Graphic Designers pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,990 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in Columbus earn between $34,380 and $67,010.
- $30K10th
- $34K25th
- $49KMedian
- $67K75th
- $83K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,280 | $4,523 | $26.10 |
| Median | $48,750 | $4,062 | $23.44 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,380 | $2,865 | $16.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $67,010 | $5,584 | $32.22 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $54,280, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $43,834 a year, or $3,653 a month and $1,686 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in GA | $43,834 | $3,653 |
| Working in AL | $43,537 | $3,628 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbus a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $54,280 buys what about $60,787 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other Georgia cities
Columbus ranks 7th of 12 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($67,650).
- Atlanta$67,650
- Dalton$61,200
- Warner Robins$59,840
- Savannah$57,150
- Gainesville$56,770
- Augusta$55,540
- Columbus$54,280
- Macon$52,020
- Brunswick$51,890
- Athens$47,430
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 Columbus: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in Columbus?
$26.10 an hour on average, and $23.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,380, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in Columbus?
About $43,834 a year ($3,653 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,280.
Do graphic designers earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($71,400).
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 Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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