Graphic Designers pay range in Milwaukee
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $87,270 or more. The middle half of graphic designers in Milwaukee earn between $49,140 and $75,480.
- $44K10th
- $49K25th
- $62KMedian
- $75K75th
- $87K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,080 | $5,340 | $30.81 |
| Median | $61,780 | $5,148 | $29.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,140 | $4,095 | $23.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,480 | $6,290 | $36.29 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Graphic Designers salary after taxes in Milwaukee
On the average salary of $64,080, a single filer in Milwaukee takes home about $51,373 a year, or $4,281 a month and $1,976 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 Milwaukee a good place for graphic designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Milwaukee area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.9), so the average $64,080 buys what about $66,105 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Milwaukee ($51,160). A typical home costs $390,238, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Graphic Designers salary in other Wisconsin cities
Milwaukee ranks 3rd of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Kenosha pays the most ($73,130).
- Kenosha$73,130
- Madison$66,620
- Milwaukee$64,080
- Appleton$62,570
- Janesville$62,570
- Racine$61,930
- Green Bay$60,880
- Oshkosh$60,360
- Fond du Lac$59,560
- Eau Claire$59,440
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 Milwaukee: questions
How much do graphic designers make an hour in Milwaukee?
$30.81 an hour on average, and $29.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level graphic designers salary in Milwaukee?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the graphic designers take-home pay in Milwaukee?
About $51,373 a year ($4,281 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,080.
Do graphic designers earn more in Milwaukee than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (33340). 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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