Graphic Designers pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,320 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in Durham earn between $49,570 and $79,740.
- $39K10th
- $50K25th
- $64KMedian
- $80K75th
- $99K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,480 | $5,623 | $32.44 |
| Median | $63,580 | $5,298 | $30.57 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,570 | $4,131 | $23.83 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,740 | $6,645 | $38.34 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in Durham
On the average salary of $67,480, a single filer in Durham takes home about $54,118 a year, or $4,510 a month and $2,081 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $67,480 buys what about $69,159 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 1st of 14 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Durham$67,480
- Raleigh$66,820
- Charlotte$64,580
- Wilmington$64,160
- Burlington$61,170
- Greensboro$60,400
- Jacksonville$59,470
- Asheville$59,390
- Rocky Mount$58,290
- Greenville$57,640
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 Durham: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in Durham?
$32.44 an hour on average, and $30.57 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in Durham?
About $54,118 a year ($4,510 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,480.
Do graphic designers earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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