Career & Salary Factors of Digital Media

Author: Olivia Grey

If you’ve just graduated with a degree in digital media, congratulations—you are now ready to step into the wide world of professional digital media work! But with so many job options in the field, narrowing down the one that’s best for you can be a difficult task. Think about your favorite aspects of working in digital media—what kind of work sounds the most appealing to you? What type of salary are you hoping to earn? To help you explore the answers to these questions, let’s take a look at some of the careers available after completing your digital media degree online:

  • Web Development

    • If creating websites sounds like something you’d like to do, consider looking for a career in web development! As a web developer, you’ll be responsible for designing and programming various websites through the use of coding. All aspects of a website must be carefully planned, from styling (page backgrounds and font choices) to page layout and site navigation. While many developers work in government or corporate positions, others are independently employed and perform contract-based work for web development firms. In 2016, the average annual salary for web developers was $66,130, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

  • Graphic Design

    • If you're looking to put your visual design skills to the test, try a career in graphic design! Digital graphic designers use computer software to create a wide variety of visuals, including book and magazine covers, advertisements, company and product logos, and brochures. Many graphic designers work for publishing houses or advertising firms, while others are self-employed and work independently with their own clients. Though the average salary—$47,640, according to the BLS—is quite a bit less than that of web development, the work is very rewarding. Just remember to put together a good portfolio of your work for future job interviews; to assemble a portfolio that’s the most beneficial, make sure to include your highest quality pieces, and include some notes to explain what each piece represents and the steps you took to create them.

  • Game Developers
    • Do you have fond childhood memories of inviting your friends over for a round of the latest racing game? Did you stay up too late last night playing the most recent installment of your favorite fighting game series? Consider a career in video game development, where you can create your own masterpieces! Game developers work on various aspects of the game creation—while they use their knowledge of coding to program the game’s major mechanics, they can also be involved in character development, story ideas, and even sound design. Before moving up in the ranks, you’ll start out as a Junior Game Developer, with an average salary of $73,813.

    These are just a handful of the many exciting digital media career opportunities available today! No matter what aspects of digital media are the most interesting to you, and no matter what your particular skill set is, the world of digital media is sure to have a career for you.