ data is not included. However, these updates to the survey will increase the usefulness of results in 2011 and subsequent years. For insights into the current state of the design economy, see the article from AIGA's executive director.
This survey is part of a comprehensive program of AIGA activities developed to serve the professional designer with strategies for success.
National summary of total compensation
POSITION
SALARY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
FREELANCE HOURLY
50% earn less
FREELANCE RESPONDENTS
Owner, Partner, or Principal
An owner, partner, or principal holds an equity position and has major business responsibility for a firm having employees.
562
n/a
0
Solo Designer
A solo designer is a freelance or self-employed design professional who works independently of a company and has no employees.
1051
n/a
0
Chief Design Officer
A chief design officer is a member of a company's executive-level team who sets the overall strategy, vision and direction of the design capability; is responsible for multiple categories of products and disciplines of design; is responsible for organizational development of design including innovation and design sourcing strategies; and ensures that design objectives are matched to strategic corporate intent. This role also includes vendor and talent recruiting, development and leadership.
108
$75
14
Strategy Director or Design Strategist
A strategy director or design strategist is responsible for the overall strategic direction of client initiatives through the research and development phase, in which a clear understanding of end user's or target audience's needs is gained, to the execution phase, where findings are applied to create solutions. This position would include design or account planning.
80
$95
18
Creative or Design Director
A creative of design director is responsible for communicating strategic goals into actionable design solutions, establishing the conceptual and stylistic direction for design staff and orchestrating their work, as well as the work of production professionals. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, industrial, interaction, motion, video, research/strategic, 3-D design, prototyping, interior design, environmental design or for print media or use on the web. Creative/design directors typically engage in a good deal of supervisory and administrative work. The role ensures the right resources are in place, from designers to developers to copywriters and more, so that the interactive produced is visually compelling and able to drive revenues.
1523
$75
271
Design Manager
A design manager is a manager of people and processes necessary in the development of design projects for a business unit or product category. The role involves design organization responsibility including staff coaching; managing internal and external design resources; project and budget management; and ensuring customer requirements are met.
526
$60
81
Account Services Director
An account services director is responsible for client interactions and direction of a staff of project managers to ensure that design execution remains on strategy.
53
n/a
4
Operations Director
An operations director works for a mid-sized or larger firm and is responsible for issues related to financial management, human resources, contracts and legal matters, technology resources, and facilities. The operations director oversees project management and makes sure there is a very close connection between project-level finances and the overall performance of the company. All financial and administrative staff report directly to the operations director.
61
n/a
5
Marketing or New Business Manager/Director
A marketing or new business manager or director is responsible for seeking business opportunities, developing proposals and/or marketing the firm's practices.
90
$100
11
Account Manager
An account manager is responsible for client interactions and account management without supervisory responsibility.
109
$60
11
Head of Production
A head of production is responsible for managing and coordinating an entire production department.
132
$60
19
Production Manager
A production manager is responsible for running the process of producing design projects, overseeing bids, production schedules and delivery.
388
$45
63
Executive Producer
An executive producer is a manager responsible for running an entire motion design studio; developing executive-level client relationships; and identifying and expanding strategic development of new business.
56
$85
13
Writer/Copywriter
A writer/copywriter is responsible for writing, editing and proofing message and story copy for print or interactive projects. Writers may also be responsible for strategic and conceptual development of messages and stories.
519
$55
261
Primarily print
POSITION
SALARY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
FREELANCE HOURLY
50% earn less
FREELANCE RESPONDENTS
Senior Designer, primarily print
A senior designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for conceptualization and design of solutions to their completion. In some firms, a senior designer directs the work of one or more junior designers. In some cases, senior designers do not manage staff but are designated "senior" because of their authority in design decision making. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
1099
$55
349
Designer, primarily print
A designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for creating and executing design concepts as well as maintaining visual appearance, usability and brand continuity. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
1209
$40
470
Junior Designer, primarily print
A junior designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are a designer up to three years out of school who needs supervision in all aspects of design conception and implementation. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
426
$25
176
Project Manager, primarily print
A project manager, primarily print is a manager whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for coordination and administration of individual print projects which may include: scheduling, developing budgets, procurement and acting as liaison between the client and the design team. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
256
$40
47
Producer, primarily print
A producer, primarily print is a producer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for overseeing the planning, management and delivery of projects from concept through completion by working externally, interfacing with clients and helping them navigate key milestones; and internally, with creative directors, designers and animators through all project phases.
97
$45
46
Interactive
POSITION
SALARY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
FREELANCE HOURLY
50% earn less
FREELANCE RESPONDENTS
Information Architect
An information architect is a designer who applies user-centered research concepts and techniques to organize websites and applications to best support the needs of users, through the development of navigation, labeling and searching systems that make it easy for users to find what they are looking for.
114
$68
48
User Experience Designer
A user experience designer is a designer with expertise in human factors that impact interactive experiences. Skills include: user analysis, wireframing, prototyping, architecture and interaction modeling, persona development, writing and graphic illustration.
203
$70
81
Mobile Interface Designer
A mobile interface designer is a designer responsible for designing mobile web solutions, from icons to sitemaps and navigational models, for a range of devices.
46
n/a
9
Senior Designer, primarily web/interactive
A senior designer, primarily web/interactive is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for conceptualization and design of solutions to their completion. In some firms, a senior designer directs the work of one or more junior designers. In some cases, senior designers do not manage staff but are designated "senior" because of their authority in design decision making. Areas of work include digital, interaction and motion design.
361
$65
120
Designer, primarily web/interactive
A designer, primarily web/interactive is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for creating and executing design concepts as well as maintaining visual appearance, usability and brand continuity. Areas of work include digital, interaction and motion design.
396
$50
145
Junior Designer, primarily web/interactive
A junior designer, primarily web/interactive is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with web/interactive mediums. They are a designer up to three years out of school who needs supervision in all aspects of design conception and implementation. Areas of work include digital, interaction and motion design.
120
$40
58
Motion Graphics Designer/Animator
A motion graphics designer/animator is a designer who creates moving imagery for immersive experiences across digital platforms; possible expertise in Adobe Flash, Actionscript or Flex, illustration or 3-D modeling.
136
$60
88
Motion/Video Editor
A motion/video editor is an editor responsible for organizing and executing post-production of motion-based imagery and design projects and for finalizing the presentation of material to clients.
154
$55
64
Producer, primarily web/interactive
A producer, primarily web/interactive is a producer for whom a majority of their work is with web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for overseeing the planning, management and delivery of projects from concept through completion by working externally, interfacing with clients and helping them navigate key milestones; and internally, with creative directors, designers and animators through all project phases.
90
$55
27
Project Manager, primarily web/interactive
A project manager, primarily web/interactive is a manager for whom a majority of their work is with web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for coordination and administration of individual web and interactive projects which may include: scheduling, developing budgets, procurement and acting as liaison between the client and the design team. Areas of work include digital, interaction and motion design.
151
$65
43
Web Content Strategist
A web content strategist is responsible for planning content creation, delivery, and governance. Tasks may include: web editorial strategies, guidelines, content analysis including metadata, taxonomy and search engine optimization. Often works with a writer.
178
$65
35
Social Media or Online Community Manager
A social media or online community manager is a professional responsible for developing and executing a clearly defined social media strategy and responsible for evaluating, planning, organizing, managing and contributing to all social media channels.
250
$35
50
Usability Analyst/Researcher/Engineer
A usability analyst/researcher/engineer informs business strategy and design approach by applying user-centered research concepts and techniques to understand the needs of users and how those needs can be best satisfied.
70
$73
28
Mobile App Developer
A mobile app developer specializes in designing interactive experiences for an increasing variety of mobile platforms utilizing emerging technologies including Java, Objective-C, C++ and HTML/CSS.
56
$75
24
Web-based Rich Media and Motion Graphics Developer
A web-based rich media and motion graphics developer is a designer/developer working in scripting languages (such as Actionscript or JavaScript) to develop rich, immersive experiences such as online advertising, games, landing pages and dynamic websites.
71
$60
43
Web Programmer/Developer (back-end systems)
A web programmer/developer (back-end systems) is a back-end developer/programmer responsible for working with web server systems, databases, web applications and APIs.
301
$55
115
Web Developer (front-end/interface systems)
A web developer (front-end/interface systems) is a software engineer responsible for utilizing any number of web technologies and scripting languages to create sites based on illustrations, wireframes, HTML markup and CSS provided by design team.
439
$60
182
Print, web and interactive
POSITION
SALARY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
FREELANCE HOURLY
50% earn less
FREELANCE RESPONDENTS
Senior Designer, print and web/interactive
A senior designer, print and web/interactive is a designer whose work is about equally split between print and web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for conceptualization and design of solutions to their completion. In some firms, a senior designer directs the work of one or more junior designers. In some cases, senior designers do not manage staff but are designated "senior" because of their authority in design decision making. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, interaction, research/strategic, or environmental design for print media or digital delivery.
818
$55
244
Designer, print and web/interactive
A designer, print and web/interactive is a designer whose work is about equally split between print and web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for creating and executing design concepts as well as maintaining visual appearance, usability and brand continuity. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, interaction, research/strategic, or environmental design for print media or digital delivery.
896
$45
310
Junior Designer, print and web/interactive
A junior designer, print and web/interactive is a designer whose work is about equally split between print and web/interactive mediums. They are a designer up to three years out of school who needs supervision in all aspects of design conception and implementation. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, interaction, research/strategic, or environmental design for print media or digital delivery.
288
$29
116
Producer, print and web/interactive
A producer, print and web/interactive is a producer whose work is about equally split between print and web/interactive mediums. They are responsible for overseeing the planning, management and delivery of projects from concept through completion by working externally, interfacing with clients and helping them navigate key milestones; and internally, with creative directors, designers and animators through all project phases.
77
$43
28
Note: The implied hourly and daily rates were calculated by estimating 2,000 workable hours in a given year.
Median total cash compensation 2000–2010
As a general reference, we offer the longitudinal data on the salaries for positions collected in previous years. The survey this year launched new position descriptions in order to adapt to the changing roles in design practice. Definitions of positions in previous years do not correlate directly with the definitions used for this survey. As a result, there are no historical data for the current positions.
POSITION
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
ANNUAL RATE
Owner, Partner, or Principal
An owner, partner, or principal holds an equity position and has major business responsibility for a firm having employees.
+1.0%
Solo Designer
A solo designer is a freelance or self-employed design professional who works independently of a company and has no employees.
+0.7%
Creative or Design Director
A creative of design director is responsible for communicating strategic goals into actionable design solutions, establishing the conceptual and stylistic direction for design staff and orchestrating their work, as well as the work of production professionals. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, industrial, interaction, motion, video, research/strategic, 3-D design, prototyping, interior design, environmental design or for print media or use on the web. Creative/design directors typically engage in a good deal of supervisory and administrative work. The role ensures the right resources are in place, from designers to developers to copywriters and more, so that the interactive produced is visually compelling and able to drive revenues.
+1.6%
Marketing or New Business Manager/Director
A marketing or new business manager or director is responsible for seeking business opportunities, developing proposals and/or marketing the firm's practices.
+1.9%
Writer/Copywriter
A writer/copywriter is responsible for writing, editing and proofing message and story copy for print or interactive projects. Writers may also be responsible for strategic and conceptual development of messages and stories.
+3.3%
Primarily Print
POSITION
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
ANNUAL RATE
Senior Designer, primarily print
A senior designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for conceptualization and design of solutions to their completion. In some firms, a senior designer directs the work of one or more junior designers. In some cases, senior designers do not manage staff but are designated "senior" because of their authority in design decision making. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
+2.2%
Designer, primarily print
A designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are responsible for creating and executing design concepts as well as maintaining visual appearance, usability and brand continuity. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
+1.7%
Junior Designer, primarily print
A junior designer, primarily print is a designer for whom a majority of their work is with the print medium. They are a designer up to three years out of school who needs supervision in all aspects of design conception and implementation. Areas of work may include: branding, graphics, communications, research/strategic, environmental design primarily for print media.
+2.1%
Interactive
POSITION
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
ANNUAL RATE
Web Programmer/Developer (back-end systems)
A web programmer/developer (back-end systems) is a back-end developer/programmer responsible for working with web server systems, databases, web applications and APIs.
-0.4%
Web Developer (front-end/interface systems)
A web developer (front-end/interface systems) is a software engineer responsible for utilizing any number of web technologies and scripting languages to create sites based on illustrations, wireframes, HTML markup and CSS provided by design team.
+1.6%
NOTES: Results not shown if fewer than 5 valid cases or 10 valid values.
Change in 2006 survey methodology may have affected measurements.
2006 data unavailable for Web programmer/Developer (back-end systems).