Occasionally, a graphic designer comes along who ticks all the right boxes: a strong portfolio, solid work experience, and great qualifications. While there’s no denying the importance of these requirements, the cost of a graphic designer is one thing business owners should not overlook.
Let’s face it—graphic design can be costly, and it's not surprising, though. After all, graphic design is an art as much as it is a science of problem-solving and adding value through visual means. According to Piktochart, 32% of businesses invest $1,000 to $5,000 and $5,000 to $10,000 every year.
While the above budgets are steep, there are ways to reduce graphic design costs — especially if you’re a small business owner. You can go the DIY route or hire a graphic designer from the Philippines. The latter is always the better option as a Filipino graphic designer is cheaper and has the right skills to design any visual material. Whether you’re opting for a full-time or freelance graphic designer, this guide gives you an idea of the cost of hiring a Filipino graphic designer.
The Edge of Filipino Graphic Designers Over Other Nationalities
The Philippines is a talent hotbed. Situated in Southeast Asia, the country’s low cost of living and welcoming culture, combined with its thriving business processing outsourcing (BPO) industry and highly educated, customer-oriented workforce make the Philippines a go-to outsourcing destination for overseas companies. Below are three reasons why Filipino graphic designers are preferred over other nationalities.
1. College-Educated Workforce
For Filipinos, education — especially a college degree — is central to success. Most jobs in the Philippines require a college degree, so Filipino students study hard or balance work and studies to finish school with flying colors.
When you hire graphic designers from the Philippines, expect them to hold a four-year degree in graphic design or any related creative course. While some clients prefer self-taught graphic designers or don’t care about degrees, always remember that the college degree of a Filipino designer is a testament to their hard work and dedication to their craft.
Through mastering design principles, completing design projects, and working at internships, college education prepares Filipino students for the rigors and challenges of the creative industry.
2. Experience In Working With Foreign Clients
The high English proficiency of Filipinos is enough to give them an edge in various fields. Graphic designers from the Philippines — whether they’re working as freelancers or as BPO employees — are not only focused on delivering stellar designs, they also use their near-native English skills to pitch ideas and offer creative insights to foreign clients.
3. Hardworking and Reliable
Filipinos are born hard workers. From taking care of their families to climbing the corporate ladder, their industriousness and dedication know no bounds. That’s why foreign business owners often onboard Filipino professionals.
As such, you can expect your Filipino creative team to exceed your expectations and go beyond the call of duty to produce meticulously crafted designers. Because Filipinos are reliable, there’s little need for frequent supervision.
4 Common Employment Types for Graphic Designers
Like any profession, graphic designers have different types of employment. Companies can hire a full-time, part-time, or freelance graphic designer depending on their needs, budget, or the flexibility of the graphic artist.
While there are no hard and fast rules for hiring a skilled graphic designer, exploring how each employment type can affect your daily operations and budget is key to helping you make the right decision for your business.
1. Full-Time Graphic Designer
A typical full-time graphic designer works the standard 9-5 hours from Monday to Friday. They receive a monthly salary and employment benefits such as insurance and PTOs. As such, full-time graphic designers are costlier than part-time graphic designers.
In addition, an outsourced graphic designer or a team of graphic designers can be onboarded as part of a design agency, creative agency, or a BPO company. Direct communication with the agency’s creative may be minimal, as client relationships are handled by a supervisor or a project manager. Hiring offshore graphic artists for full-time work is only recommended if you have ample projects in line as well as the budget for their salary and benefits.
2. Part-Time Graphic Designer
A part-time graphic designer does not follow the same schedule as their full-time counterparts. Part-timers have shorter shifts, working only at set hours or days. Because of their flexible schedule, part-time graphic designers are more cost-effective than full-time graphic designers. This type of employment is best for business owners who prefer flexibility, scalability, and short-term commitments.
3. Freelance Graphic Designer
Freelancers juggle projects from different clients. As self-employed virtual graphic designers, they provide their own benefits, work directly with clients, and exercise control over their choice of projects. In short, freelancers are their own bosses. Businesses hire freelance graphic designers due to lower hiring costs and risks, increased productivity, and more streamlined communication with their freelance graphic design team.
4. Project-Based Graphic Designer
Project-based graphic designers are only hired for a particular project. Since it’s a form of short-term employment, business owners can slash hiring expenses and temporarily acquire new talent for specific graphic design needs. Project-based graphic designers are recommended for clients who want temporary access to high-caliber talent without the costs that come with long-term employment.
How Much Is the Cost to Hire A Graphic Designer Philippines
This is every client’s million-dollar question. The cost to hire a graphic designer depends on the following factors: location, expertise, work experience, and employment type. Simply put, there are no set-in-stone graphic design rates.
While there’s always the temptation to go for Filipino designers with dirt-cheap graphic design rates, the value for money may not be as good as other virtual graphic designers with higher price points. Before hiring Filipino graphic designers for your graphic design needs, let’s learn about the profession’s salary range as well as the factors that influence graphic design rates.
Cost of Hiring Graphic Designers From the Philippines
Philippine graphic design rates range between ₱25,000 ($430) to ₱37,250 ($641) each month. According to Glassdoor, monthly salaries for Filipino graphic designers in Manila can earn around an average of ₱21,000 ($361) to ₱44,000 ($756) a month.
- Junior Graphic Designers: Entry-level designers from the Philippines earn a monthly salary of ₱23,635 ($406). In some cities, entry-level designers enjoy a higher salary range of ₱29,778 ($512) to ₱39,346 ($676) each month.
- Senior Graphic Designers: Senior graphic designers, on the other hand, take home ₱47,475 a month. Senior designers in certain Philippine cities earn ₱33,702 ($579) to a whopping ₱89,450 ($1,538) each month.
Cost of Hiring Graphic Designers From the United States
Due to the high cost of living, graphic design rates in the United States are costlier than in the Philippines. On average, US graphic designers between $4,288 to $5,126 each month — depending on the location.
- Junior Graphic Designers: Newbie designers in the United States earn $3,578 to $4,011 each month, with some getting paid $5,500 monthly.
- Senior Graphic Designers: On average, they earn between $4,143 to $6,511 a month. The US graphic design rate can even go as high as $9,417.
6 Factors That Influence the Cost of Hiring A Filipino Graphic Designer
Do steep graphic design prices scare you? Higher rates signify the expertise and professional growth of a Filipino designer. Below are six factors to get you started on charging better graphic design rates or finding the right Filipino graphic designers.
1. Experience and Expertise
More experience = more pay! Before hiring a Filipino graphic designer, look at how many professional experiences they have had as a designer. If the designer is a fresh graduate with little professional work experience, they’re more likely applying for the position of junior designer — a role with lower pay.
As they climb the career ladder, gain more work experience and skills, build their portfolio, a Filipino graphic designer can apply for senior positions — which demand higher salaries.
2. Project Scope and Complexity
Project scope refers to a project’s goals, deadlines, and deliverables. Projects involving multiple deliverables or complex design work entail higher graphic design rates, as both require more time and skills.
3. Deadlines
Great designs take time. From ideation to design creation and execution, there’s a lot going on in the graphic design process. Ideally, an outsourced graphic designer should be given ample time to complete a project. Of course, it can’t be helped that, sometimes, you need a graphic designer for an urgent project. In this case, you’ll need to pay for rush fees. Before committing to a graphic designer, read their rush fee policy first.
4. Revisions
Revisions are inevitable in graphic design. Yes, they do incur additional charges. A freelance graphic designer may establish a set number of revisions you can request, ranging from one to three revisions per project.
Be wary of graphic designers who offer unlimited revisions. While this perk has its appeal, it can mean that the designer lacks the skill and confidence to nail their design projects. Clients can, unfortunately, abuse a designer’s unlimited revisions policy for the sole reason they don’t have a clear goal in mind. This can compromise turnaround times and project quality.
If you don’t want to waste your graphic designer’s time or pay revision fees, your design brief must contain the goals and vision of the project.
5. Graphic Designer’s Expenses
Filipino graphic designers have bills to pay. A freelance graphic designer, for instance, factors in the cost of utility bills, taxes, insurance, and other expenses, which influence their graphic design rate. Graphic designers also pay for design software and assets. Understandably, these affect how much they charge their clients.
6. 13th-Month Pay and Bonuses
The 13th-month pay is the most anticipated annual benefit for Filipino rank-and-file employees. As mandated in Presidential Decree No. 851, Philippine companies must provide the 13th-month pay on or before December 24 to ensure the employees’ financial stability during Christmas.
Businesses not under Philippine jurisdiction are not legally required to pay this benefit. However, a token of appreciation in the form of a 13th-month pay or performance bonus can make your Filipino designer’s day. Regardless, bonuses and 13th-month pay are additional expenses on your end, and therefore, should be taken into account when hiring a Filipino graphic designer.
I’m About to Hire a Filipino Graphic Designer, Which Payment Platform Should I Use?
In the Philippines, Paypal is a go-to payment platform. Although some freelancers prefer Paypal, the high transaction fees significantly add up over time. Bank transfer is another option, too — albeit it requires your Filipino graphic designer to share their account details with you. Long processing times and transaction fees are also the drawbacks of bank transfers.
So, the short answer? It depends. Overall, the best course of action is to ask the designer or check their profile. Freelance websites also feature a dedicated payment system, guaranteeing safe transactions between you and your freelance graphic designer.
Outsource Your Graphic Design Projects Today
Because visuals make or break first impressions, brands are now upping their design game. That’s why graphic designers are an investment. Their creativity, problem-solving skills, and tech-savviness are worth more than a measly pay of peanuts. At the end of the day, great visuals come with business growth and significant returns on investment (ROI).
If you’re looking to outsource graphic design services and form your team of Filipino graphic designers, choose KDCI. KDCI is a BPO company that has solidified its reputation as a provider of world-class graphic design outsourcing services. Our graphic designers’ creative and technical acumen are demonstrated in our design portfolio — which consists of finished projects from different clients, such as Art Brand Studios, Nielsen, and Fitlife.
Whether you’re on the lookout for a motion graphics designer or art director, we hire and onboard the right people for your business. No matter how complex your design needs are, KDCI is here to tailor an appropriate creative solution that meets your goals.
