So you’ve just entered into the field of logo design and you’re trying to figure out…how much will I be earning? You’re wondering how much does an average graphic/logo designer earn in the US? Well, think no more! Recently, I came across this comprehensive and in depth survey conducted jointly by AIGA and Aquent. They have presented a detailed metropolis-wise average salary estimate of US graphic designers for 2010.

This extensive analysis will help designers of all spheres to evaluate their worth at their appropriate level and experience. You don’t really need to ascertain the cost of famous logos to calculate how much you can earn. Simply examine the salary trends that have taken place over the past 10 years and analyze your current market worth as a logo designer.

Salaries of US Designers at Various Stages:

Factors that determine a logo designer’s salary:

But before going to the survey part, let us first discuss the factors that are involved in estimating the real salary of a graphic/logo designer. Bear in mind that salary estimate requires an extensive research on the market and logo designers need to develop their pricing structure on the basis of various extraneous aspects as well.

• The level of experience of a graphic/logo designer.
• The type, scale and magnitude of the logo design project you are working on.
• The location (region) you are working in.
• The variable overhead expenditures incurred in the logo design project.
• Will you be charging a fixed fee or on an hourly basis?

US Graphic/Logo Designer Salary Survey:

Following is the extensive analysis performed by AIGA and presented by Aquent. The map below shows the average salaries earned by “Solo Designers” in each region of US.

Designer compensation trend (2000–2010):

The following graph shows the trend of compensation received by graphic designers of various levels over the past 10 years.

You can also view the rest of the survey results along with an interactive salary calculator tool at www.designsalaries.org.

A warm welcome to all my devoted readers…today I come with good news for all graphic and logo designers. It gives me great pleasure to announce the launch of Logo Blog’s very own “Logo Design Gallery”. The sole aim of this effort is provide aspiring graphic designers the perfect platform to thrive upon and showcase their creative flair to the logo design world.

The idea of creating a Logo Design Gallery came as a solution for those aspiring and less privileged graphic and logo designers who cannot make the limelight because of insufficient exposure in the market. This gallery is another step forward from Logoblog.org in contributing towards the betterment of the logo design industry.

Without any hassle, you can submit your logos for display and get ratings on them from other designers. You can build your complete portfolio by adding more logos anytime you want. Moreover, the gallery showcases the “logos of the week” by displaying the best logos under the spotlight.

I hope the Logo Design Gallery will prove to be useful in providing logo designers the opportunities they deserve. Please don’t forget to share your views and comments regarding the Logo Design Gallery experience with us.

Since its inception in May 21, 2010, the US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) has been in the news largely because of the mystery behind its logo. Apart from its fancy logo design, the real attention getter was the strange string of characters inscribed in the inner gold ring of the logo. As it turns out, there really was a secret message inscribed in the US Cyber Command logo after all.

This was another addition to the series of logo design controversies particularly relating to US Government departments. A few months back, the US Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency was in the limelight for its similarities with the Islamic crescent and the Iranian Space Agency logo.

Where is the Secret Code?

At a first glance, it might evade the viewer, but at a closer perusal of the logo, you will find that the US Cyber Command emblem consists of 32 random characters “9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a” embedded in its inner gold ring. Online technology magazine Wired.com was the first to bring this to notice and launched a contest to solve the puzzling cryptogram.

What does the code mean?

If you enter the above mission statement into an MD5 hash generator, the 32 character string “9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a” inscribed on the USCYBERCOM logo is generated. An extremely perplexing logic behind a logo designed for a Cyber War Agency.

You Decide!

Logo

Designed by

Year

Price

Any of you happen to come across lengthy posts by some self-proclaimed masters of design industry? It seems like few “companies” and “freelancers” have an intense opposition against Google and its search mechanism. Nowadays, some absurd cases are seen active in the logo design industry, creating bizarre hypes about Google.

Google search brazenly challenged:

Undoubtedly, whole world massively depends on Google and its search assistance but no one has been able to explain how Google mechanism actually works. Taking this advantage, a handful of companies and freelancers seem to be propagating “their” philosophy of Google mechanism. They have gone as far as challenging the authenticity of Google by ridiculing its search results and surprisingly only for the term “logo design”.

If you can’t beat them, defame them:

Logo designing is a growing industry and being a part of it is a battle of nerves. Those who cannot stand the test of times either lose the race or lose their nerves…what say? Steve Douglas from thelogofactory.com loves to spend more time spying on other blogs than on his own. Although Steve has a chronic habit of spying on other blogs and making up distorting articles (a dishonorable technique of generating traffic),  I would advise if you spend more time on SEO, you won’t be conjuring flaws in Google. But I understand, how can one be left with much time after all this post raiding and spy reports? By the way, it was really brave of you to finally admit that “We’re all in this together”. I Agree!

"I never lie because I don’t fear anyone"

Let us now come on the subject of SEO and its latest color hats. In one of David’s recent post, when one of the readers asked about his link building techniques, this is what he replies

Contradicting Statements:

The babbling does not end here. Steve further contradicts himself with another “enlightening” verity about SEO:

It’s either my way or the highway:

Then there is Graham Smith, (a “ very good friend” of David) who blatantly declares “Avoid Sub £100 logo designs”.What a tactful way of saying “It’s either my way or the highway”. What about those who cannot afford a logo design over £100 (from big designers), don’t they have a right to own a logo design? What a diplomatic way of diverting people towards oneself by labeling companies who offer low cost, economical logo design solutions as “criminals” (as quoted by Graham Smith) and portraying oneself as a “savior”.

Who is the ring leader?

After reading the ludicrous stories put together by this “friend circle”, I learnt that connecting blogs and making relations isn’t so hard after all.
Even more startling fact is that their comments section is full of statements from “only” within their group. Have a look at the comment section at thelogofactory.com minutes after the post went live.

Update:

I would like to clarify this post a bit, and update things for the record.  I do not wish to imply David Airey is lying or a liar in anyway.  After reading David’s comment below, and thinking more about it I see now what he is saying. He makes a good point. I’m a big fan of both David’s design, and his blog and wish him all the best and hope he continues to contribute to our discussions here.