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Graphic Designer

Stable

Creative

Creates visual content for branding, advertising and digital media. Freelance and agency work both common; UI/UX and motion design skills command higher pay in Malaysia's growing creative and e-commerce sectors.

Creative Arts & MediaGeneral

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
  2. 2Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
  3. 3Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
  4. 4Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
  5. 5Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
  6. 6Use computer software to generate new images.
  7. 7Prepare digital files for printing.
  8. 8Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
  9. 9Research the target audience of projects.
  10. 10Draw and print charts, graphs, illustrations, and other artwork, using computer.
  11. 11Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.
  12. 12Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.
  13. 13Study illustrations and photographs to plan presentation of materials, products, or services.
  14. 14Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
  15. 15Prepare notes and instructions for workers who assemble and prepare final layouts for printing.
  16. 16Research new software or design concepts.
  17. 17Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.
  18. 18Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
  19. 19Write or edit copy for clients.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Artist
  • Designer
  • Ad Designer
  • Label Maker
  • Layout Artist
  • Brand Designer
  • Concept Artist
  • Digital Artist
  • Forms Designer
  • Graphic Artist

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Technical Comm. GraphicsDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Design94%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Fine Arts88%

    Visual Art (PSV)

  • Computers and Electronics88%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Communications and Media86%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • English Language76%

    English

  • Sales and Marketing73%

    BusinessEconomics

Skills to build

CreativityCommunicationMeeting deadlines

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time
  • Time spent standingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

0%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.97%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Graphic and Multimedia Designers

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM2,000 – RM3,000

Mid-career

Private
RM3,500 – RM6,000

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

International Pre-U

A-Levels, AUSMAT, IB and more. The flexible premium route, local or overseas.

1–2 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Graphic Designers

Source: Hiredly Salary Guide Malaysia · as of Jan 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:Hiredly

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue