Graphic Designers Salary
The median pay for a graphic designers in Reno, NV is $56,160/year ($27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.01), that's roughly $55,598 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,870/month, about 47.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Reno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reno’s Regional Price Parity (101.01). 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 Reno
Pay for graphic designers in Reno runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,870/month, which is 47.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Reno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $65K | $65K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $72K | $64K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $92K | $80K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $76K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reno, NV
Entry-level graphic designers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $42K 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 Reno numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a graphic designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reno?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 47.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,870/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 Reno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graphic designers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,432/month. At HUD’s $1,870/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Reno?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $56K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Reno compare to the national average for graphic designers?
Reno pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do graphic designers make in Reno, NV?
The median is $56,160 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,530, and experienced graphic designers can clear $82,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Reno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,930/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,870/month, which eats 47.6% 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 Reno?
Reno has a Regional Price Parity of 101.01 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median graphic designers salary is worth about $55,598 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.