Graphic Designers Salary
The median pay for a graphic designers in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $55,250/year ($26.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $60,409 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 Chattanooga
Pay for graphic designers in Chattanooga runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for graphic designerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for graphic designers in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Morristown | $47K | $55K |
| Clarksville | $49K | $53K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $60K | $63K |
| Memphis | $59K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level graphic designers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $49K 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 Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a graphic designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for graphic designers in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graphic designers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,140/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $55K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for graphic designers?
Chattanooga pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do graphic designers make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $55,250 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,670, and experienced graphic designers can clear $84,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,869/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 35.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a graphic designers salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 $60,409 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.