Design Jobs in Atlanta: Where the Creative Work Is and How to Get It

Atlanta has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest hubs for creative and design careers. Whether you’re a graphic designer, UX/UI specialist, interior designer, product designer, or someone shifting into the design field, Atlanta offers a wide range of design jobs, from scrappy startups to global corporations and major agencies.

This guide focuses on how design jobs work in Atlanta, where to find them, typical employers, pay expectations, and how to plug into the local creative community.

The Design Job Market in Atlanta: What to Expect

Atlanta combines a large corporate presence, a growing tech scene, and a vibrant arts and culture community. That mix creates steady demand for:

• Graphic & visual designers
• UX/UI and product designers
• Web designers
• Interior and architectural designers
• Brand, marketing, and communication designers
• Motion graphics and digital content designers
• Industrial and product designers

Design roles in Atlanta appear in:

• Corporate in-house teams (Fortune 500, healthcare, logistics, telecom, media)
• Advertising and branding agencies
• Tech companies and startups
• Film, TV, and entertainment production
• Architecture and interior firms
• Nonprofits, universities, and cultural institutions

Many roles are full-time, but freelance and contract work are common, especially in marketing, web, and UX.

Common Types of Design Jobs in Atlanta

Graphic & Visual Design

Graphic designers in Atlanta often work on:

• Branding and identity systems
• Marketing campaigns and social media graphics
• Packaging and print collateral
• Presentations and internal communications

You’ll see job titles such as:

• Graphic Designer / Senior Graphic Designer
• Visual Designer
• Brand Designer
• Marketing Designer

These roles exist across Midtown, Downtown, Buckhead, Perimeter, and increasingly in West Midtown and Old Fourth Ward, where many creative companies are based.

UX/UI & Digital Product Design

Atlanta’s tech and startup ecosystem has created strong demand for UX and UI designers, particularly around:

• SaaS products
• E‑commerce platforms
• Mobile apps
• Enterprise tools for logistics, healthcare, and finance

Typical job titles:

• UX Designer / UX Researcher
• UI Designer
• Product Designer
• Interaction Designer

These roles tend to cluster around:

• Tech hubs in Midtown (near Georgia Tech and Tech Square)
• Perimeter Center / Sandy Springs
• Alpharetta’s “Technology Corridor” (commutable from Atlanta, often listed as part of the metro market)

Web & Digital Design

Separate from pure UX/UI, there’s steady work in:

• Marketing websites
• Landing pages
• Email and digital campaign design
• Content management and basic front-end implementation

Common titles:

• Web Designer
• Digital Designer
• Front-End Designer / Web Specialist

These jobs are frequently found with marketing agencies, in-house marketing teams, and small businesses around the city.

Interior, Architecture & Environmental Design

Atlanta’s ongoing growth supports careers in:

• Residential interior design
• Commercial and office interiors
• Hospitality (restaurants, hotels)
• Retail and experiential environments

Roles include:

• Interior Designer
• Architectural Designer
• Environmental Graphic Designer
• Retail / Experiential Designer

You’ll find many of these firms in Buckhead, Midtown, West Midtown, and around Peachtree Street corridors, as well as across the broader metro.

Motion, Video & Multimedia Design

With Atlanta’s strong film and TV industry, there is also demand for:

• Motion graphics
• Title design
• Visual assets for TV, streaming, and social
• Animated explainers and product demos

Look for:

• Motion Designer
• Video Editor / Designer
• Multimedia Designer
• Broadcast Designer

These roles may appear with production companies, post-production studios, TV networks, and agency content teams across the metro area.

Industrial & Product Design

Atlanta’s logistics, manufacturing, and consumer goods sectors can support:

• Physical product design
• Packaging and user-centered hardware design
• Design for manufacturing and ergonomics

Titles you may see:

• Industrial Designer
• Product Designer (Physical)
• Design Engineer

These jobs may be centered in suburban industrial hubs or corporate campuses, but often recruit in or near Atlanta.

Where Design Jobs Are in Atlanta (By Employer Type)

Use this as a quick map of where opportunities tend to come from.

Typical Skills and Tools for Atlanta Design Roles

Design expectations in Atlanta are similar to other major cities. Employers often look for:

Core Skills

• Strong portfolio tailored to the role
• Visual communication and layout skills
• Typography and color knowledge
• Basic UX principles, even for non-digital roles
• Collaboration and communication with non-design stakeholders
• Ability to present and explain design decisions

Common Tools

Depending on your specialty, you’ll likely need familiarity with:

• Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, XD)
• Figma or Sketch (especially for UX/UI)
• Prototyping tools (Figma, InVision, Axure, Principle)
• Presentation tools (Keynote, PowerPoint)
• Basic front-end concepts (HTML/CSS understanding for web/digital roles)

Atlanta employers often expect designers to be comfortable in cross-functional teams, especially with marketing, product, and engineering.

What Design Salaries Look Like in Atlanta

Compensation varies by experience, role, and company size, but common patterns in the Atlanta market include:

• Junior / Entry-Level Designers
  Frequently in agency or in-house marketing teams. Pay is usually lower than in coastal cities but often balanced by lower cost of living.

• Mid-Level Designers (3–7 years)
  Often move into roles with more independence and ownership of projects. Pay increases notably when transitioning from small agencies to larger corporations or tech companies.

• Senior & Lead Designers
  May manage small teams, drive UX strategy, or own major brand initiatives. Top salaries often occur at large enterprises, fast-growing tech firms, or established agencies.

Designers in Atlanta also commonly supplement income with freelance work, particularly in branding, web design, and marketing collateral.

How to Find Design Jobs in Atlanta

1. Online Job Boards & Company Career Pages

Common ways Atlanta designers find work:

• General job boards that list “designer,” “UX,” “creative,” or “visual” roles in the Atlanta area
• Company career pages for Atlanta-headquartered or Atlanta-based offices
• Filters for remote-friendly jobs that specify Atlanta or East Coast time zone (many companies like having designers nearby for collaboration)

Keywords that often surface local roles:

• “Graphic Designer Atlanta”
• “UX Designer Atlanta”
• “Product Designer Atlanta”
• “Atlanta design agency”

2. Atlanta-Based Agencies & Studios

Atlanta has many branding, advertising, digital, and creative agencies that regularly hire:

• Junior and mid-level graphic designers
• UX and digital designers
• Motion designers
• Production artists and art directors

Many agencies are concentrated in Midtown, Buckhead, West Midtown, and Old Fourth Ward, making those neighborhoods particularly relevant if you’re looking for agency life.

When researching agencies:

• Look for entry-level or internship programs
• Check for careers or “join our team” sections
• Note whether they highlight remote, hybrid, or on-site expectations

3. Corporate & Tech Employers

Larger Atlanta-area employers often maintain in-house design or UX teams, including:

• Major corporations based in or near Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Perimeter, and Cumberland
• Regional offices of national or global brands
• Healthcare systems, financial firms, logistics and transportation companies

For UX, UI, and product roles, it’s common for design teams to be based close to:

• Tech Square in Midtown
• Georgia Tech and the surrounding innovation ecosystem
• Perimeter business district

Browsing “Digital,” “Marketing,” “Product,” or “Innovation” sections of corporate career pages often reveals design openings.

4. Freelancing and Contract Work in Atlanta

Freelancers in Atlanta frequently find work through:

• Staffing agencies and creative recruiters who specialize in temporary and contract creative roles
• Local small businesses, restaurants, boutiques, and startups needing brand and web design
• Referrals within the design community and local co-working spaces

Many freelancers base themselves in:

• Shared workspaces in Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, West Midtown, and Downtown
• Home offices in neighborhoods across the metro (Decatur, East Atlanta, Brookhaven, Inman Park, etc.)

Local Resources for Designers in Atlanta

Professional & Community Organizations

These groups often host portfolio reviews, talks, panels, and networking events:

• AIGA Atlanta (American Institute of Graphic Arts)
  Focuses on graphic, digital, and visual communication design. Activities typically occur around Midtown, Downtown, and nearby venues.

• IxDA Atlanta (Interaction Design Association)
  Geared toward UX, interaction, and product design professionals, often meeting near tech and innovation centers.

• Rough Draft Atlanta and other creative meetups
  Informal gatherings and speaker series that bring together designers, developers, and marketers.

Events are often hosted at co-working spaces, universities, or creative studios, so checking local event listings can be useful.

Universities and Design Schools

Atlanta and the surrounding area have multiple institutions with strong design, art, or related programs. These can be helpful for:

• Continuing education and certificate programs
• Portfolio-building classes
• Student job boards and career fairs

Local institutions with relevant offerings include:

• Georgia State University (Downtown Atlanta) – visual arts, graphic design, digital media
• Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) (North Ave NW, Midtown) – industrial design, human-computer interaction, related UX-oriented programs
• Design and art schools in the broader Atlanta metro – often providing short courses and workshops for working professionals

These schools sometimes host public portfolio shows or lectures that can be useful for networking and seeing local standards of work.

Career & Workforce Development Resources

For job seekers needing structured support, Atlanta residents can tap into workforce services such as:

• Atlanta Workforce Development services and Georgia Department of Labor career centers, which may offer:
  • Resume workshops
  • Job search assistance
  • Information on training programs, including digital skills

These resources can be especially helpful if you are transitioning into design from another field and need guidance on presenting your skills.

Building a Design Career in Atlanta: Practical Steps

If you want to land design jobs in Atlanta, focus on actions that match local expectations.

1. Localize Your Portfolio

Make your work relevant to Atlanta employers:

• Show real-world problem solving, not just aesthetics
• Include projects similar to what Atlanta companies do (apps, dashboards, marketing campaigns, brand systems, interior layouts, etc.)
• For UX roles, highlight:
  • Research methods
  • Wireframes and prototypes
  • Final UI and results

If you don’t have local clients yet, you can:

• Create concept projects for Atlanta-style businesses (a local restaurant, a BeltLine bike shop, a Midtown coworking space)
• Redesign an Atlanta-focused app or website concept to demonstrate understanding of the market

2. Learn the Local Employers and Neighborhoods

Understanding Atlanta’s layout helps when searching:

• Midtown / Downtown – stronger on corporate HQs, tech, agencies, and universities
• Buckhead – corporate offices, financial and professional services, some agencies
• West Midtown / Old Fourth Ward – creative studios, agencies, and startups
• Perimeter / Sandy Springs – corporate offices and tech companies
• Decatur and surrounding areas – small businesses, education, and nonprofit opportunities

Tailor your applications based on the type of work environment and commute that fits your lifestyle.

3. Network Within the Atlanta Design Community

In Atlanta, many design jobs are shared within networks before they appear widely online. To get visibility:

• Attend design meetups, talks, and workshops
• Join local design Slack or online communities if available
• Ask for informational interviews with designers working at Atlanta companies you’re interested in

Even a few local connections can make it easier to:

• Hear about unposted roles
• Get referrals for interviews
• Learn what specific Atlanta employers prioritize in portfolios and interviews

4. Stay Current With In-Demand Skills

Atlanta employers value designers who can bridge visual design and digital/product thinking. Consider:

• Expanding skills into UX, prototyping, and basic research
• Learning Figma, if you haven’t yet
• Becoming comfortable with collaboration tools commonly used in remote and hybrid teams

Continuing education options in and around Atlanta—whether at universities, design schools, or structured bootcamps—can help you stay current, especially in UX, UI, and product design.

5. Be Open to Hybrid and Remote Arrangements

Many Atlanta design teams now operate in hybrid schedules:

• Some roles require being in the office in Midtown, Buckhead, Perimeter, or another area a few days a week
• Others are fully remote but prefer candidates in the Atlanta metro for occasional meetups

Highlight your flexibility with time zones and commuting when you apply, especially if you live farther out in the metro area or rely on transit.

If You’re New to Atlanta or Considering Moving for Design Work

If you’re arriving from another city:

• Research typical Atlanta salaries for your role and level so your expectations match local ranges
• Consider transportation and commute times; Atlanta’s traffic can affect where you choose to live relative to common design job hubs like Midtown, Buckhead, or Perimeter
• Start attending local design events soon after arrival to build a professional network

Apartment hunting near MARTA rail stations in Midtown, Inman Park, Decatur, or Buckhead can make it easier to access design jobs across the core of the city without always relying on a car.

Atlanta’s mix of big business, growing tech, major media, and rich cultural institutions makes it a strong place to build a design career. By understanding which design roles are common here, where they’re located, and how the local creative community operates, you can focus your job search and take clear, practical steps toward landing the right design job in Atlanta.