Graphic Designers Salary
The median pay for a graphic designers in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL is $51,180/year ($24.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.08), which stretches that salary to about $59,456 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $992/month, or 29.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $51K get you in Cape Girardeau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cape Girardeau’s Regional Price Parity (86.08). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About graphic designers
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What this looks like in Cape Girardeau
Pay for graphic designers in Cape Girardeau runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $992/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for graphic designers in metros near Cape Girardeau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $61K | $64K |
| Kansas City | $60K | $65K |
| Springfield | $48K | $54K |
| Columbia | $49K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Entry-level graphic designers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Graphic Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Graphic Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88K | +40% | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +24% | 750 |
| New York | $77K | +23% | 14,530 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +22% | 4,450 |
| California | $75K | +19% | 27,390 |
| Maryland | $75K | +19% | 3,050 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +17% | 5,670 |
| Washington | $73K | +15% | 3,960 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +15% | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $72K | +15% | 4,740 |
| Colorado | $66K | +5% | 4,200 |
| Oregon | $66K | +5% | 4,140 |
| Vermont | $66K | +4% | 410 |
| Minnesota | $64K | +1% | 5,570 |
| Nevada | $63K | -0% | 1,570 |
| Alaska | $63K | -1% | 180 |
| Illinois | $63K | -1% | 8,960 |
| Utah | $62K | -1% | 2,720 |
| Florida | $62K | -2% | 12,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -4% | 8,150 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -4% | 790 |
| Georgia | $60K | -4% | 5,920 |
| Texas | $60K | -4% | 13,670 |
| Delaware | $60K | -4% | 360 |
| Ohio | $60K | -5% | 7,280 |
| Maine | $60K | -5% | 560 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -5% | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $59K | -7% | 3,560 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -7% | 5,660 |
| Hawaii | $58K | -8% | 520 |
| Michigan | $57K | -9% | 6,070 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -9% | 3,880 |
| South Carolina | $57K | -9% | 1,930 |
| Montana | $57K | -10% | 610 |
| Missouri | $57K | -10% | 4,500 |
| New Mexico | $57K | -10% | 850 |
| Nebraska | $57K | -10% | 1,670 |
| North Dakota | $56K | -10% | 460 |
| Indiana | $55K | -12% | 3,450 |
| Kansas | $54K | -15% | 1,730 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -15% | 2,040 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -16% | 2,060 |
| Alabama | $51K | -19% | 1,760 |
| Idaho | $50K | -20% | 920 |
| Iowa | $50K | -20% | 2,100 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -21% | 1,750 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -23% | 470 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -27% | 1,390 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -28% | 830 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -28% | 240 |
| West Virginia | $40K | -36% | 520 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track graphic designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cape Girardeau numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a graphic designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cape Girardeau?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 28.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $992/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for graphic designers in Cape Girardeau?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graphic designers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,112/month. At HUD’s $992/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is graphic designer a high-paying job in Cape Girardeau?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $51K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cape Girardeau compare to the national average for graphic designers?
Cape Girardeau pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do graphic designers make in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?
The median is $51,180 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,200, and experienced graphic designers can clear $72,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Cape Girardeau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,460/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $992/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a graphic designers salary go in Cape Girardeau?
Cape Girardeau has a Regional Price Parity of 86.08 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median graphic designers salary is worth about $59,456 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do graphic designers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.