Interior Designer salary in the U.S.
Interior Designers in the U.S. earn a median of $67,190 a year ($32.31 an hour), based on BLS data for 71,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $41,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $114,140 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $74,540, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for interior designers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,420 | $19.91 |
| 25th percentile | $51,840 | $24.92 |
| Median | $67,190 | $32.31 |
| 75th percentile | $85,740 | $41.22 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $114,140 | $54.87 |
| Average (mean) | $74,540 | $35.84 |
Half of interior designers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,599.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,799.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,584.23 |
| Weekly | $1,292.12 |
| Hourly | $32.31 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Interior Designer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98,450 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $96,100 | 90 |
| California | $80,230 | 8,500 |
| Massachusetts | $80,110 | 1,580 |
| Colorado | $78,390 | 2,300 |
| Washington | $76,570 | 1,330 |
| Illinois | $76,290 | 2,570 |
| New York | $75,580 | 5,340 |
| New Jersey | $74,020 | 1,670 |
| Minnesota | $73,270 | 1,220 |
| Georgia | $71,760 | 3,050 |
| Arkansas | $69,990 | 740 |
| Oklahoma | $68,520 | 490 |
| Connecticut | $67,330 | 630 |
| Oregon | $66,350 | 1,030 |
| South Dakota | $65,220 | 150 |
| Texas | $65,160 | 6,450 |
| Maryland | $65,070 | 1,440 |
| Nebraska | $64,870 | 430 |
| New Hampshire | $64,140 | 300 |
| Vermont | $63,870 | 110 |
| Maine | $63,830 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $63,790 | 940 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 | 270 |
| Tennessee | $63,660 | 1,530 |
| Alaska | $63,320 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $62,740 | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $62,580 | 1,020 |
| Virginia | $62,560 | 1,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 | 1,820 |
| Montana | $61,770 | 290 |
| Utah | $61,740 | 1,110 |
| Arizona | $61,460 | 1,600 |
| Ohio | $61,410 | 2,180 |
| North Carolina | $61,400 | 2,610 |
| Kansas | $61,090 | 400 |
| Alabama | $61,050 | 620 |
| Florida | $60,860 | 7,410 |
| New Mexico | $60,850 | 90 |
| Louisiana | $60,610 | 350 |
| Delaware | $60,360 | 190 |
| Missouri | $59,610 | 1,010 |
| Michigan | $59,340 | 1,930 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 | 490 |
| North Dakota | $59,190 | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $58,100 | 550 |
| Iowa | $58,040 | 510 |
| West Virginia | $49,800 | 90 |
| Mississippi | $43,740 | 330 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,150 | 130 |
Best-paying metro areas for interior designers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $87,460 | 1,810 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $85,140 | 340 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $81,480 | 1,290 |
| Boulder, CO | $80,850 | 90 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $80,640 | 820 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,150 | 1,500 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $80,000 | 3,880 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $79,720 | 460 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $79,590 | 1,840 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $78,960 | 110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,810 | 970 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $78,390 | 1,090 |
| Huntsville, AL | $78,250 | 80 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $78,000 | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $77,970 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most interior designers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,460 | $76,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,880 | $80,000 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,090 | $60,860 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,430 | $72,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,420 | $65,160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,250 | $76,570 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,840 | $79,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,810 | $87,460 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,500 | $80,150 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,460 | $61,220 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,320 | $61,810 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,290 | $81,480 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,170 | $64,800 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,090 | $78,390 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,060 | $61,430 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 | $30.27 |
| Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers | $39,390 | $18.94 |
| Art Director | $114,850 | $55.22 |
| Floral Designer | $37,360 | $17.96 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $83,910 | $40.34 |
| Fashion Designer | $80,960 | $38.92 |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | $102,030 | $49.06 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $55,490 | $26.68 |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $75,240 | $36.17 |
| Designers, All Other | $64,950 | $31.23 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $71,240 | $34.25 |
| Craft Artist | $46,080 | $22.15 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 | $35.94 |
| Coaches and Scouts | $47,320 | — |
More: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 27-1025. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a interior designer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for interior designers in the U.S. is $67,190 a year, or $32.31 an hour. Pay ranges from $41,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $114,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid interior designers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of interior designers in the U.S. earn at least $114,140 a year. The top 25% earn $85,740 or more.
What is the starting pay for interior designers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $41,420 a year, and a quarter of interior designers earn $51,840 or less.
How many interior designers work in the U.S.?
About 71,500 interior designers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.