How To Become a Graphic Designer in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Many dozen professional graphic designers live and work in the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Home to more than 104,000 people and about 17,000 commercial businesses, Green Bay is ideal for local artists seeking careers in visual communication design.

Green Bay Schools and Training Programs for Graphic Design

Colleges and Universities throughout the state of Wisconsin offer various graphic design degree options to local artists.  Most artists enrolled at Green Bay design colleges major in photography, fine arts or visual media.  Grade-A Green Bay graphic design schools include Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and University of Wisconsin. 

Beyond the many local design colleges are numerous online degree programs available nationwide.  Accredited colleges featuring online degree programs in graphic design include The Art Institutes, ITT Tech, University of Phoenix and DeVry.  Each of these four schools also features physical locations all around the United States.  ITT Tech has a location in Green Bay.

Working as a Graphic Designer in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Graphic artists in Green Bay, Wisconsin are employed by manufacturers, book publishers, software developers, community organizations, animation studios, wedding planners, real estate offices, and many other businesses.  Locally based graphic design jobs available to Green Bay designers include company logos, medical illustrations, web pages, book covers, street signs, landscaping projects and more.  A great many Wisconsin graphic designers are employed by leading local advertising agencies.  Top Green Bay ad firms include HVS Advertising, Seidl Publishing and Arketype, among others.  Some local artists team up with growing Green Bay motion picture companies.  Leading local movie producers include IV-Media, North Coast Productions and WLUK-Fox-11, for example. 

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the mean annual income for a graphic designer employed in Wisconsin is currently about $43,000, with mean hourly rate of around $20.25.  About half of all graphic designers employed by American businesses earn between $30,000 and $60,000 annually.  Wisconsin ranks mediocre among states in terms of average annual income for graphic designers.  However, none of this data takes into account the unreported incomes of self employed Wisconsin designers.  Also, artists employed in relatively large cities like Green Bay earn higher incomes, on average, than artists employed in other parts of the state.

Skills of a Graphic Designer

Qualifications for professional graphic design work include drawing and illustration techniques in various styles.  Also crucial is proficiency with software programs for creating computer-generated artwork.  Typographical expertise is similarly essential, as the bulk of graphic design work involves layout design.  Additionally, basic photography and web design ability will often come in handy.  Advanced graphic design skills include animation and interactive design.  Today's employers also appreciate online marketing and social networking skills.  Bosses love employees who can multitask.