SOC 27-1025 · May 2025
Interior Designer Salary
Interior Designers in the US earn a median of $67,190 a year ($35.84 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Interior Designer pay climbed from $60,990 in 2019 to $74,540 in 2025, a +22.2% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$67,190
Half of all Interior Designers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+22.2% since 2019 · +4.4% YoY
Hourly
$35.84
Job growth 2025-35
+2.7%
US workers
71,500
BLS series
Annual median wage for Interior Designers in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Interior Designers is $41,420 – $114,140.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$41,420
25th
$51,840
Median
$67,190
75th
$85,740
90th
$114,140
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Interior Designers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $41,420 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $51,840 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $67,190 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $85,740 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $114,140 |
Geography
Interior Designer pay by state
Interior Designers earn the most in D.C. ($98,450, +47% against the national median) and the least in Mississippi ($43,740). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 49 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$67,190
Highest-paying states for interior designers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $98,450 | +47% | 620 |
| Wyoming | $96,100 | +43% | 90 |
| California | $80,230 | +19% | 8,500 |
| Massachusetts | $80,110 | +19% | 1,580 |
| Colorado | $78,390 | +17% | 2,300 |
| Washington | $76,570 | +14% | 1,330 |
| Illinois | $76,290 | +14% | 2,570 |
| New York | $75,580 | +12% | 5,340 |
| New Jersey | $74,020 | +10% | 1,670 |
| Minnesota | $73,270 | +9% | 1,220 |
All 49 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $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 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Interior Designers
Interior designers (BLS SOC 27-1025) create indoor space designs that are functional, safe, and aesthetic. The role typically requires a bachelor's degree in interior design and, for commercial work, NCIDQ certification. Residential, commercial, hospitality, and healthcare design carry different pay structures. Established designers running their own practices often exceed OEWS figures through project-fee and retainer-based billing.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $41,420 – $114,140. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., Wyoming and California. Pay in D.C. runs 2.3 times the level in Mississippi, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as bachelor's degree, and projects about 7,700 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Interior Designer salary in the US?
How much does a Interior Designer make an hour?
How much do Interior Designers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Interior Designers the most?
Is the average Interior Designer salary higher than the median?
Is Interior Designer a growing career?
Open positions
Open Interior Designer roles hiring now
Browse current Interior Designer listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 27-1025. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.