Interior designer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$48.18 per hour

$100,200 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$41.50 per hour

$86,310 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$31.19 per hour

$64,870 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$24.46 per hour

$50,870 per year

10th percentile

Starting level interior designer earnings begin at:

$21.08 per hour

$43,840 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Interior designer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
District of Columbia $98,450
Wyoming $96,100
California $80,230
Massachusetts $80,110
Colorado $78,390
Washington $76,570
Illinois $76,290
New York $75,580
New Jersey $74,020
Minnesota $73,270
Georgia $71,760
Arkansas $69,990
Oklahoma $68,520
Connecticut $67,330
Oregon $66,350
South Dakota $65,220
Texas $65,160
Maryland $65,070
Nebraska $64,870
New Hampshire $64,140
Vermont $63,870
Maine $63,830
South Carolina $63,790
Hawaii $63,780
Tennessee $63,660
Alaska $63,320
Wisconsin $62,740
Indiana $62,580
Virginia $62,560
Pennsylvania $62,400
Montana $61,770
Utah $61,740
Arizona $61,460
Ohio $61,410
North Carolina $61,400
Kansas $61,090
Alabama $61,050
Florida $60,860
New Mexico $60,850
Louisiana $60,610
Delaware $60,360
Missouri $59,610
Michigan $59,340
Kentucky $59,240
North Dakota $59,190
Rhode Island $58,100
Iowa $58,040
Nevada $54,670
Idaho $54,380
West Virginia $49,800
Mississippi $43,740
Puerto Rico $40,680

How much does an Interior Designer earn?

If you are a recent college graduate, consider applying for entry-level and assistant interior design positions in order to develop the skill sets necessary and gain practical experience in the industry. These types of positions will allow an individual to move into higher salaried positions as they develop their career.

Because there are so many different areas of interior design, interior designer salaries can vary wildly. Job prospects should be better in high-income areas, because "wealthy clients are more likely than others to engage in remodeling and renovating their homes," the BLS reports. The BLS also found that, in general, the highest-paying employer of interior designers was the federal government, since jobs through the government require planning the layouts of government buildings to maximize safety, energy use, and the flow of people through the rooms. Specialized design firms also pay higher interior designer salaries, and they employ the majority of interior designers in the United States. Those who specialize in particular areas, such as kitchens and baths, may see greater prospects as well.

How do interior designer salaries compare to similar careers?

Interior designers earn about the same as related careers in Nebraska. On average, they make less than police officers but more than correctional officers.

Career Median Salary
Police officer salary $75K
Insurance sales agent salary $62K
Insurance appraiser salary $62K
Exhibit designer salary $74K
Executive assistant salary $66K
Drug & alcohol counselor salary $64K
Interior designer salary $65K
Recruiter salary $62K
Aesthetician salary $58K
Correctional officer salary $63K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)