Interior Designer Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Interior Designers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$67,190
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$32.30
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$114,140
entry level starts ~$41,420
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 72,000 employed

How much does an Interior Designer make?

Interior Designers in the United States bring home a median salary of $67,190 a year, or around $32.30 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $41,420, while the top 10% earn $114,140.

That is $5,800 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Interior Designer salary range by percentile

Half of all Interior Designers earn between $51,840 and $85,740 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$41,420$19.91
25th percentile (early career)$51,840$24.92
50th percentile (median)$67,190$32.30
75th percentile (experienced)$85,740$41.22
90th percentile (top earners)$114,140$54.88

Highest-paying states for Interior Designer

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Interior Designer pay at $98,450 a year, followed by Wyoming ($96,100) and California ($80,230). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $43,740 — a gap of $54,710 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$98,450$47.33+47%
2Wyoming$96,100$46.20+43%
3California$80,230$38.57+19%
4Massachusetts$80,110$38.51+19%
5Colorado$78,390$37.69+17%

Workforce and education

About 72,000 people work as Interior Designers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $74,540 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Interior Designer make in the United States?
The median Interior Designer salary in the United States is $67,190 per year, or about $32.30 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $41,420, while the top 10% of earners make $114,140 or more.
How does Interior Designer pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Interior Designer median of $67,190 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Interior Designers the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Interior Designers, with a median salary of $98,450 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Interior Designer?
Becoming an Interior Designer typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Interior Designers work in the United States?
About 72,000 people were employed as Interior Designers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.