Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators

ANZSCO ID 2324

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
51,700
Future Growth
21.7%
Weekly Earnings
$1,502
Full-Time Share
66%
Female Share
51%
Average age
35

Summary

Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators design information for visual and audio communication, publication and display using print, film, electronic, digital and other forms of visual and audio media.

Tasks

  • determining the objectives and constraints of the design brief by consulting with clients and stakeholders

  • undertaking research and analysing functional communication requirements

  • formulating design concepts for the subject to be communicated

  • preparing sketches, diagrams, illustrations and layouts to communicate design concepts

  • negotiating design solutions with clients, management, sales and production staff

  • selecting, specifying or recommending functional and aesthetic materials and media for publication, delivery or display

  • detailing and documenting the selected design for production

  • supervising or carrying out production in the chosen media

  • may archive information for future client use

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Practical
  • Creative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow very strongly
  • is likely to reach 78,100 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
21.7%
(or 13,900 jobs)
From
64,100
in 2021
To
78,100
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 49,000
2012 53,800
2013 56,500
2014 50,500
2015 47,700
2016 56,000
2017 60,400
2018 62,200
2019 59,500
2020 59,400
2021 64,100
2026 78,100

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 70% of people employed as Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 4 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,502 per week, this is lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,216
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $2,025

    Median hourly earnings are $41, this is the same as the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,502 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
55.2%
2
Information Media and Telecommunications
8.3%
3
Manufacturing
7.9%
4
Arts and Recreation Services
6.8%
5
Other industries
21.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

37.6% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

31.4% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

15.8% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

5.2% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

6.7% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.2% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.3% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.8% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators All Jobs Average
NSW 37.6 31.6
VIC 31.4 25.6
QLD 15.8 20.0
SA 5.2 7.0
WA 6.7 10.8
TAS 1.2 2.0
NT 0.3 1.0
ACT 1.8 1.9


  • Around 78% of Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    New South Wales and Victoria have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The region with the largest share of workers is Melbourne - Inner.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
35
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
51%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators is 35 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 51% of the workforce. This is 3 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators All Jobs Average
15-19 0.9 5.0
20-24 9.4 9.3
25-34 38.1 22.9
35-44 30.0 22.0
45-54 15.0 21.6
55-59 3.5 9.0
60-64 1.9 6.0
65 and Over 1.3 4.2
Median Age 35 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A bachelor degree or a diploma in graphic design, graphic arts, web design, communications and media studies or another related field is usually needed to work as a Graphic or Web Designer, or Illustrator.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Information and Communications Technology VET training pathways and Printing & Graphic Arts VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 8.2 10.1
Bachelor degree 45.8 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 24.3 11.6
Certificate III/IV 8.6 21.1
Year 12 10.0 18.1
Year 11 1.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 1.9 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators who have good interpersonal skills, work well in a team and are creative and innovative. Employers also value computer literacy.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 54%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 52%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 50%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 48%

    Active listening

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

  • 45%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 45%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 45%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 45%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 43%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 43%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 41%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 41%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 41%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 41%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 39%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 39%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 37%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 73%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 70%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 70%

    Fine arts

    Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • 69%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 69%

    English language

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

  • 63%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 60%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 59%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 47%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 45%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 43%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 38%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 37%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 37%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 36%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 34%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 30%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 27%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 27%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 23%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 57%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 55%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 55%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Visualization

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

  • 50%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 50%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 48%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 46%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 46%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 45%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 45%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 39%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 36%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 84%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 79%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 71%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 69%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 68%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 66%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 66%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 60%

    Influencing people

    Convincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.

  • 60%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 57%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 55%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 55%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 51%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 51%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 49%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 48%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 48%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 47%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 47%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 41%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 62%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 62%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 33%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 29%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 24%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 81%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 76%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 67%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 64%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 57%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 57%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 100%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 98%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 92%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 92%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 91%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 88%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 84%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 83%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 82%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 81%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 79%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 78%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 75%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 68%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 67%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 65%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 60%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 60%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 56%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 27-1024.00 - Graphic Designers.


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