Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$41,420
- 25th Percentile — Junior$51,840
- 50th Percentile — Median$67,190
- 75th Percentile — Senior$85,740
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$114,140
The top 10% of Interior Designers earn $114,140 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $41,420, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,040 | +36.9% |
| California | $89,740 | +20.4% |
| Wyoming | $89,250 | +19.7% |
| Colorado | $86,940 | +16.6% |
| Illinois | $85,520 | +14.7% |
| Massachusetts | $83,670 | +12.2% |
| Washington | $81,360 | +9.1% |
| Arkansas | $80,310 | +7.7% |
| New Jersey | $79,580 | +6.8% |
| Georgia | $78,660 | +5.5% |
| Oregon | $76,170 | +2.2% |
| Nevada (est.) | $76,031 | +2.0% |
| New York | $75,510 | +1.3% |
| South Dakota | $74,170 | -0.5% |
| Hawaii | $73,680 | -1.2% |
| Alaska | $73,320 | -1.6% |
| Vermont | $72,660 | -2.5% |
| Minnesota | $72,420 | -2.8% |
| Texas | $72,090 | -3.3% |
| Connecticut | $71,730 | -3.8% |
| Virginia | $70,840 | -5.0% |
| Maryland | $70,600 | -5.3% |
| New Mexico | $70,320 | -5.7% |
| Wisconsin | $70,280 | -5.7% |
| Nebraska | $70,220 | -5.8% |
| Ohio | $70,070 | -6.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $69,322 | -7.0% |
| Arizona | $69,240 | -7.1% |
| Oklahoma | $69,220 | -7.1% |
| Tennessee | $68,480 | -8.1% |
| Iowa | $68,360 | -8.3% |
| South Carolina | $67,970 | -8.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $67,890 | -8.9% |
| Missouri | $67,280 | -9.7% |
| Rhode Island | $67,150 | -9.9% |
| Kansas | $66,910 | -10.2% |
| Utah | $66,290 | -11.1% |
| North Carolina | $66,260 | -11.1% |
| Florida | $65,980 | -11.5% |
| Indiana | $65,460 | -12.2% |
| New Hampshire | $64,750 | -13.1% |
| Delaware | $64,670 | -13.2% |
| Maine | $64,440 | -13.5% |
| Kentucky | $63,620 | -14.6% |
| Montana | $63,500 | -14.8% |
| Alabama | $62,200 | -16.6% |
| Michigan | $62,180 | -16.6% |
| North Dakota | $60,190 | -19.3% |
| Louisiana | $59,410 | -20.3% |
| Mississippi | $57,000 | -23.5% |
| West Virginia | $54,150 | -27.4% |
What Factors Affect Interior Designers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Interior Designers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $102,040, while West Virginia pays $54,150 — a gap of $47,890 per year.
The middle half of Interior Designers earn between $51,840 and $85,740 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $41,420, while the top 10% earn more than $114,140.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Graphic Designers $70,560/yr United States 5.3% vs this role
- Art Directors $129,440/yr United States +73.7% vs this role
- Fashion Designers $91,230/yr United States +22.4% vs this role
- Producers and Directors $113,300/yr United States +52.0% vs this role
- Writers and Authors $86,090/yr United States +15.5% vs this role
- Editors $90,060/yr United States +20.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +36.1% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +84.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Interior Designers?
The average salary for Interior Designers in the United States is $74,540 per year, with a median of $67,190.
What is the starting salary for Interior Designers?
Entry-level Interior Designers typically earn between $41,420 and $51,840 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Interior Designers the most?
District of Columbia pays Interior Designers the most at $102,040 per year on average, followed by California ($89,740) and Wyoming ($89,250).
How much do Interior Designers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $74,540, Interior Designers earn approximately $35.84 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Interior Designers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 71,500 Interior Designers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $74,540 and a median of $67,190 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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