AIGA|Aquent Salary Survey

The AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries is widely recognized as the most comprehensive annual survey of compensation data for the communication design profession in the United States. It is commissioned annually by AIGA, with the support of Aquent, AIGA’s Official Sponsor for professional development, and in cooperation with Communication Arts magazine. As the principal source of information on the design economy, AIGA produces this salary survey as part of a comprehensive program of activities developed to serve the professional designer with strategies for success.

AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2011

The 2011 survey draws from an extensive pool of designers and others allied with the profession nationwide, and includes responses from more than 7,000 design professionals. This year’s survey features an expanded list of positions and descriptions for which data were collected. Due to the change in definitions, comparison with previous years’ data is not included. The 2011 results are presented online only at designsalaries.org, where hiring managers, designers and students considering a career in design are encouraged to use the interactive salary calculator and evaluate compensation trends across the profession and throughout the country.

AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2010

The 2010 survey draws from the largest pool to date of designers and others allied with the profession nationwide, and includes responses from more than 7,500 design professionals. View the full 2010 survey (PDF)

AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2009

In addition to compensation data, the 2009 report included essays written by design professionals offering advice on staying competitive in a turbulent economy.

View the full 2009 survey (PDF)

AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2008

Supplementing data on compensation, the 2008 report included observations from established designers on factors beyond compensation that make a career satisfying.

View the full 2008 survey (PDF)

AIGA has commissioned an annual salary survey through Readex Research for more than a decade. Reports from previous years are available from AIGA.

AIGA Survey Partner

Aquent is the Official AIGA Sponsor for Professional Development, serving as a source for creative and design talent as well as providing access to great career opportunities for AIGA members nationwide. As part of ongoing support of AIGA members’ career goals, Aquent sponsors the AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries. This resource, which Aquent makes available to AIGA members as well as organizations that hire design professionals, establishes a common ground for discussing the costs and value of creative work. To learn more about Aquent, the only global staffing company dedicated to marketing and creative services exclusively for Fortune 1000 companies, visit aquent.com or call 877 227 8368.