Graphic design skills are in ‘giant’ demand—and can pay $145/hour

Contents

1 Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour
- 1.1 Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour
2 ‘It is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas’
3 The need for designers is ‘giant’

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

As far as creative skills go, graphic design is in high demand.

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

Freelancer site Upwork recently released its projections for the most in-demand freelance skills in 2023, taking into account freelancer earnings and number of projects worked, among other metrics. Topping the list of in-demand creative skills was graphic design.

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

Good design is “so important for businesses who want to have a consistent and cohesive product and connect with their customers,” says Margaret Lilani, vice president of talent solutions at Upwork. “Businesses are understanding this more and more and therefore they’re looking for additional help and support from designers and creatives at a higher rate.”

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

Here’s what graphic design entails and how much freelancers and side hustlers stand to make.

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

‘It is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas’

Businesses hire graphic designers to create the look and feel of a website, a brochure, an app and so on. Designers use tools like Adobe Illustrator, Sketch and Canva.

Graphic Design Skills Are In ‘giant’ Demand—and Can Pay $145/hour

“It is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual context,” says Lilani. “It’s taking those ideas and translating them into something visual that can be consumed by the user or the buyer.”

Many graphic designers have a bachelor’s degree in the field but if you’re keen to dive in, you won’t necessarily need one. There are various courses you can take online through universities and sites like Udemy and LinkedIn to learn the skills needed to dive in. These can be tailored to specific needs, like user experience design, or more general courses which cover the basics of design software. Many employers simply look for proof of experience like internships or other projects to consider you.