Salary report · San Francisco, CA

What is the average Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco, CA?

Graphic Designers in San Francisco earn a median of $83,700 per year — about 42% above the national average. Pay ranges from $60,300 (25th percentile) to $129,700 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$60,300
Median
$83,700
75th percentile
$107,100
90th percentile
$129,700
YoY change
+4.3%

Graphic Designer salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$54,400
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$83,700
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$107,100
Lead · 8+ yrs
$121,400

How San Francisco pay compares

San Francisco median$83,700
National median$58,910
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 244)$34,300

Cost-of-living adjusted is the San Francisco salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$71K
2022
$74K
2023
$77K
2024
$80K
2025
$84K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 4.3%.

Graphic Designer job market in San Francisco

San Francisco offers the highest tech salaries in the country but cost of living is brutal — particularly housing. Many roles offer remote/hybrid flexibility.

An estimated 3,100 graphic designers work in the San Francisco metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Design layouts and graphics
  • Develop brand guidelines
  • Collaborate with marketing teams
  • Refine designs based on feedback
  • Prepare files for print/web

Related job salaries in San Francisco

Graphic Designer salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Graphic Designer make in San Francisco, CA?+

Graphic Designers in San Francisco earn a median of $83,700 per year — about 42% above the national average of $58,910.

What's the entry-level Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco?+

Entry-level Graphic Designers in San Francisco typically earn around $54,400 per year. Salaries scale to about $121,400 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $83,700 a good Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco?+

$83,700 is the median, meaning half of Graphic Designers in San Francisco earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 244, that's roughly $34,300 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Graphic Designer pay growing in San Francisco?+

Graphic Designer salaries in San Francisco grew about 4.3% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +3%.

Where do Graphic Designers in San Francisco get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco is around $129,700. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in San Francisco?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the San Francisco median.

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