Interior designer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$44.45 per hour

$92,459 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$34.07 per hour

$70,874 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$25.36 per hour

$52,747 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level interior designer earnings begin at:

$18.87 per hour

$39,256 per year

10th percentile

Starting level interior designer earnings begin at:

$14.47 per hour

$30,091 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Interior designer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
District of Columbia $73,010
Alaska $71,410
Rhode Island $70,010
Hawaii $66,370
Arkansas $62,970
Massachusetts $62,840
New York $62,760
California $60,360
Delaware $59,870
Washington $59,680
Maryland $58,290
Montana $58,220
New Jersey $57,980
Wyoming $57,040
Minnesota $56,410
Nevada $54,670
Idaho $54,380
Kansas $54,258
Oregon $52,600
Kentucky $52,590
Missouri $52,160
Illinois $52,150
Pennsylvania $51,686
Texas $51,630
North Carolina $51,270
Ohio $51,050
New Hampshire $50,860
Virginia $50,380
Maine $49,430
Utah $49,300
Georgia $48,730
Vermont $48,580
Connecticut $48,380
Colorado $47,580
New Mexico $47,340
Alabama $47,274
Florida $46,750
South Dakota $46,700
Arizona $46,480
Michigan $46,320
North Dakota $46,140
Wisconsin $46,060
Tennessee $45,910
Oklahoma $45,680
Iowa $45,015
Nebraska $44,690
West Virginia $44,010
South Carolina $42,780
Indiana $41,243
Puerto Rico $40,680
Mississippi $40,480
Louisiana $37,630

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 the United States. On average, they make less than insurance appraisers but more than real estate agents.

Career Median Salary
Insurance appraiser salary $59K
Film and video editor salary $53K
Recruiter salary $55K
Sign language interpreter salary $52K
Funeral director salary $54K
Interior designer salary $53K
Probation officer salary $55K
Clergy salary $51K
Model maker salary $59K
Real estate agent salary $49K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)