Creative Adventures

One great advantage of living in this current generation is our understanding of the world beyond our immediate surroundings. Never before have we had the opportunity or ability to pack up and move somewhere else. That being said, even with the social technology we have today, moving to a strange new place can be intimating and scary, especially if one goes at it alone.  However, trying a new place can be incredibly rewarding, even if its temporary. The hardest part can be choosing where you believe you would fit best.

There are some important things to consider when planning a move:

• If you move far enough away that you will have to fly home to visit, some cities are cheaper than others to fly in and out of.  If the area is farther away from a large airport, it may require a small connecting flight or the price of gas for the longer car ride.

• Obviously depending on the area, the cost of living will change greatly. Just because a creative in the city is paid well doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be living in loft completely decked out in Anthropologie home goods.

• Considering what is accessible outside of the city can be important. Do you want to be close to other metropolitan areas, in which staying on the East coast may be best for you or would you rather be surrounded by rural land, in which the nearby sprawling plains surrounding Chicago or Kansas City may be suitable.

•  What are the job opportunities like where you are going? While design can be a self-driven field, clients who want to pay for those well-honed skills are a must.

Ready to take the plunge and move somewhere else? Here are some suggestions for cities in America that are ideal for graphic designers. 

If you would rather stay a little closer to home, the East coast is a cultural and creative hub. Besides Philadelphia, New York and Washington D.C. are great cities for design. While the cost of living in Washington DC is also a bit higher, graphic designers are paid relatively well. Besides the pay, there is the benefit in living in a vibrant, historical city that is only a train ride away from other design cities in the nation. 

A no-brainer is New York. The city is the heart of East coast design and boasts a large amount of design studios and agencies along with world-class museums and galleries. The city is filled with young creative professionals with under five years of design experience, according to Designroast. The average starting salary is about $30,000, and the cost of living is very high. The cities in the East coast greatly benefit from having the accessibility provided by the extensive train and bus system.

If you are interested in moving to a place where the land is a little warmer and less like tundra, there are wonderful cities in the south.  One of the leading design-friendly cities in the South is Austin, TX. It is one of the fastest growing cities in America and now employs some of the highest paid animators in the country and has an average salary of $54,000, according to Designroast. An added boost is it’s below average cost of living and the Southern hospitality. Besides Austin, Atlanta, GA is another great Southern option.

If the cold and the possibility of tornadoes don’t faze you, the Midwest offers some great cities for design. Break out the map of the US and look for Minneapolis, MN. Minneapolis is a medium-sized city that is a marketing and design hub in the Midwest. Companies such as Target and Best Buy are headquartered in the city as well a multitude of smaller design studios. The city boasts high employment and an average design salary of 54,000. It's also one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation.

If you’re interested in the Midwest but have big-city dreams, Chicago is the place for you. The city itself is beautifully designed and is home to large companies like Quiksilver and Razorfish, Inc. along with large design firms like Design Kitchen.

For those who are comfortable with taking a cross-country trek, the West offers many cities filled with design opportunities. San Francisco is the West Coast design capital but like its East coast counterpart, it unfortunately comes along with a hefty cost of living. On the plus side, you will become incredibly close with the five roommates you will have to share a mattress with. Some large companies out in San Francisco include Microsoft, Williams-Sonoma, and Gap.

Another Californian city that is great for design is Los Angeles, which is home to Forever 21, Fox and Creative Circle and a large amount of Botoxed celebrities. Because California can be large and overwhelming, some smaller cities include Seattle, which is home to little known companies like Amazon and Starbucks. 

As young creatives, there is no better time to explore the world and learn new things. Whether a move is in your future or not, there is no time like the present to go on a creative adventure.