In an attempt at a reality check, can you tell me what pay is normal for a graphic artist in your region? I've got over 24 years experience. Currently using cs3 ps, illus, indesign, & image ready. $15.97/hr. in southwest US, but house payment is over $800, then utilities (summer elec is over $200/mo), car payment, insurance, visa, gasoline, food... I'm poor. How about you?

photoshop, Illustrator, dreamweaver and flash, £64 an hour: i wish,
the magic is in building a web site that works, moving a domain name from a crappy slow server to a high speed server that can deliver a flash only site with video that actualy works, only a few folk can do that, anyone can chop a pic, kids come out of school with better skillz than most of us, no customer know how, but mad skillz in note pad

that's $124.7 in US dollars... you're a millionaire! well at least a quarter of a million if you work the same amount of hours a week as I do (40).

i work for my son, he designs, i build, he charges silly small money i suffer, last site i built i was told was a $22,000 site son charged £450 dont work for friend or family

That's low for anyone with 24 years of experience, Whims.

On the other hand, many people seem to be clinging to their jobs while accepting a measly 3.5% annual increase. Some ppl I work with are getting second jobs...

and, yeah!, I agree with Splodge...stay away from working for relatives.

This does not sound very helpful...and I'm sorry. If you work at a stable company, it often pays to leave for 6-8 months and come back to a better starting salary. But don't bank on it.

Unfortunately the world does not value designers, they value sports stars and Jessica Alba/Brad Pitt/Britney/fill in your own star here.

They also don't value nurses. Probably don't value fireman, policemen, waiters, teachers, all the people that help service the world.

Everybody thinks they are as a good an artist as a graphic artist. They all think they can smash together a website. Till they try. But still then they want it for near free. You can make 400.00 a month Whimsea selling plasma.

Just an example, at the local college, they give out new grads resumes to callers, these people ask for a web designer, with knowledge of javascript, dreamweaver, good photoshop skills, and flash, php, asp and database programming and want to pay get this hold on........ $7.50 /hr. It's past insulting!

Freelance graphic designers make $60.00 an hour around here, but the cost of living is ridiculous. Full timers make $15-$40 an hour plus benefits,or a salary. If I'm doing illustration freelance, I can make anywhere from $50 an hour to $1000 an hour. Depends on the job. It all depends on who's buying. What they are using it for and where you live. Ad agencies pay ridiculous amounts of money if you are good. Small companies can only pay a little. You need to take both kinds of jobs. The big ones don't happen often enough so the little ones keep the bills payed in between.

yes...unfortunately freelance = no bennies unless it's your second income.

You have any idea how much health insurance is?...well, yes, I'm sure you do, Rey.

Yes, and I can't afford to lose it. So I have to keep my full time retouching/illustration job while doing freelance work on the side.

$15.97 /hr, plus I get good insurance which takes quite a bit out of pay, plus opted for the flexible spending, and a 401K which is loosing money daily -- all those things come out prior to taxes. We get bonuses occasionally.... no raises this year, but usually they're 3%. I panic too often of getting laid off, which I suppose is normal these days. Don't have any months pay saved up just in case! Just don't know what I could get elsewhere if I did get canned. First thing I've done in the past (after filing for unemployment) is go the temp agency and take just about anything. I type so fast people love that (except you reading my stuff! Ha!) but I don't know if anyone could give me as much as I make now... scary days.

Here in California... unless you can write a book worth of code and know every single thing about graphic designing, you will get shafted. I did a logo not so long ago for a small business, they wouldn't pay more than $50 bux. Back in high school I did my whole school website and they didn't even pay me

I failed class short after.

I wish someone would've told me computer business wasn't going to pay my bills in teh long run, I would've taken mechanics or something more useful. As soon as I finish college, I'm going to enroll in WYOTECH for a mechanic carrier. Screw Computer related JOBS!

Bottom of the line, you have to be really good at what yo do to even get a chance to get paid. I MEAN REALLY DAMN GOOD.

geez, Whims, look into medical transcribing then. I hear it pays very well.

try googling fast typing jobs ...you'll be amazed.

and don't fret, everyone's worried about job security. You aren't alone!

Like Rey mentioned it basically rides on the situation/buyer. A company that has an advertising budget doesn't even blink when approached with a $75 per hour quote but a small mom and pop business watches their pennies and maybe a logo is not a big priority. If I had to pick an average for me (here in Ga) it would probably be $25 per hour. Connecticut I was getting in the $60 range. It basically works well if you get in with a big franchise company where you are getting a consistent amount of work.

I was thinking as times get worse I will knock off a bank. I can get FREE housing, medical,food, utilites. I get free attorney fees. My medicine if I need any comes free. I can make some nice license plates and still get a income daily. What's not to lose well I may have to start enjoying the services of Bertha only bad part.

funny girl.... you might have to do freelance for Bertha!