Commercial designers work in the field of graphic design, preparing sketches, drawings, collages and various other graphical materials to be incorporated into a final product. Commercial designers can find employment both in the process of designing products, as well as their marketing – in the first case, the designed will be tasked with planning and designing the components of the product in question, while in the second, they’ll be preparing the materials to be used in the product’s advertising campaign. The job of a commercial designer borders between those of an artist and a researcher.
Becoming a commercial designer usually benefits very highly from a formal degree related to design, such as graphic design. Additionally, candidates are usually required to present a portfolio showcasing their previous work in the industry, as well as their general style. For positions where the commercial designer is creating materials to be used in advertisement, a degree in finances or economics is usually valued by potential employers as well.
A commercial designer can earn between $30,000 – $61,000 annually depending on their skill level and creativity, as well as the success of the products that they’ve designed. The latter is especially important in the marketing field of commercial design, and if a given advertising campaign performs extraordinary well, the designer(s) behind it tend to be compensated accordingly. The benefits provided by most employers are very lucrative, creating an additional point of interest for many potential employees. Some of the more successful commercial designers earn around $70,000 – $75,000 annually.