According to the Department of Labor and Statistics, the listed top ten percent of web designer salary is over $74,660! Of course, you must understand that the bottom 90% of earners make less than this, but it makes you wonder, what exactly is the range of possibility for a web designer salary?

Using the stats from the DLS, the range goes from around $26,000 up to that top ten percent earning over seventy four thousand per year. Entry level positions and the self-employed designers (first starting out) tend to fit into that lower end.

But web site designers aren’t just judged by their experience level. Someone with “an eye for design” can earn substantially more than someone who is just technically proficient, although both designers have their place in the business.

There are many aspects of design that are not much more than cut, paste, and arrange and depending on your technical skill level, speed and experience, those without that intangible “vision” can still do very well financially speaking.

Beyond the entry level positions, there are a number of possibilities. Experienced web site designers in larger firms might become a creative director or a chief designer.

Another avenue sometimes taken is to leave the comfort and security of traditional employment and strike out on your own as a freelance graphic designer. This can be aided significantly by having a substantial portfolio and people who are impressed by your ability to make their verbal description come to life online.

Starting out as a freelancer can often lead to having your own agency and becoming an owner/manager/designer. This can be appealing to some folks, and others would rather just be independent without staff or concern about other aspects of running a business.

A way to have the best of both worlds may be using 1099 employees and outsourcing some of your more tedious or less creative work through virtual assistants. These virtual assistant positions can also appeal to designers who are looking to get their feet wet by designing evenings and weekends in addition to working their traditional jobs.

Another factor which may impact your value to an employer is your education level. Generally speaking, lower level designers often have a Bachelor of Science degree or even an Associate’s or a certificate from a technical school. Having a Master’s degree can make you look more favorable when a company is looking to advance someone to the next level.

A web designer salary is very attractive to many creative people. The possibility of earning $30,000 to $40,000 within a few years is a very realistic possibility.