Median salary: $55K (Real Estate Agent) vs $55K (Graphic Designer). Salary ranges overlap between 30K–150K and 38K–85K. The take-home difference depends on state taxes, cost of living, and where in the salary range you fall.
At the national median, Real Estate Agents earn $55K and Graphic Designers earn $55K. After federal taxes and FICA (calculated without state tax to isolate the salary effect), Real Estate Agents take home $46,373 vs $46,373 for Graphic Designers.
Both professions have identical national medians, so the take-home difference comes entirely from state-level salary adjustments and state taxes.
Real Estate Agents face an effective tax rate of 15.7% at median, while Graphic Designers pay 15.7%. Both professions face similar effective rates at their median salaries.
The best states differ for each profession because salary adjustments vary by state cost index and interact differently with tax brackets. A state that’s great for a $55K earner may not be optimal for a $55K earner.
All 50 states showing estimated salary and take-home for both professions. Sorted by which states give Real Estate Agents the largest take-home advantage over Graphic Designers.
| State | Real Estate Agent Salary | Real Estate Agent Take-Home | Graphic Designer Salary | Graphic Designer Take-Home | Difference | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48K | $38,468 | $48K | $38,468 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Alaska | $70K | $58,020 | $70K | $58,020 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Arizona | $53K | $43,441 | $53K | $43,441 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Arkansas | $47K | $38,753 | $47K | $38,753 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| California | $78K | $56,905 | $78K | $56,905 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Colorado | $58K | $46,231 | $58K | $46,231 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Connecticut | $61K | $48,422 | $61K | $48,422 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Delaware | $56K | $43,934 | $56K | $43,934 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Florida | $55K | $46,373 | $55K | $46,373 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Georgia | $51K | $40,512 | $51K | $40,512 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Hawaii | $106K | $75,767 | $106K | $75,767 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Idaho | $52K | $41,206 | $52K | $41,206 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Illinois | $51K | $40,634 | $51K | $40,634 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Indiana | $50K | $40,130 | $50K | $40,130 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Iowa | $49K | $39,690 | $49K | $39,690 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Kansas | $50K | $40,503 | $50K | $40,503 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Kentucky | $50K | $39,855 | $50K | $39,855 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Louisiana | $50K | $40,974 | $50K | $40,974 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Maine | $54K | $43,059 | $54K | $43,059 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Maryland | $62K | $48,750 | $62K | $48,750 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Massachusetts | $65K | $51,158 | $65K | $51,158 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Michigan | $50K | $39,480 | $50K | $39,480 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Minnesota | $54K | $42,112 | $54K | $42,112 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Mississippi | $46K | $37,646 | $46K | $37,646 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Missouri | $49K | $39,288 | $49K | $39,288 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Montana | $53K | $42,819 | $53K | $42,819 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Nebraska | $50K | $40,876 | $50K | $40,876 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Nevada | $56K | $47,176 | $56K | $47,176 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| New Hampshire | $59K | $49,587 | $59K | $49,587 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| New Jersey | $63K | $48,398 | $63K | $48,398 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| New Mexico | $50K | $40,438 | $50K | $40,438 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| New York | $69K | $51,393 | $69K | $51,393 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| North Carolina | $52K | $41,887 | $52K | $41,887 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| North Dakota | $51K | $42,512 | $51K | $42,512 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Ohio | $50K | $40,230 | $50K | $40,230 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Oklahoma | $48K | $39,266 | $48K | $39,266 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Oregon | $61K | $46,353 | $61K | $46,353 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Pennsylvania | $54K | $43,101 | $54K | $43,101 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Rhode Island | $58K | $46,525 | $58K | $46,525 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| South Carolina | $51K | $41,037 | $51K | $41,037 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| South Dakota | $51K | $43,159 | $51K | $43,159 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Tennessee | $50K | $42,355 | $50K | $42,355 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Texas | $51K | $43,159 | $51K | $43,159 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Utah | $54K | $43,058 | $54K | $43,058 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Vermont | $58K | $45,484 | $58K | $45,484 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Virginia | $57K | $45,849 | $57K | $45,849 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Washington | $61K | $51,194 | $61K | $51,194 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| West Virginia | $46K | $37,610 | $46K | $37,610 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Wisconsin | $51K | $40,623 | $51K | $40,623 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
| Wyoming | $52K | $43,962 | $52K | $43,962 | $0 | Graphic Designer |
Job Security & Demand: Real Estate Agents and Graphic Designers serve different market needs, which affects job security differently. The demand for real estate agents depends on community needs and economic conditions, while graphic designer demand is driven by essential services and local economic activity. Both careers offer reasonable stability for experienced professionals.
Growth & Advancement: Career advancement paths differ significantly. Real Estate Agents have a salary range of 30K–150K, with the higher end typically requiring either specialization or management responsibilities. Graphic Designers range from 38K–85K, with similar advancement dynamics. Education requirements, licensing, and geographic flexibility all influence which career ultimately provides better lifetime earnings.
Work-Life Balance & Lifestyle: Work-life balance, benefits, and non-monetary compensation vary considerably between these careers. Beyond raw take-home pay, consider retirement benefits (pensions vs 401k matching), healthcare coverage quality, schedule flexibility, and whether the role supports remote work — which has significant tax implications if you can choose your state of residency.