Graphic Designers pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,520 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in San Jose earn between $73,990 and $127,880.
- $60K10th
- $74K25th
- $97KMedian
- $128K75th
- $165K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $107,360 | $8,947 | $51.62 |
| Median | $97,360 | $8,113 | $46.81 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $73,990 | $6,166 | $35.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $127,880 | $10,657 | $61.48 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Graphic Designers pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Graphic designers in San Jose earn 24% more than the California average ($86,800) and 52% more than the U.S. average ($70,560). At the median the gap is +55% against the U.S. median of $62,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $107,360 | $97,360 | $59,870 | $164,520 | 1,280 |
| California | $86,800 | $75,130 | $46,190 | $129,560 | 27,390 |
| United States | $70,560 | $62,960 | $39,520 | $104,910 | 197,830 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $107,360, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $78,465 a year, or $6,539 a month and $3,018 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $107,360 buys what about $97,226 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 15.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 20 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$107,360
- San Francisco$102,130
- Santa Maria$84,370
- Santa Rosa$82,320
- Los Angeles$81,680
- Vallejo$81,440
- Sacramento$80,000
- Napa$79,990
- Oxnard$79,010
- Riverside$74,730
Highest-paying cities for graphic designers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,360).
- San Jose, CA$107,360
- San Francisco, CA$102,130
- Portland, OR$92,530
- Washington, DC$89,540
- New York, NY$85,950
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Graphic Designers salary in San Jose: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in San Jose?
$51.62 an hour on average, and $46.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $73,990, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in San Jose?
About $78,465 a year ($6,539 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $107,360. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do graphic designers earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 52% more than the U.S. average for this job ($70,560).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1024; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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