Hire in the Philippines / graphic designer
Hire a graphic designer in the Philippines
A graphic designer turns briefs into ads, social posts, product images, and brand assets every week. With Rekruuto, a full-time graphic designer in the Philippines is $1,800 a month and works your hours. A U.S. hire at the BLS median costs about $7,713 a month with employer costs. Start in 14 days, with a 1-week trial.
What does a graphic designer in the Philippines cost compared with a U.S. hire?
The U.S. figure is the national median wage for graphic designers (SOC 27-1024), multiplied by what private employers spend on benefits and payroll taxes for every $1 of pay in professional and related occupations. Our figure is the flat monthly price you pay us.
| U.S. hire at the median | Rekruuto, full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary per year | $62,960 | Included in the monthly price |
| Employer cost multiplier | × 1.47 | None on your side |
| Per month | $7,713 | $1,800 |
| Per year | $92,551 | $21,600 |
| Difference per year | $70,951 ($5,913 a month) | |
The comparison covers compensation only. It leaves out recruiting fees, equipment, software, and the management time any new hire needs. U.S. pay also varies a lot by city and seniority.
What is the local market in the Philippines?
PSA does not publish graphic designers in this table. The information and communication industry average is the nearest creative-sector figure, shown for scale only. The Philippine Statistics Authority's 2024 Occupational Wages Survey puts the average monthly wage rate for information and communication industry at ₱43,676 (about $762). The Metro Manila minimum wage is ₱755 a day from September 26, 2026, about $286 a month. These are survey averages and a legal floor, not what a skilled full-time graphic designer on U.S. hours is paid. We do not publish what each hire earns. You pay one monthly price, and we handle paying your team member.
- U.S. hire, fully loaded$92,551$7,713 a month
- Full-time Rekruuto hire$21,600$1,800 a month
- Difference per year$70,951$5,913 a month
How many working hours overlap with a graphic designer in Manila?
All of them, because our hires work in your time zone. The Philippines is on UTC+8 and does not change its clocks, so a U.S. 9-to-5 lands in the Manila evening or night. The table shows where your day falls for them.
| Your time zone | Manila time, U.S. daylight saving (March–November) | Manila time, U.S. standard time |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. | 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. |
| Central (CT) | 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. | 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. |
| Mountain (MT) | 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. | 12 a.m. – 8 a.m. |
| Pacific (PT) | 12 a.m. – 8 a.m. | 1 a.m. – 9 a.m. |
For a graphic designer, keep these for the hours you are both online:
- A short brief call when a project is new or vague
- Same-day revisions before a launch
These can run from a written queue, so they do not need you on a call:
- Ad and social creative from written briefs
- Resizing one design across every placement
- Product images, banners, and email headers
- Keeping the brand kit and templates organized
What skills should you screen a graphic designer for?
Each skill comes with a short test you can run in the interview or a paid trial task.
| Skill | How to test it |
|---|---|
| A portfolio that matches your style | Ask for three pieces closest to your brand and what the brief was for each. Look for range inside a brand, not just range. |
| Figma, Adobe, or Canva fluency | Give a paid test: one ad in three sizes from your brand kit, in the tool you work in. |
| Taking feedback | Send one round of specific feedback on the test and see how the second version changes. |
| Organized files | Check how the test files are named and layered. You will open them later. |
| Speed on routine work | Ask how long a set of resizes takes them and compare it with the test. |
Is there a case study for this role?
Not yet for a graphic designer. Our published case studies are admin, operations, and healthcare support seats. Ask on the call and we will walk you through how this role is scoped and screened.
How does hiring a graphic designer through Rekruuto work?
- Tell us your needs. Share your requirements, and we'll match you with pre-vetted professionals who fit your unique needs.
- Meet your matches. We'll introduce you to carefully selected candidates. Interview and choose the perfect fit for your team.
- Start your trial. Work with your new team member for a week. Love them, or we'll find a replacement or refund your money.
- Onboard and embed. Seamlessly integrate your new hire into your team and watch your business grow.
Hiring and onboarding take 14 days. The first week is a trial: if you are not satisfied, we find a replacement or refund your money.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a Filipino graphic designer's portfolio?
Ask for the brief behind each piece and a paid test in your brand. A portfolio shows taste. The test shows whether they can work inside your guidelines.
Is a full-time designer better than a design subscription?
If you need daily creative and want one person who learns your brand, a full-time designer usually fits. A subscription suits occasional requests.
Who owns the designs an offshore designer creates?
Set it in writing before work starts: work made for your business belongs to your business. Keep files in your own drive, not the designer's.
What does a full-time graphic designer from the Philippines cost with Rekruuto?
$1,800 a month. Hiring can start in 14 days, and there is a 1-week trial.
How much does a U.S. graphic designer cost compared with Rekruuto?
The BLS median for graphic designers is $62,960 a year (May 2025). With employer costs (× 1.47, BLS June 2026) that is about $92,551 a year, or $7,713 a month. A full-time Rekruuto hire is $1,800 a month.
What time is it in the Philippines when a U.S. workday starts?
The Philippines is on UTC+8 all year. 9 a.m. Eastern is 9 p.m. in Manila during U.S. daylight saving time and 10 p.m. in winter. Your graphic designer works your hours, so the full workday overlaps.
Related pages
- Graphic designer role page
- Every role we place in the Philippines
- Marketing and design guides
- Hire a marketing assistant in the Philippines
- Hire a video editor in the Philippines
- Hire a Shopify or web developer in the Philippines
- Offshore Hiring Costs 2026 report
- Philippines vs Latin America for offshoring
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), national estimates, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 (USDL-26-1494), Table 5, June 2026, released September 9, 2026.
- Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Occupational Wages Survey, August 2024, released November 2025.
- National Wages and Productivity Commission (Philippines), NCR daily minimum wage rates, Wage Order No. NCR-28, Effective September 26, 2026.
- World Bank, Official exchange rate, local currency per US$, period average (PA.NUS.FCRF), 2024 and 2025 annual averages. Peso figures converted at the 2024 and 2025 averages.