Graphic Designers pay range in Buffalo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,120 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in Buffalo earn between $48,060 and $73,140.
- $40K10th
- $48K25th
- $60KMedian
- $73K75th
- $97K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,820 | $5,402 | $31.16 |
| Median | $60,000 | $5,000 | $28.85 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,060 | $4,005 | $23.11 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,140 | $6,095 | $35.16 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in Buffalo
On the average salary of $64,820, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $51,303 a year, or $4,275 a month and $1,973 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Buffalo a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $64,820 buys what about $67,631 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other New York cities
Buffalo ranks 6th of 11 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($85,950).
- New York$85,950
- Kiryas Joel$73,220
- Rochester$70,930
- Albany$69,460
- Ithaca$66,330
- Buffalo$64,820
- Utica$62,780
- Kingston$62,520
- Glens Falls$60,730
- Syracuse$58,180
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 Buffalo: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in Buffalo?
$31.17 an hour on average, and $28.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in Buffalo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in Buffalo?
About $51,303 a year ($4,275 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,820. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do graphic designers earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- 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). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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