How do graphic artists get paid? It can seem like a silly question. But it’s a question that is definitely worth considering if you work as a graphic designer and have little money left over after paying your rent and obligations.
ZAFF Institute has extensive expertise in mentoring students as they pursue careers in Graphic Design. We’ve seen all of the responses to the subject of How to become financially successful as a Graphic Designer.
So if you are looking to make more money as a Graphic Designer, don’t worry here are 5 ways to make money. Read on our further blog. If you follow this advice, your financial situation will improve and you’ll have more time to devote to the work you love.
- Ask for a rise
One of the easiest ways to increase your income is also one of the most challenging. You’re so happy that your excellent career pays you to accomplish what you enjoy. Thus, the concept of requesting extra money seems impolite and self-centred.
The first step is to change your way of thinking. The excellent design work you do for the studio for which you work should (ideally) result in substantial earnings for the company. There is no excuse for why you shouldn’t receive a fair reward for that.
It is best to phrase the money issue from your boss’s point of view when approaching it. Emphasise how much you enjoy working at the studio, but also how ambitious you are and would like to accomplish more in the future. So that you sound more like a partner and less like someone asking for a handout, talk about a potential wage increase in conjunction with taking on additional tasks that will help the company make more money.
And what happens if they refuse to cooperate? Then, there is no harm in starting the search for new, higher-paying jobs.
- Determine the typical wage for your position.
People rarely discuss their income in polite company, and businesses dislike disclosing this information. So how can you tell if you’re underpaid and deserving of a raise?
Asking your social media followers is one option. People who have never met you in person and may not have interacted with you online beyond the occasional follow and like are frequently considerably more eager to disclose their income information than close friends and coworkers. especially if it is done in an anonymous DM.
Though your sample is generally going to be quite small and random, it isn’t really a scientific technique. In order to supplement any such inquiries, you should look at pertinent salary surveys and browse employment boards for the most recent salaries that firms are really advertising. For additional guidance on determining how your compensation compares.
- Become a freelancer full-time
The majority of graphic designers who work full-time now supplement their income with freelance work. But the plain fact is that if you become a full-time freelance graphic designer, you’ll almost likely earn more money.
Your ability to freelance is restricted to evenings and weekends if you work a 9–5 job. Additionally, this is not the most effective or creative method to work, which means you have no life. Your freelancing work won’t likely be your best if you’re exhausted from a long day, and it will affect the kind of work you’ll be offered in the future.
Anyone who has made the jump to full-time freelancing will inevitably tell you the same tale:
You can gradually increase your fees as you get better and better clients as a result of freelancing. Compared to shifting jobs or earning a raise in salary, which move considerably more slowly, doing this will increase your income.
That does not imply that everyone should freelance. A full-time employment offers a lot of stability and security, not to mention the social benefits. However, if your only goal is to increase your income, freelancing will provide you the best long-term chance of success as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.
- Avoid remaining at your work too long.
Due to their natural desire to learn as much as they can while employed at a studio, graphic artists are frequently hesitant about working for themselves too early in their careers. However, nothing prevents you from working for yourself from the beginning of your profession on. Many people have done this and succeeded as freelancers.
Additionally, the majority of designers continue to work primarily from home in this post-pandemic environment. And they most likely will do so for many years to come. So, it’s doubtful how much you’ll learn working “in a studio” anyway, and freelancing is at least something to think about.
- Recognize your real worth
Knowing your worth is the key to increasing your income as a graphic designer. This means that if you’ve been working for a while, developing your knowledge and skills, and generating increasingly better work, you should be paid more than when you were just starting out.
It would seem obvious to make that point. However, in reality, a large number of independent graphic designers fail to increase their rates over time and instead maintain the same rates, despite the rising cost of living around them.
The same is true for designers who work for pay and are locked into a certain salary. Therefore, rather than making more money, they are actually making less.
Knowing the value you add to the world helps you understand your worth.
So look closely at the businesses you work for and try to determine how much of a difference your efforts are making to their bottom line. Your confidence in asking for more money will increase as a result of the solutions you come up with.
