What Does a Graphic Designer Do? (And How to Become One) | Coursera

A graphic designer creates visuals for all kinds of projects, from websites to print ads. Learn about skills, salary, requirements, and reasons to consider a career in this field.
Graphic designers blend creativity and technology to communicate ideas visually across print and digital platforms. Some important facts to know are:
They create visual concepts, develop layouts, and produce designs for websites, ads, logos, packaging, and more.
Graphic designers can work in-house, at agencies, or freelance, serving a range of industries, including marketing, publishing, and retail.
You can advance your career by specializing in areas such as UX/UI, motion graphics, or branding, depending on your interests and strengths.
Read on to learn more about what graphic designers do day to day, how you can break into the field, and in-demand skills to succeed in this role. If you're ready to start building your graphic design portfolio and skill set, consider earning a certificate from an industry leader with Adobe's Graphic Designer Professional Certificate program.
Graphic design is a form of communication that utilizes colors, shapes, images, and words to create visual content in various forms—primarily print and digital media. Effective designs communicate information in a way that inspires and informs consumers, making it a critical element for any business’s success.
Graphic design assets can be small, such as a company logo or app icon, or large and complex, like a website or a billboard installation. A graphic designer aims to influence consumers through emotions by utilizing various artistic elements and forms, including print and digital art.
A graphic designer creates practical, meaningful, and functional visuals using various digital tools and technologies. Graphic designers create images and layouts for some of the following:
Company brand identity (logos, typography, and color palettes)
User interfaces on apps and websites
Books, magazines, newspapers, and other publications
Advertisements and commercials
Signage for stores, transportation, stadiums, and event spaces
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for graphic designers is $61,300 as of 2026, or $29.47 per hour [1]. Graphic designers working in advertising and public relations tend to earn on the higher end of the pay scale. You can learn more by checking out the article Graphic Designer Salary: Your 2025 Guide.
The work depends largely on a client’s or company’s needs, but general designer responsibilities may include:
Developing visual assets to support a marketing campaign
Designing a graphic overlay for social media posts
Formalizing the layout for a print ad
Creating company logos
Retouching photos for digital signage
Graphic design spans many different careers and industries. Explore exciting graphic design jobs such as user experience designer, web designer, art director, illustrator, and game designer below to get an idea of which roles may be right for you.
Note: The following salary figures were sourced from Glassdoor in February 2026.
Average annual US salary: $64,000 [2]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 2 percent [1]
Graphic designers create visual art using technology or hand-drawn work. They often collaborate with businesses to develop advertisements, brochures, and magazines. As a graphic designer, you would have a wide range of tasks, including creating concepts for new designs, collaborating with other departments, choosing the overall design of a product (font size, type, color scheme, etc.), and researching trends. You could work in various sectors, including entertainment, advertising, marketing, and education.
Average annual US salary: $149,000 [3]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 7 percent [4]
A UX designer focuses on the human experience and interaction with products and services. To deliver an outstanding experience, you’ll go through a multi-step process comprised of researching, designing, and testing. In this graphic design role, you will focus on creating and maintaining a user-friendly and enjoyable site.
Average annual US salary: $85,000 [5]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 7 percent [4]
Web designers are responsible for designing websites’ layouts and features. In this position, you’ll collaborate with businesses to create an aesthetically pleasing website and focus on design aspects such as color scheme and typography. It is also common for web designers to create graphics like animations, images, icons, and logos on the website.
Average annual US salary: $107,000 [6]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 4 percent [7]
Art directors commonly oversee and lead groups of creative professionals. In this role, you’ll ensure the final design product matches the style requested. As an art director, you could build a career in many industries, like publishing, advertising, marketing, theater, and cinema.
Average annual US salary: $71,000 [8]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 0 percent [9]
Illustrators have strong backgrounds in art and are responsible for transforming concepts and ideas into images for clients. You have a broad range of illustrator jobs to consider. For instance, you could work with newspapers, magazines, and journals as an editorial illustrator. Other possibilities include working as a book or comic book illustrator, a product illustrator working on packaging, or a job as a storyboard illustrator in the entertainment field.
Average annual US salary: $99,000 [10]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 8 percent [4]