Graphic Designers salary in Asheville, NC
Median pay for graphic designers in Asheville, NC: $47,470/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $29,810 – $81,760 · about 320 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($50,005) by −$2,535 (-5%).
What it's really worth in Asheville
With Asheville's cost of living at 97 (US=100), that $47,470 has the buying power of about $48,741 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $64,538 · median home $428,742 · median rent $1,708/mo.
How Asheville ranks for this job
On raw pay, Asheville, NC is 135th of the 186 metros we hold graphic designers wages for. Once Asheville's cost of living is applied, it ranks 155th.
The headline number flatters Asheville. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, graphic designers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Asheville
A median home in Asheville, NC costs $428,742 — about 9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,708/mo works out at 43% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where graphic designers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Asheville.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Asheville | Rent vs Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $96,260 | +103% | 2.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $92,380 | +95% | 1.9× |
| Washington, DC | $80,100 | +69% | 1.4× |
| New York, NY | $75,900 | +60% | 2.1× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Asheville | Rent vs Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | $61,800 | +30% | 1× |
| Durham, NC | $58,390 | +23% | 1× |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,110 | +16% | 1× |
| Greensboro, NC | $53,000 | +12% | 0.8× |
Staying in NC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires graphic designers around Asheville
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Ingles Markets · Retail
Other jobs in Asheville
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.