Design

Typical roles within this category on the YunoJuno platform:

3D Designer, Branding Designer, Digital Designer, Email Designer, Graphic Designer,, Illustrator, Presentation Designer and Product Designer

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Day rate

In the Design discipline, the average day rate was £367 per day (£46 per hour), reflecting an increase of +3% year-on-year. Top 10% contracts experienced a +16% increase with an average rate of £714 (£89 per hour). This growth was driven by increases across experience levels as a whole, excluding a slight decrease at director level.

Experience

Overall experience levels in Design saw a positive increase, with Lead roles experiencing a +5% increase year-on-year. However, Director roles saw a slight decrease of -1%.

Ric Santeugini

Senior Designer & Art Director

Years experience:

15+ Years

My approach has been to build a strong specialisation: pitch work and visual identity design, while keeping my skills broad enough to adapt to client needs and market trends.

I began integrating AI into my creative process three years ago, and the capabilities it offers have significantly enhanced my work and elevated the value I provide to clients. While staying on top of the rapid advancements in this field can be challenging, it’s an incredibly exciting and rewarding area to continue exploring.

My approach has been to build a strong specialisation: pitch work and visual identity design, while keeping my skills broad enough to adapt to client needs and market trends.

Ric Santeugini

Senior Designer & Art Director

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Contract Length and Bookings

The average contract length was 15 working days (3 weeks), marking a year-on-year decrease of -12%. Top 10% contracts averaged 90 working days (18 weeks), reflecting a year-on-year increase of +7%.

Contract lengths decreased across all experience levels within Design, with Director roles experiencing the largest drop of -16% year-on-year.

‍Bookings within Design saw a slight year-on-year decrease of-1%. Bookings in the Design discipline remained steady throughout the year, with a gradual rise in the first half, peaking in October, and tapering off towards December.

Roles

Email Designers saw the highest day rate, earning £453 per day (£57 per hour).

Bar chart detailing average day rates for design professionals. Email Designers commanded the highest average day rate at £453, whereas Graphic Designers had the lowest at £353.

Bar chart detailing average hourly rates for design professionals. Email Designers commanded the highest average hourly rate at £57, whereas Graphic Designers had the lowest at £44.

Skills

Design professionals continue to see strong demand, with UX Design, Illustration, and Art direction leading as the highest-paid skills, underscoring their pivotal role in shaping user experiences and brand identities across a highly competitive industry.