Every occupation the official NCES/BLS crosswalk connects to graphic design programs, with BLS pay, the education each job usually needs, what the work involves, and where to go next.
Graphic Design · CIP 50.0409 · 5 careers · Check one exact major, e.g. 50.0409 Graphic Design, in the major to career finder
The official NCES/BLS crosswalk maps graphic design programs to 5 occupations that such programs typically prepare people for, including UX Designer, Creative Director and Animator. BLS median pay across them runs from $62,960 (Graphic Designer) to $114,850 (Creative Director) in May 2025. The crosswalk describes preparation, not what graduates actually go on to do.
Data Program → related occupations: these are jobs graphic design programs typically prepare people for (NCES/BLS crosswalk). Not a guaranteed outcome, and not a record of what graduates do.
Data Filter by the education the job usually needs or its preparation level; sort by pay or by number employed.
| Occupation | Most common education | Job Zone | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 | 197,830 | Bachelor's Degree | 4 |
| UX Designer | $104,000 | 113,330 | n/a | 4 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryPostsecondary teaching | $78,620 | 93,560 | Master's Degree | 5 |
| Creative Director | $114,850 | 53,070 | Bachelor's Degree | 4 |
| Animator | $102,030 | 19,970 | n/a | 4 |
No occupations match these filters.
Data BLS national median annual wage, May 2025. These are pay levels of the occupations, not earnings of graduates.
Data The largest related occupations by employment (postsecondary teaching shown in the explorer).
Identify problems uncovered by testing or customer feedback, and correct problems or refer problems to appropriate personnel for correction.
Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
Reading Comprehension · Judgment and Decision Making · Critical Thinking
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 50.0409Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
Present final layouts to clients for approval.
Active Listening · Speaking · Judgment and Decision Making
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 50.0409Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
Active Listening · Reading Comprehension · Critical Thinking
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 50.0409Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
Active Listening · Speaking · Writing
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 50.0409Data Related occupations grouped by government career field, with their pay range.
Data Other programs whose crosswalk occupations overlap with these.
The NCES/BLS crosswalk relates instructional programs (CIP 2020) to occupations (SOC 2018) when programs in the CIP category typically prepare individuals directly for jobs in the occupation. This page uses the CIP program series below and shows every non-residual occupation mapped to them that has BLS wages and O*NET data; each occupation lists the CIP codes that map to it.
Searches this page answers include “what can you do with a graphic design degree”, “what jobs can you get with a graphic design degree”, “what can i do with a graphic design degree” (Ahrefs, U.S.).
