Graphic and multimedia designers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time graphic and multimedia designers in the UK earned a median £32,510 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 17% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That puts it 236th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £26,854 and £40,000.
Median full-time pay: women £31,157 a year, men £32,808 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 59,000 employee jobs, 85% full-time.
From £26,000 in 2021, the median is up 25.0%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 123,000 people in this line of work, 26% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £24,433 | £498.30 | £12.91 | £19,900* | £413.40* | £12.78 |
| 20th percentile | £26,150 | £538.80 | £14.00 | £24,980 | £498.30 | £13.90 |
| 25th percentile | £26,854 | £564.90 | £14.74 | £25,778 | £518.10 | £14.57 |
| 30th percentile | £27,942 | £574.90 | £15.10 | £26,407 | £544.10 | £14.94 |
| 40th percentile | £30,353 | £618.90 | £16.14 | £28,023 | £578.00 | £16.11 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £32,510 | £658.90 | £17.38 | £31,236 | £632.40 | £17.38 |
| 60th percentile | £35,165 | £697.30 | £18.63 | £33,829 | £670.80 | £18.76 |
| 70th percentile | £37,827 | £784.30 | £20.56 | £37,485 | £747.90 | £20.65 |
| 75th percentile | £40,000 | £814.60 | £21.44 | £38,814 | £792.90 | £21.51 |
| 80th percentile | £42,248* | £864.50 | £23.00 | £41,660* | £843.40 | £23.35 |
| Mean | £35,344 | £726.50 | £19.05 | £33,647 | £674.90 | £19.08 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £26,000 | £522.70 | £13.58 | £25,260 | £498.30 | 41 |
| 2022 revised | – | £536.60 | £14.22 | – | £516.00 | 55 |
| 2023 revised | £29,544* | £572.40 | £15.21 | £28,019* | £549.80 | 63 |
| 2024 revised | £31,706 | £622.90 | £16.42 | £30,000 | £602.80 | 56 |
| 2025 provisional | £32,510 | £658.90 | £17.38 | £31,236 | £632.40 | 59 |
Graphic and multimedia designers by region
UK: 123,000 (± 13,600), April 2025 to March 2026. 7 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 31,400* | ± 9,100 |
| South East | 17,300* | ± 5,200 |
| South West | 11,900* | ± 3,900 |
| Scotland | 11,800* | ± 3,900 |
| North West | 10,600* | ± 3,900 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What graphic and multimedia designers do
Graphic and multimedia designers use illustrative, sound, visual and multimedia techniques to convey a message for information, entertainment, advertising, promotion or publicity purposes, and create special visual effects, 3D models and animations for computer games, film, interactive and other media. (ONS SOC 2020, 2142)
Also covers: 3D artist, animator (computing/IT), compositor (special effects), creative design assistant, graphic artist, graphic designer, visual effects supervisor, 3d designer, 3d modeller, 3d visualiser, advert designer, animation supervisor, art designer, commercial artist, computer animator, computer artist, creative artworker and design assistant (87 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Liaises with client to clarify aims of project brief, discusses media, software and technology to be used, establishes timetable for project and defines budgetary constraints
- Undertakes research into project, considers previous related projects and compares costs of using different processes
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings, models, colour schemes and other mock-ups to show clients and discusses any required alterations
- Prepares specification and instructions for realisation of the project
- Liaises with other parts of the production team to ensure graphic design fits with other elements, processes and timescales
- Produces or oversees creation of the final product
Entrants have usually completed a foundation course, a BTEC/SQA award, a degree and/or postgraduate qualification. NVQs/SVQs in Design (in various disciplines) are available at levels 2 and 3. Portfolio work is also important for entry.
Related
Web and multimedia design professionals (median £33,970) · Web design professionals · Information technology professionals n.e.c. · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026