How to Become a Designer?

Are you thinking of becoming a Designer or already started your career and planning the next step? Learn how to become a Designer, what skills you need to succeed, how to advance your career and get promoted, and what levels of pay to expect at each step on your career path. Explore new Designer job openings and options for career transitions into related roles.

Designer Career Path

Designer

Alias: Associate Designer, Freelance Designer...(4)
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41% advanced to
2 - 4Years of Experience
$5K - $60K /yrAvg. Annual Salary
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41% advanced to

Senior Designer

Alias: Mid-level Designer, Designer III...(3)
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2 - 4Years of Experience
$49K - $72K /yrAvg. Annual Salary
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Lead Designer

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5 - 7Years of Experience
$94K - $120K /yrAvg. Annual Salary
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Salary Trajectory

Designer Career Path

Summer Intern Designer
Designer
Senior Designer
Designer Manager
Lead Designer
Senior Manager of Design
Principal Designer
Associate Director of Design
Director of Design
Senior Director of Design
Senior Vice President of Design
$0
$40K
$80K
$120K
$200K

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Important Skill Sets for the Designer Career Path

AutoCAD
Indesign Photoshop
Adobe Creative Suite
VERBAL Communication

Related careers in the Arts & Design Industry

Interested in other Arts & Design careers? Below are occupations that have high affinity with Designer skills. Discover some of the most common Designer career transitions, along with skills overlap.

Creative Designer
25% skills overlap
3% transitioned to Creative Designer