If you’re looking to sell online and grow your business, graphic design statistics clearly show that you’ll have to use visuals to communicate your message and boost brand awareness.
Every blog post, online listing, advertisement, or video employs the power of graphic design to draw the attention of your visitors and sell a product.
There’s no denying it - if you struggle with sales, chances are graphic design is one of the things you need to focus on.
Keep reading to learn more.
Graphic Design Facts (Editor’s Choice)
The graphic design market revenue size in the US will be $13.1 billion in 2021.
There will be a 22% decline in employment in some graphic design categories.
Stock photography is the most frequently used visual by graphic designers.
A total of 94% of first impressions are based on the design.
Social media posts that contain images have 650% higher engagement.
About 73% of companies invest in graphic design to improve their brand recognition.
There was a 10.5% increase in visual content from 2018 to 2019.
Every $1 invested in graphic design and UX returns $100.
The use of signature color can increase brand recognition by 80%.
Trends in Graphic Design Industry
The graphic design industry is here to stay. The global market is worth over $45 billion. As more and more companies understand the value graphic design has for their business, they decide to invest and find a way to reach the audience with visuals.
1. Globally, the graphic design industry is worth $45.8 billion.
(Findstack)
Based on the report from several platforms, the global graphic design industry is worth around $45.8 billion as of 221. On average, the market size usually falls by about 2.8%. However, in 2021, the market grew by 4.1% in total.
2. The graphic design market revenue size in the US will be $13.1 billion in 2021.
When it comes to the US, the graphic design market revenue size is just over $13 billion. The growth rate is also expected to increase to 5.5%. Still, the graphic design market grew slower compared to the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector in total.
3. Additionally, the market size in the US was worth $12.7 billion.
(Eksposure)
Besides high revenue, the market size in the US was worth $12.7 billion in 2021. Unfortunately, the data also show that in 2020, the US graphic design market size actually shrunk by 10.6%. Since the pandemic is still causing issues, those in the business can only wait for the market to keep recovering.
4. There will be a 22% decline in employment in some graphic design categories.
(Eksposure)
Many might think that the graphic designer career is the best possible choice. However, some categories of graphic design do better than others. The demand for graphic designers who work with newspapers, books, and illustrations is low, and experts predict a decline of 22% in these fields.
5. Stock photography is the most frequently used visual by graphic designers.
Graphic designers mostly use stock photography (40%). Right after that, there are original graphics with 37%. On the other hand, visual assets barely used are charts and data visualization (12%), video and presentation (7%), and GIFs and memes (4%).
6. However, there will be a 24% growth in modern design categories by 2028.
(Eksposure)
Modern graphic design categories can luckily expect a 24% rise in jobs by 2028. Those who work on computer software design, animated infographics, video editing, and online advertising can expect more work, graphic design industry growth data shows.
7. Manufacturing is the #1 industry that employs graphic designers.
(Eksposure)
According to the latest data, manufacturing is the number one industry that employs graphic designers. Publishing is the second one, followed by advertising, computer system design, and finally general design services.
8. Companies with over 10,000 employees will most likely hire a graphic designer.
(Zippia)
According to graphic design industry analysis, the average size of the company that will most likely hire a graphic designer is over 10,000 employees - in 38% of cases. On the other hand, companies with 50-100 employees will hire a graphic designer in only 2% of cases.
9. A total of 50% of graphic designers love working in private companies.
(Zippia)
When it comes to the preferences of graphic designers, a total of 50% loves working in private companies. Only 2% work for the government.
Importance of Graphic Design
First impressions matter, thus graphic design matters. Your website and visuals will help the visitor decide whether they'll buy from you. Graphic design is crucial for web design, marketing, and social media.
10. A total of 94% of first impressions are based on the design.
(8 Ways)
A human eye will react to everything around it, and a staggering 94% of first impressions are based on the design it sees. This is why the value of graphic design is huge when it comes to websites, mobile apps, and ads.
11. Approximately 94% of users would leave a website with a poor design.
(Red Website Design)
What’s more, 94% of users will immediately leave the website with a poor design. Complex and boring design, messy layouts, lack of navigation, slow loading website, and pop-ups can all deter a visitor away, website design statistics show.
12. About 18% of small businesses would pay up to $1,000 for a logo.
(Red Website Design)
By now, almost every small business owner knows how important their logo is.
A powerful logo can increase brand awareness and lead to more sales. However, only 18% would pay $1,000 for the logo design. The most - 67% - are willing to pay $500, according to graphic design industry statistics.
13. A total of 80% of companies believe graphic design is important for the success of their business.
(myMarketing)
Still, 80% of companies think that graphic design is crucial for the success of their business. Graphic design helps with marketing across all channels and is the key to building a successful brand.
14. Graphic design statistics show that 60.8% of marketers claim that visuals are important for marketing.
(Red Website Design, Venngage)
Overall, more than 60% of marketers agree that visuals are crucial for marketing. So much so that many claim that original graphics, like infographics, helped reach the marketing goal in 40.8% of cases. Videos and presentations are second, while whitepapers and ebooks are the last on the list and are the least useful.
15. Social media posts that contain images have 650% higher engagement.
(Red Website Design)
Graphic design stats also show social media posts with images have 650% higher engagement compared to text-only posts. For example, Facebook posts with images get 230% more engagement, while tweets with images score 150% more retweets.
16. About 73% of companies invest in graphic design to improve their brand recognition.
(Findstack)
The latest research shows that 73% of companies actually invest in graphic design to stand out from the competition. Graphic design industry trends also show that companies that spend more money to become design-driven also have 69% more chances to surpass their business goals.
17. Additionally, 37% of companies would like to somehow automate content creation.
(Findstack)
Still, content creation, especially when it comes to graphic design, can be overwhelming. This is why 37% of companies wish to automate this process, especially for ebooks, reports, and infographics.
Graphic Design Demographics
When it comes to the demographics of the graphic designer sector, women make more than half of the employees in the industry. However, they still earn less than their male colleagues. Additionally, many graphic designers are self-employed.
18. There are over 118,080 graphic designers working in the US.
(Zippia, BLS)
At the moment, there are 118,080 graphic designers employed in the US. On the other hand, there were 254,100 graphic designer job openings in the States in 2020. The graphic design employment rate in the US is expected to grow to around 3%. However, these numbers often don’t include self-employed or freelance positions.
19. The median salary of graphic designers in 2020 was $25.66 per hour.
(BLS)
When it comes to salaries, the median wage of graphic designers in 2020 was $25.66 per hour or $53,380 annually. Overall, the median annual salary in the US for all workers in 2020 was close to $42,000, which means that the graphic designer salary is slightly better.
20. The most common foreign language among graphic designers is Spanish, with 49.7% of people speaking it.
(Zippia)
The most common foreign language among graphic designers is Spanish, at 49.7%. The second-most-popular is French, at 9.6%, and the third is Chinese, at 5.8%. Other languages account for 25.8% in total.
21. About 30% of graphic designers stay at one job for 1-2 years.
(Zippia)
According to graphic designer statistics, 30% of designers tend to stay on the job for about two years. A total of 24% stay for less than one year, and 15% stay for 5-7. Only 7% of graphic designers stay in their job position for 8-10 years.
22. Additionally, 21% of graphic designers were self-employed.
(Indy)
The labor statistics show that a significant number of graphic designers are self-employed. At least, according to 21% of US designers who identified as self-employed in 2019. With freelance positions, artists can easily manage the graphic designer job growth and competition and find the right clients.
23. There are 68% of designers with a Bachelor’s degree.
(Zippia)
When it comes to the education of graphic designers, 68% of them hold a Bachelor’s degree. Another 23% hold an associate degree, and 3% have a master's degree. Still, graphic designers with a master’s degree earn more than those without.
24. The average age of a graphic designer is 40.5.
(Eksposure)
Demographics of the graphic design show that the median age of a male graphic designer is 41.3. For females, it’s 39.8. Overall, the average age of graphic designers is 40.5.
25. A total of 61% of graphic designers are women.
(AIGA Eye on Design)
Surprisingly, there are slightly more women in the graphic design industry than men - a total of 61%. However, very few are at the top. Still, graphic design was always suitable for female employees, and there is a visible growth of female creative directors in the industry.
26. However, women in this industry make 6% less than men.
(Eksposure)
Unfortunately, women in graphic design still usually earn less than men - on average, 6% less. This might be due to the fact that women often work in lower-paying sectors and part-time, since they have to focus on the family.
27. The most common ethnicity of graphic designers is White, with a 75% share.
(Zippia)
The most common race of graphic designers is White, followed by 10.3% of Hispanics and 8.3% Asians. There are only 0.5% American Indian or Alaska Native designers in the industry.
Fun Facts About Graphic Design
Even though businesses consider graphic design to be a serious topic, there are many fun facts to learn that make it more interesting.
28. The job position of User Experience Director earns the highest salary in the industry - $129,250.
(Noodle)
While the usual roles of graphic designers involve creating images for social media and designing logos, some do more in regard to people’s experiences. One such position is the User Experience Director. It earns about $129,250 per year and is the highest-paying position in graphic design.
29. There was a 10.5% increase in visual content from 2018 to 2019.
(Venngage)
Graphic design statistics for 2021 show that there was a 10.5% increase in visual content from 2018 to 2019. Additionally, 74% of surveyed marketers stated that more than 70% of their content had some form of visual.
30. Visual data is processed 60,000 times faster than textual.
(Findstack)
Visual information is so powerful that it’s processed 60,000 times faster than textual. Moreover, 90% of the information that the human brain receives is visual, and this is why graphic design is so important.
31. Every $1 invested in graphic design and UX returns $100.
(WebFX)
Graphic design industry trends also show that each $1 invested in graphic design returns $100. That’s an ROI of 9,900%. This is why investing in graphic design is a worthwhile strategy.
32. People retain 65% of audible information when it’s paired with an image.
(Saas Scout)
When people hear information, and it comes with an image, they tend to remember 65% of the said information three days later. For comparison, if there’s no image, people will remember only 10%.
33. A total of 66% of people love looking at pretty websites.
(DDIY)
According to the latest graphic design trends, consumers care about the look of a website they visit. So much so that 66% of them love seeing beautifully designed websites. Dull sites will keep people away.
34. The use of signature color can increase brand recognition by 80%.
(myMarketing)
The use of color is important across all aspects of a business. For example, a signature color can increase brand recognition by 80% if used correctly in logos, websites, and ads, graphic design statistics show.
35. About 43% of digital marketers found that creating engaging visuals is challenging.
(FinancesOnline)
Overall, 43% of marketers struggle with creating engaging content, but that’s not the only challenge. Additionally, 22% struggle with making great designs. Other 22% deal with sourcing good data for graphics. What’s more, 28% of marketers spend less than two hours creating visuals per week.
Conclusion
These graphic design facts point out that if you own a business, every $1 you invest in graphic design will return $100. Keep in mind that your customers will love a visually appealing website and that graphic design can increase your brand recognition across multiple marketing channels.
Still, for the success of your business, you’ll likely need to hire a team of graphic designers to cover all aspects and clearly communicate your message to the audience.
FAQ
What industry is graphic design?
You might be confused about where graphic design belongs industry-wise. The placement of graphic design overlaps across a few industries. This is why you might often find that graphic design belongs in the programming, animation, and management industry.
However, it’s also closely related to multimedia and web technology sectors. Still, for the most part, it belongs to the graphic design and art industry. Graphic designers usually major in computer-assisted art and design.
What does a graphic designer do?
Graphic designers are responsible for collecting textual content and ideas and applying them to a visual concept. They do so usually via computer programs, as most graphic design of today is done for online projects and businesses.
Graphic designers should also clearly communicate the intended message, inform, inspire, and grab the attention of the customers while improving brand recognition. They work in multiple industries and deal with different kinds of visual content creation.
How many graphic designers are there in the US (and globally)?
There are over 118,080 graphic designers working in the US. There were 254,100 graphic designer jobs in 2020 in the US. Most are freelance or self-employed and stay on the job for about two years. The majority of designers are located in New York and Los Angeles.
Globally, some data show that the graphic design employment is 507,690, with 391,328 businesses. Still, this number is likely way bigger since most designers work freelance. When it comes to regions, the US, the UK, Italy, Finland, and Spain are the top five countries with the best graphic designers.
How much do graphic designers make?
The median salary of graphic designers is around $25.66 per hour or $53,380 annually. When it comes to different industries, the medians are similar. For example, graphic designers working in advertising PR, and similar services earn a median of $55,800, while those working on printing activities earn $41,490.
The highest-paying job positions include Creative Service Managers, Art Directors, Interactive Art Directors, Creative Directors, and User Experience Directors, who earn the highest average annual pay of $129,250.
Are graphic designers in demand (is the graphic design industry growing)?
When it comes to job outlook, the overall employment of graphic designers is projected to grow only 3% from 2020 to 2030. This growth will be slower than many other occupations, even though many companies will continue to grow their online presence.
Additionally, some graphic design jobs will see a drastic drop of 22% in the following decade. These jobs are related to book design, newspapers, illustrations, and similar occupations. Graphic design statistics show this is due to crowded job markets.
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