How much do graphic designers cost?

Graphic designers bring your ideas to life in a visual medium. Their work can range from a small logo for a website to creating the collateral for a far-reaching campaign. Most graphic designers jobs tend to have a business focus, creating logos, collateral or packaging designs. They can also be engaged on a personal level to create illustrations for a special event or a one-off piece of art as a gift. Within Australia, the price estimate to hire a graphic designer ranges from $50 to $1,300. If you have an idea that needs a visual execution then hiring a graphic designer is the fastest way to turn that dream into a reality.

Below is the average cost of hiring a graphic designer in different states across Australia:

There can be a range of costs depending on how the designs you are commissioning will be used.

Flyers / brochures / catalogues – $30 – $700 average reported cost
Flyers and brochures require a collating of images and copy to create an information package. Depending if you’re just wanting a digital copy, don’t forget to factor in printing costs into your budget.

Illustrations – $250 – $1,000 average reported cost
Illustrations cover anything that the designer will have to create from scratch. The applications of illustrations can be as wide-ranging as infographics, picture books, and promotional images.

Logo design – $30 – $1,000 average reported cost
Logo design covers the ideation and creation of a logo for a business or personal brand.

Crisp logo design for The Luggage Co. | Source: Millennial Pink Designs

Packaging – $250 – $320 average reported cost
Packaging design requires a specific type of designer who is familiar with both printing and construction processes.

T-shirt design – $250 – $350 average reported cost
T-shirt design, in this instance, covers the creation of imagery for printing on t-shirts and may also include the printing process itself.

Business cards or stationery – $150 – $900 average reported cost
In this instance, business cards and stationery design may include both the designing of cards and stationery collateral as well as the printing or manufacture of said collateral.

Simple, yet powerful business card. | Source: Telling Designs

Signwriting – $250 – $500 average reported cost
Signwriting covers the design, creation, and installation of signage for shops, businesses, and frontage.

Book or CD/DVD covers – $250 – $350 average reported cost
Books and media covers often require a combination of image manipulation and typography to complete the package.

Website graphics – $30 – $5,000 average reported cost
Website graphics are representative of any digital collateral that would be used commercially or privately online.

Differences in website design on multiple electronic devices. | Source: CBO.me

Specialisation
Graphic designers come in all shapes and sizes. Some specialise in branding and corporate identities whereas others prefer to create packaging or collateral. Whether or not a designer has a speciality will affect the cost of your job. More specialised designers will have a have a higher rate. This is because their specialisation will have involved a great deal of further study on their part. If you know for instance that you want a logo created for your business, you may be better served by hiring a designer that specialises in branding and identity to ensure that the final product is in line with the business the logo will go on to represent.

Experience
A designer with a small portfolio and less experience may indeed offer a lower price. In this instance, they will be eager to build out their professional portfolio. Not only will they be cheaper but they may also bring fresher ideas to the table. That said, they may also take more time to deliver the completed work or will have to work back and forth extensively with you in order to fully understand the design that you want. More experienced designers tend to charge a higher fee. In this instance, you are paying more for reliability and an understanding of what works from a design standpoint. Experienced designers will often take the time initially to make sure that the brief they have is as complete and accurate as possible before starting the work. By doing so they will save you, and them, a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

Reputation
Similar to buying a luxury car or designer clothes, hiring a graphic designer from a prestigious firm or one that has a high reputation in their field will incur a higher cost. This reputation is usually commensurate with the designer’s experience. While it might feel like you’re paying for their brand, remember that that level of prestige usually equates with both quality and efficiency.

Hourly rate vs. fixed Cost
How a designer chooses to charge can be broken down into two options. Designers that charge an hourly rate should provide an estimate of the time it will take for them to complete the work in their initial quote. However, that time may be subject to change, depending on the level of detail you provide them in your brief and whether or not there are any significant changes that need to be made to the work during the revision stages of the project. Designers that charge a fixed fee for a job will usually provide a detailed contract with a breakdown of the costs involved and the time that will be spent. It’s important to check in this initial contract whether or not they provide a limit on the number of amends that will implement. Any additional amends will usually incur a further charge.

Designers that charge a fixed fee for a job will usually provide a detailed contract with a breakdown of the costs involved and the time that will be spent. It’s important to check in this initial contract whether or not they provide a limit on the number of amends that will implement. Any additional amends will usually incur a further charge. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to ensure that you have both an accurate and detailed brief available before you commit to hiring a designer.

Timeframe
Designers that are working to a tight deadline will charge more than those that have a more generous time to deliver the work. This is because working with a time pressure will often mean having to dedicate more time to the project to get it delivered, which may, in turn, impact their ability to work on other projects concurrently. Complex designs or detailed illustrations typically take more time than simple logos or smaller graphics. If you intend to get a more complex piece created for you, then make sure to factor in the increased time it will take to create not only into the timeframe to have it delivered but also the project’s budget.

Physical media
If you require the creation of a physical object from the graphic designer it will likely incur additional charges. This includes printing brochures, CD and DVD covers, T-Shirt printing, Poster printing, and business card and stationery printing. Some graphic designers who specialise in these types of job will have an existing relationship with a printer or manufacturer and will be able to offer you a deal as part of their quote.

Licensing
It’s worth making sure in whatever quote or contract you are presented with from a designer that the ownership and usage of the materials are clearly outlined. Under Australian copyright law, the creator of the design in question has all of the ownership rights over the design. If you intend to use any of the designs for commercial purposes make sure that you retain all of the rights to the imagery, otherwise, you could face licensing fees from the designer further down the line.

Provide an accurate and detailed brief
This is the most important step in ensuring that you get not only what you want but also the best possible quote from your designer. The more detail and thought about what you want that you provide at this stage the cheaper and easier the job will be.

Reviewing examples of past work
Is the most helpful way in hiring creative professionals. In particular, make sure that the graphic designer?s personal style matches your vision for the final product you want. This is another instance where having a detailed brief for what you want helps, as you will be able to compare your vision to their portfolio of work.

References and testimonials from past clients
are another indicator of whether the business will be suited to your needs. Customer testimonials on the business?s Oneflare profile can let you know whether the business listened to the customer?s needs and was easy to work with, and more importantly if they produced work that met the client?s expectations.

To receive the most accurate quote, be sure to include as much information about the job as possible.

* The cost data is based on Oneflare and third-party sources