3 answers
Yusra
Student
Lackawanna, New York
1
Question
Updated
252 views
What type of Graphic Design job is best in terms of pay, creativity, and flexibility: freelance, in-house or agency ?
I'm a rising College Freshmen and am always researching from design jobs on Indeed and LinkdIn to day in the lifes on TikTok. There are a variety of answers, but I want to be able to have a career that doesn't compromise my creativity or a livable salary.
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3 answers
Jing Wang
Business Support
49
Answers
Dalian, Liaoning, China
Updated
Jing’s Answer
Hi Yusra,
You raised a good question. Honestly speaking, it depends on. There isn't a best option, but you can try to find one "best-for-you-right-now".
As you might be aware of each path has its own advantage. Freelancing, obviously means most flexibility and creative control, however it requires strong self-discipline, business skills and ability to handle income instability, early freelancers often underprice their work, especially students. If you want to build a portfolio or personal brand, it's ideal choice.
In-house will provide you stable income, benefits and a consistent work-life balance, your work will be focused on one brand, so you can develop deep expertise in that industry's design language, creativity is often tied to business goal, so you may have less room for experimental work. But it's good chance to refine long term projects and collaborate closely with marketing team. It's a great choice if you prefer to grow with a single company or want to avoid constant client pressure.
Agency roles will provide you opportunities to work on diverse projects across multiple industries, which is quite helpful for building a broad portfolio and learning quickly. You will gain experience with different clients and design styles. But agency often has tight deadlines, high client expectation. Entry-level agency jobs are great for skill-building early in your career.
As an incoming freshman, you don't need to lock into one path right now. You might apply a role as intern at agency or in-house, in the meanwhile treat small freelance projects which you can manage. General speaking, focus on learning skill and building up your portfolio, building financial stability first.
Good luck.
You raised a good question. Honestly speaking, it depends on. There isn't a best option, but you can try to find one "best-for-you-right-now".
As you might be aware of each path has its own advantage. Freelancing, obviously means most flexibility and creative control, however it requires strong self-discipline, business skills and ability to handle income instability, early freelancers often underprice their work, especially students. If you want to build a portfolio or personal brand, it's ideal choice.
In-house will provide you stable income, benefits and a consistent work-life balance, your work will be focused on one brand, so you can develop deep expertise in that industry's design language, creativity is often tied to business goal, so you may have less room for experimental work. But it's good chance to refine long term projects and collaborate closely with marketing team. It's a great choice if you prefer to grow with a single company or want to avoid constant client pressure.
Agency roles will provide you opportunities to work on diverse projects across multiple industries, which is quite helpful for building a broad portfolio and learning quickly. You will gain experience with different clients and design styles. But agency often has tight deadlines, high client expectation. Entry-level agency jobs are great for skill-building early in your career.
As an incoming freshman, you don't need to lock into one path right now. You might apply a role as intern at agency or in-house, in the meanwhile treat small freelance projects which you can manage. General speaking, focus on learning skill and building up your portfolio, building financial stability first.
Good luck.
thank you so much. this really helps!
Yusra
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
136
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Yusra,
Jing makes excellent points. When you work as a contractor through an agency as a W2 employee, it's a lot like having a staff job (except assignments might not be so long, and there are some workplace culture differences because you're an "outsider"). The agency takes a chunk out of your pay (and the client's too), but they take care of payroll, billing the client, taxes, and so on, and you might even have access to benefits such as health insurance. When you freelance, you have to find the clients, do all the negotiating, and be responsible for all the business details--including legal liability. That's a lot!
For now, like Jing says, I suggest focusing on your studies and assembling a portfolio you can use to get work. When you get enough projects completed that you feel good about, you can build a website to promote them. As for a livable salary, there's a good chance that will take time too. The industry is more competitive than ever, and you may need to work your way up to art director to get the kind of money you're looking for. It will depend on the industry or industries you want to work in too.
Also, as a graphic designer, you're a service provider, so if you're concerned about having creative freedom, I suggest you find some other creative outlet to satisfy those needs--at least at first. I'm not suggesting you'll never get to have creative carte blanche, but it's a mistake to expect it and think that you're compromising yourself somehow if you don't get it. In the end, you're there to deliver what the client is asking for.
Hope this helps--wish you all the best in your studies and creative pursuits.
Jing makes excellent points. When you work as a contractor through an agency as a W2 employee, it's a lot like having a staff job (except assignments might not be so long, and there are some workplace culture differences because you're an "outsider"). The agency takes a chunk out of your pay (and the client's too), but they take care of payroll, billing the client, taxes, and so on, and you might even have access to benefits such as health insurance. When you freelance, you have to find the clients, do all the negotiating, and be responsible for all the business details--including legal liability. That's a lot!
For now, like Jing says, I suggest focusing on your studies and assembling a portfolio you can use to get work. When you get enough projects completed that you feel good about, you can build a website to promote them. As for a livable salary, there's a good chance that will take time too. The industry is more competitive than ever, and you may need to work your way up to art director to get the kind of money you're looking for. It will depend on the industry or industries you want to work in too.
Also, as a graphic designer, you're a service provider, so if you're concerned about having creative freedom, I suggest you find some other creative outlet to satisfy those needs--at least at first. I'm not suggesting you'll never get to have creative carte blanche, but it's a mistake to expect it and think that you're compromising yourself somehow if you don't get it. In the end, you're there to deliver what the client is asking for.
Hope this helps--wish you all the best in your studies and creative pursuits.
Crissy Bogusz
Graphic Designer and Motion Graphics Artist
10
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Crissy’s Answer
Hi Yusra
Times have changes a lot and so have salaries, just as of recent years. So by the time you'll be ready for work they would have changed again, in unpredictable ways. But what I recommend is perhaps learn more than one creative design skill. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to do when i was ready to go into college. I knew I was creative, loved art and design and movies, but didn't know which kind of skill to develop or would bring in the best career. So luckily i found a great course (I'm from England so the University course I did was there and it was called Contemporary Media Practice at the University of Westminster) and it taught me many different skills - animation, design, interactive design, video editing, photogtaphy, exhibition set up, and more. So now I classify myself as a Graphic Designer, Motion Graphics Artist and Video Editor. I was left University with hireable Graphic Design and Video Editing skills, so I looked for those jobs to begin with. I found it very hard to get a full time job right away, many people were told you have to do an internship or work for free for a while - I didn't want to do that, but that is something that will be beneficial to get work experience. I ended up writing to many creative companies, offering my Design and Video skills and sent them my portfolio (back then it was on CD Rom!!) and eventually one of those companies hired me for a project as a Freelance Graphic Designer. That gave me decent experience for my resume, and then was easier to get Junior Graphic Design roles after that.
Salary wise now - I prefer freelance, as you can make a decent day or hourly rate and that's worth it if you like the freedom and / or if you're getting enough projects in. I always aim to find long term clients so I don't have to keep looking for projects each month. Full time work is best for security of course and salaries vary a lot. I'd say the best salaries are for 3D designers, and Motion Graphics Artists. Creative Directors also.
Times have changes a lot and so have salaries, just as of recent years. So by the time you'll be ready for work they would have changed again, in unpredictable ways. But what I recommend is perhaps learn more than one creative design skill. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to do when i was ready to go into college. I knew I was creative, loved art and design and movies, but didn't know which kind of skill to develop or would bring in the best career. So luckily i found a great course (I'm from England so the University course I did was there and it was called Contemporary Media Practice at the University of Westminster) and it taught me many different skills - animation, design, interactive design, video editing, photogtaphy, exhibition set up, and more. So now I classify myself as a Graphic Designer, Motion Graphics Artist and Video Editor. I was left University with hireable Graphic Design and Video Editing skills, so I looked for those jobs to begin with. I found it very hard to get a full time job right away, many people were told you have to do an internship or work for free for a while - I didn't want to do that, but that is something that will be beneficial to get work experience. I ended up writing to many creative companies, offering my Design and Video skills and sent them my portfolio (back then it was on CD Rom!!) and eventually one of those companies hired me for a project as a Freelance Graphic Designer. That gave me decent experience for my resume, and then was easier to get Junior Graphic Design roles after that.
Salary wise now - I prefer freelance, as you can make a decent day or hourly rate and that's worth it if you like the freedom and / or if you're getting enough projects in. I always aim to find long term clients so I don't have to keep looking for projects each month. Full time work is best for security of course and salaries vary a lot. I'd say the best salaries are for 3D designers, and Motion Graphics Artists. Creative Directors also.