How to Become a Graphic Designer

Graphic designers are the creative professionals behind the content we interact with every day. From packaging designs to advertisements, designers focus on visual communication through a combination of creative elements and technical skills.

If you’ve ever thought about pursuing a graphic design career, there’s no better time to start working towards your goals. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that over 20,000 new graphic design positions will open annually throughout the next decade. Combine this with the data showing niche roles like those in digital design will grow at a faster rate than the national average, and it’s clear that pursuing design training can only help you tap into these expanding opportunities. 

With graphic design being such a broad field, the salary for between roles can vary. The the BLS cites the national average salary for US-based graphic designers as being just over $58,000 in 2025, while specialized roles can earn higher annual wages. As a whole, the design field can be competitive. However, there are some steps aspiring creatives can take to simplify the process.

1. Explore the Design Industry

Before diving into any new career venture, it’s important to set aside time to learn about the industry and some of the most common job titles in the industry. With graphic design specifically, gaining an understanding of fundamental principles and the different field subcategories. This means taking time to look into what professionals in the field do on a day-to-day basis and reflecting on whether the work aligns with your interests and goals. 

Even if you’re not looking to make a complete career switch, gaining graphic design skills is truly valuable in today’s professional landscape. According to a 2022 survey from Piktochart, over 80% of businesses utilize graphic design in some way, and 50% of these organizations increased their design project budgets in the previous year.

2. Find Your Niche

Numerous specialties exist under the umbrella of graphic design, each with different objectives and responsibilities. Some of these fields have considerable overlap, while others are more of a branch of the main discipline. Every design professional has their own interests and things that ignite their creativity, which is why it’s so important to find your niche early on. 

You don’t want to spend time focusing on a specialization that doesn’t highlight your strengths or training in a specific role you struggle to enjoy. Job satisfaction is vital to longevity and success in any role, only made clear by more and more workers focusing on securing roles with a healthy work-life balance over an enticing salary.

Some of the areas within or related to graphic design you can choose to specialize in include:

• User experience (UX) design: Focuses on a user’s experience interacting with any type of content, product, or service. 
• Web design: A field that meshes web development and graphic design to create functional visual elements of websites.
• User interface (UI) design: This area of design concerns interfaces and how they look, feel, and function for users. 
• Motion graphics: A specialty where animations and 3D elements are created for various types of content.

3. Determine Your Educational Path: Degrees, Bootcamps, and Certificates

Once you’ve decided to pursue graphic design training, it’s time to analyze the different educational paths to determine which is best for your goals. There are several ways you can go about obtaining design skills. Some of the most common methods include completing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in areas like graphic design. Four-year degrees come with wider curricula that include general education classes on top of design courses, but this also comes with a hefty price tag of roughly $27,000 per year for in-state students living on campus at a public university.

Bootcamps and certificate programs are shorter, more focused training methods designed to teach students specific career skills. They don’t require participants to take general education classes, which cuts down on costs and length. For example, Fortune found the average UX bootcamp cost to be $10,500, though figures ranged from $3,000 to $17,000 per program.

With hiring managers placing a focus on skills during the hiring process, tech-based training methods like certificates continue to shine for aspiring professionals. These programs provide an opportunity to enter the tech or design industries without having to commit to four years of study for a degree. There’s no doubt both undergraduate and graduate degrees have their place in a well-rounded education and train individuals on a range of topics rather than limiting them to a small scope of topics. The best way to find your ideal educational path is to look into each option that’s available to you and compare what’s offered to what you hope to gain from the program.

4. Navigating the Job Search and Landing a New Role

There’s no denying that one of the most difficult and overwhelming parts of learning new career skills is putting them into action in a new job. There are numerous steps in the process that can make this portion feel tedious, but staying organized can help make it less painful. Here’s a quick overview of what you can do to simplify your job search and succeed once you find a new role. 

• Build a strong portfolio: Include a variety of materials from professional and personal projects that show who you are as a designer. Be sure to keep it polished and up-to-date, regardless of if you’re in an active job search.

• Highlight your training and skills: Hiring managers want to see your tech skills, regardless of what method you pursued to learn them. Be sure to emphasize if you took a bootcamp or certificate course and highlight these areas in your portfolio.
• Don’t overlook online platforms: Utilize websites like LinkedIn and Dribbble, where you can network and learn about new opportunities in the field. 
• Be proactive: Don’t wait for opportunities to find you; be proactive and research local opportunities or attend a networking event to connect with other industry professionals.

5. Make a Commitment to Lifelong Learning

Many assume that once they’ve completed their training course and landed a new job, the educational part of their journey is over. For some, this may be true. However, the choice to limit learning can hinder long-term career growth. Graphic design and many other related industries are constantly changing with new processes and technological advancements, and staying up-to-date with this information means you’ll remain a competitive designer throughout time. 

Continuing education comes in different forms and ranges from taking accelerated bootcamps to gain new skills quickly to attending workshops with other graphic designers, where you can learn from experts and stay on top of new trends. It’s not uncommon for companies to set up professional development training for their teams, but it’s helpful to take charge and find learning opportunities that spark your interest. 

Unsure If a Graphic Design Career is Right for You?

If you're uncertain whether a graphic design career aligns with your goals, you're not alone. The design field offers opportunities to combine creativity and technology, but finding out if it's the right path for you starts with exploring the basics. 

Start by experimenting with design tools and learning introductory concepts through short-term programs or free online resources. These will give you hands-on experience and help you determine if this creative and dynamic field aligns with your passions and skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does It Take to Learn Graphic Design?

While it’s difficult to put an exact timeline for how long it takes to learn graphic design, one can assume it takes a few weeks to a few months of dedicated practice to feel comfortable with the fundamentals. More advanced topics, on the other hand, can take longer to master, ranging from several months to a year or more of gaining hands-on experience. The specific timeline will also vary between individuals depending on any prior knowledge, their learning style, and how much time they have to put towards learning new skills. However, one of the best ways to make sure you learn the most important areas is to take some sort of training course, whether that be a short bootcamp or pursuing a degree in design.

What Should I Expect During Graphic Design Classes?

Every design class will have a different curriculum and outcomes, but overall, studying this field provides a mix of hands-on projects with informative discourse. Most of the content covered will be the same between in-person and online classes. Some of the most important topics students will cover include fundamental design principles, the most common software and up-to-date practices, and professional elements like building a strong portfolio. 

Can I Get Hired with a Graphic Design Certificate? 

Yes, many graphic design certificate graduates go on to successfully land entry-level roles in the field. This type of training is skills-focused and highlights to hiring managers who you’ve learned the most crucial skills needed to succeed in a role that blends creative and technical skills. Obtaining a graphic design certificate showcases proficiency in areas like visual communication, typography, and software such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Figma. Completing projects during a certificate program also creates portfolio content you can modify to show your best skills.