Info on Working as a Graphic Designer in Madison, Wisconsin

No less than a hundred graphic designers are professionally employed in the city of Madison, Wisconsin.  With a fast-growing population of more than 233,000 and over 30,000 commercial enterprises, Madison is a choice locale for resident graphic artists to find work.

Madison Schools and Training Programs for Graphic Design

Colleges and Universities all over Wisconsin feature various kinds of licensing and degree options for professional work in communication design.  Most graphic artists attending Madison design colleges major in visual arts.  Major Madison design schools include Edgewood College, Herzing College, Madison Media Institute and University of Wisconsin. 

Beyond the many Madison-based design colleges are countless accredited online degree programs available anywhere to anyone who can pay the tuition.  Among the most successful accredited design schools featuring online degree programs in graphic design are The Art Institutes, ITT Tech, University of Phoenix and DeVry.  These four convenience-oriented design schools also feature physical locations all across America.  ITT Tech and University of Phoenix both have campuses in Madison. 

Working as a Graphic Designer in Madison, Wisconsin

Graphic artists in the city of Madison, Wisconsin work for manufacturers, landscapers, software developers, news groups, animation studios, book publishers, and countless other businesses.  Graphic design jobs for Madison artists include book and magazine layout, mobile app design, character development for video games, local maps, visual assembly instructions and many more. 

A great wealth of Wisconsin graphic design professionals are employed by leading local advertising agencies.  Top Madison ad firms include J's Home Projects, Lindsay-Stone-Briggs and Wheels For You, among others.  Some local artists team up with well known Wisconsin motion picture companies.  Leading Madison movie producers include Vantage Point Motivation, VIP Home Media Service and Wyeth Digital Wizards. 

According to recent economic reports, the mean annual income for a Wisconsin graphic designer is about $43,000, with an average hourly rate of around $20.25.  Salaries between $30,000 and $60,000 are paid annually to about half of all graphic designers employed in the USA.  Wisconsin ranks unimpressively among states in terms of average annual income for graphic designers.  However, this data fails to reflect the unreported incomes of self employed Wisconsin designers.

Skills of a Graphic Designer

Artists with advanced drawing technique, digital art expertise, basic photography skills and a touch of personal charm can often land entry level positions in the field of graphic design.  However, most employers will prefer designers who also possess more advanced skills like typography, web page design, animation, interactive media and project management.  Above all, professional communications designers should have excellent communication skills, not to mention a uniquely compelling talent for visual arts.