An official State of Ohio site. Here’s how you know
Live Chat
Contact

Welcome,
New User

User: New User

Date: 03/15/2025

Graphic Designers

Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

View All

    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Research the target audience of projects.
    • Prepare notes and instructions for workers who assemble and prepare final layouts for printing.
    • Prepare digital files for printing.
    • Use computer software to generate new images.
    • Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
    • Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.
    • Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
    • Study illustrations and photographs to plan presentation of materials, products, or services.
    • Research the target audience of projects.
    • Draw and print charts, graphs, illustrations, and other artwork, using computer.
    • Research the target audience of projects.
    • Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
    • Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
    • Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
    • Research new software or design concepts.
    • Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
    • Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
    • Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
    • Write or edit copy for clients.
    • Write or edit copy for clients.
    • Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.
    • Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
    • Prepare digital files for printing.
    • Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.
    • Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.

    Skills

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    5
    Workplace Documents
    5
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    Knowledge

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    Career Video

    Video not available
    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 50470/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 24.26/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 9,490
    • Yearly Projected Openings 760

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Artistic: People interested in this work like activities that include creating, designing, and making your own rules.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Cooperation
    • Innovation
    • Initiative

    Tools

    • Desktop computers
    • Digital cameras
    • Laser printers
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Photocopiers
    • Scanners
    • Still cameras
    • Tablet computers

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Cloud-based data access and sharing software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Customer relationship management CRM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Desktop publishing software
    • Development environment software
    • Document management software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise application integration software
    • Graphical user interface development software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Music or sound editing software
    • Object or component oriented development software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
    • Presentation software
    • Process mapping and design software
    • Project management software
    • Sales and marketing software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Video creation and editing software
    • Web page creation and editing software
    • Web platform development software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

    Budget Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Lifestyle Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Workforce Supply Tool

    Workforce Supply Tool

    The Workforce Supply Tool provides statistics for the occupations in highest demand throughout Ohio.

    You can view statewide statistics as well as more region specific information.

    Visit Site
    Powered By: