How Much Should You Pay a Graphic Designer Today?

Graphic design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s business-critical. It shapes perception, signals credibility, and helps brands cut through the noise.

91% of consumers prefer visual content over plain text. That’s not a stat to ignore. Especially when your brand’s first impression often comes from a logo, website layout, or social media post. So, how much should you really be paying a graphic designer in 2025?

This article breaks down what goes into pricing, what models work best, and how global companies are hiring top designers at competitive rates. If you’re new to offshore hiring, check out our offshoring strategy guide to learn how global businesses successfully scale their design needs.

What Affects Graphic Designer Rates?

Experience & Skill Level

Junior designers typically charge less because they’re building their portfolio. They’re capable of executing straightforward tasks like simple social media layouts, flyers, or minor edits. Mid-level designers, on the other hand, bring more polished technical skills and often have agency or client experience—making them ideal for tasks that require a bit of strategic thinking. Senior or seasoned graphic designers command higher rates for good reason: they think beyond aesthetics. They provide brand-aligned creative direction, manage complex design systems, and often have UX/UI knowledge that supports broader business goals. If your project is brand-defining, customer-facing, or conversion-driven, this is the level you need.

Project Scope & Complexity

The broader the scope, the bigger the budget. Designing a static ad and building an end-to-end website interface are worlds apart in time, strategy, and required collaboration. Small tasks might take a few hours, but larger projects—like product packaging for multiple SKUs or an entire pitch deck redesign—require careful planning, consistency across formats, and possibly multiple design iterations. Complexity also includes how many deliverables are needed, the need for interactivity (e.g. animations or prototypes), and whether multiple stakeholders are involved in the feedback loop.

Urgency & Turnaround Time

Tight deadlines usually come with a price tag. When you need something “yesterday,” designers often rearrange their schedule or work after hours to deliver. This often incurs a rush fee of 25–50% more than the base rate. Urgent work also leaves less time for creative exploration or refinement, so it’s not just more expensive—it can also lead to more trade-offs. If you can, build in a realistic timeline. You’ll get better work and better rates.

Revisions

Most professional graphic designers offer 1 to 3 rounds of revisions as part of their standard package. That usually covers tweaks to layout, copy, or color adjustments based on initial feedback. But when revision requests go beyond the original scope—like changing the entire direction, adding new formats, or reworking already-approved content—designers will often charge an hourly fee or a flat rate per additional revision. Clear briefs and consolidated feedback can help minimize these extra costs and streamline collaboration.

Licensing & Ownership

Design work is intellectual property. Just because you’ve paid for it doesn’t mean you own it outright—unless that’s explicitly stated in your agreement. Some designers retain rights to reuse or showcase the work in their portfolio unless full ownership is bought out. If you want exclusive usage rights (especially for commercial products or widespread brand use), expect to pay more. Licensing also becomes important for designs that include purchased assets, fonts, or third-party illustrations. Always clarify usage terms at the start of the project.

Location (Onshore vs. Offshore)

Where your designer is based matters—not just for time zone alignment, but for cost. Onshore designers in the U.S., UK, or Australia typically charge higher rates due to higher living costs and demand. For instance, the average salary for a U.S.-based graphic designer is around $78,000/year. In contrast, equally skilled designers from the Philippines can provide comparable work for $30,000 to $67,000 per year, depending on expertise.

This difference doesn’t mean you’re compromising on quality. Many offshore creatives are agency-trained, English-proficient, and experienced in working with international brands. Through companies like Penbrothers, global businesses gain access to top-tier talent without ballooning their budget.

Tools and Software Used

Not all design tools are created equal—and neither are the costs associated with them. Professional designers typically invest in premium software suites like Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Sketch, or even advanced 3D modeling platforms like Blender or Cinema 4D. These tools come with monthly subscriptions and require technical mastery, which gets reflected in the final pricing.

For example, Adobe’s full suite can cost upwards of $60/month per user, and mastering it takes years of experience. Some tools, like Figma, also offer collaborative design and prototyping features that make remote work smoother, especially across teams. If your project involves highly specialized tools—like AR/VR assets or motion design—you should expect higher fees, but also higher production value.

Type of Service

What you need designed will significantly influence how much you’ll pay. A one-off social media post is priced very differently from a complete brand identity system. Logo design, for instance, may include mood boards, concept explorations, vector formats, and brand guidelines—making it far more intensive than it first appears. Similarly, website or app design involves layout wireframes, responsive behavior, and user interface thinking that goes beyond visuals. Here’s a breakdown of how services often tier out in terms of complexity:

•  Basic design: Posters, banners, email headers
• Mid-level: Logos, brochures, social media kits
• Advanced: Website UI, mobile app mockups, full brand kits, packaging systems

Clearly defining the service type from the beginning helps avoid scope creep and enables your designer to provide a more accurate quote. It also ensures that you get the level of detail, polish, and format flexibility you actually need.

Popular Pricing Models for Graphic Design

Hourly Rates

This model is best for quick, one-off tasks or ongoing, undefined work. You only pay for the hours logged, making it flexible—but costs can add up if a project takes longer than expected. It’s ideal when scope is unclear or evolving, but less suitable for budget-conscious projects.

Fixed Project Fees

Perfect for well-scoped projects with clear deliverables and deadlines. You agree on the price upfront, which keeps your budget predictable. However, any major changes outside the original scope may require additional fees or renegotiation.

Monthly Retainers

A retainer gives you guaranteed access to a designer each month for a fixed number of hours. This is great if you have recurring design needs but not enough volume to justify a full-time hire. It also helps build creative consistency over time.

Design Subscriptions

An increasingly popular model where you pay a flat monthly rate for a set number of design requests or hours. It’s efficient for businesses with high-volume design needs like content teams, e-commerce brands, or social media agencies. Turnaround time and scope limits often vary by provider.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay in 2025?

Here’s a quick comparison between the cost of hiring a US-based and a Philippine-based graphic designer:

Graphic Designer

Creates visual concepts and designs to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate audiences. Skilled in branding, layout, and digital content across print and online platforms. Proficient in tools like Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.

Philippine Annual Salary:	USD 47,479
United States Annual Salary:	USD 78,375

That’s not a typo. The Philippines is a creative outsourcing hub. English-proficient, tech-savvy, and skilled in Western design aesthetics.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023 emphasizes the growing importance of skills like creative thinking, analytical thinking, and technological literacy.  These skills are integral to roles in creative and digital marketing, indicating a sustained demand for professionals in these areas.​

With Penbrothers, clients reduce overhead by up to 70% by offshoring roles like graphic design. Our talent pool is pre-vetted, highly experienced, and ready to scale.

Curious about salary benchmarks across other roles too? Explore our salary guide for offshore hiring to get real-world data on cost savings and talent value.

When Should You Hire a Graphic Designer?

Launching or rebranding

When you’re entering the market—or reinventing how your business looks and feels—a graphic designer becomes essential. They can craft a cohesive visual identity, from your logo and color palette to typography and brand assets. This ensures that your new brand communicates your message clearly and resonates with your target audience right from day one.

Creating marketing campaigns

Campaigns live or die by how they’re presented. Whether it’s an email blast, a print ad, or a digital promo, a graphic designer ensures your message is visually compelling and brand-consistent. Great design not only grabs attention but also guides the viewer toward the intended action, boosting campaign performance across channels.

Designing websites or mobile apps

Your website or app is often the first real interaction people have with your business. A graphic designer plays a key role in shaping user experience through layout, navigation, and visual hierarchy. From landing page mockups to custom icons, they bring usability and aesthetics together to create intuitive, engaging digital products.

Producing social media visuals

In a fast-scrolling world, eye-catching content wins. Graphic designers help you stand out on feeds with well-crafted posts, stories, carousels, and ad creatives. They maintain visual consistency across platforms while tailoring content formats to each channel’s best practices, ultimately strengthening brand recall and engagement.

Developing packaging or labels

If you’re selling a physical product, design doesn’t stop at the brand—it extends to the shelf. A designer can develop packaging that balances form and function: protecting the product, meeting regulatory requirements, and appealing to customers at first glance. Strategic packaging design can influence buying decisions and support brand storytelling.

Preparing sales decks or investor presentations

High-stakes presentations need more than bullet points. A graphic designer transforms dense data into clean, visually engaging slides that are easier to digest. From charts and infographics to branded layouts, they help you present confidently to clients, partners, or investors with visuals that support and elevate your narrative.

Design isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s a growth lever. According to the report, leading organizations are more likely to understand and see the design team as a strategic business partner, working with senior management to implement organizational strategies with respect and investment in mutual growth.

Choosing the Right Graphic Designer Model for Your Business

Whether you’re scaling a startup or revamping an established brand, selecting the right type of graphic design talent is crucial. Each hiring model—be it in-house, freelance, onshore, or offshore—comes with its own benefits and trade-offs. The table below offers a quick comparison to help you evaluate which option best fits your budget, timeline, and creative needs.

Hiring Model	Pros	Cons
In-House Designers	Fully dedicated; Deep brand familiarity; Easy collaboration	High cost (salary + benefits); Slower hiring process
Freelancers	High flexibility; Wide variety of creative styles; Scalable	Reliability varies; Requires more hands-on management
Onshore Designers	Local timezone & communication; Culturally aligned designs	Expensive rates; Limited scalability for startups
Remote Offshore Designers (via Penbrothers)	Cost-efficient; Pre-vetted talent; Scales easily; Long-term fit	Needs onboarding (handled by Penbrothers); Timezone coordination (manageable with good systems)

Hiring through Penbrothers ensures smooth collaboration, from sourcing to onboarding. Our clients access top-tier Filipino creatives without the admin hassle.

Penbrother’s Success Story

How DesignCrowd Scaled to 134 Creative Hires with 78% Cost Savings

DesignCrowd, a leading Australian crowdsourcing platform for design services, set out to build a high-performing team in the Philippines to scale efficiently while reducing overhead. After seeing the value of the local talent firsthand, they turned to Penbrothers to help expand their operations through offshore staffing.

Penbrothers provided full operational support—including recruitment, HR management, payroll, and legal compliance—allowing DesignCrowd to focus on growing their business. Through this partnership, DesignCrowd successfully hired 134 creative professionals in specialized roles such as:

• Logo Curation Specialists
• In-House Logo and Graphic Designers
• Social Media and Graphic Design Curation Specialists
• Graphic Designers and Video Editors
• Icon and Graphic Designers

With this team, DesignCrowd achieved an impressive 78% cost reduction compared to their in-house setup in Australia. Beyond savings, they gained reliable, creative talent who aligned with their brand and scaled with their business. The consultative hiring process ensured a strong cultural and professional fit across all roles, boosting long-term performance and retention.

Design with Intent, Hire with Strategy

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to pricing a graphic designer. But understanding the variables and aligning them with your business model puts you ahead. The right designer won’t just deliver a logo—they’ll strengthen your brand.

Global hiring makes world-class design accessible. And with Penbrothers, you get the added layer of vetting, support, and scalability.

Looking for more proof of how offshoring creative roles can drive growth? Check out our feature on Philippines as a global creative hub, and explore the benefits of remote workers for employers.

Ready to build your offshore creative team? Let’s design smarter—together.