SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design. Excludes “Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers” (27-1026).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-1025.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $41,420 | $3,452 | $797 | $19.91 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $51,840 | $4,320 | $997 | $24.92 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $67,190 | $5,599 | $1,292 | $32.31 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $85,740 | $7,145 | $1,649 | $41.22 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $114,140 | $9,512 | $2,195 | $54.87 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Interior Designers is $67,190, which is 32% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 21 by median pay. With 71,500 jobs, it makes up about 4.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($74,540) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Interior Designers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($98,450), Wyoming ($96,100) and California ($80,230). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($32,150), Mississippi ($43,740) and West Virginia ($49,800). The most jobs were in California (8,500), Florida (7,410) and Texas (6,450). The occupation is most concentrated in Rhode Island, where its share of all jobs is 2.4 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 620 | $98,450 | $102,040 | $47.33 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $96,100 | $89,250 | $46.20 |
| California | 8,500 | $80,230 | $89,740 | $38.57 |
| Massachusetts | 1,580 | $80,110 | $83,670 | $38.52 |
| Colorado | 2,300 | $78,390 | $86,940 | $37.69 |
| Washington | 1,330 | $76,570 | $81,360 | $36.81 |
| Illinois | 2,570 | $76,290 | $85,520 | $36.68 |
| New York | 5,340 | $75,580 | $75,510 | $36.34 |
| New Jersey | 1,670 | $74,020 | $79,580 | $35.59 |
| Minnesota | 1,220 | $73,270 | $72,420 | $35.23 |
| Georgia | 3,050 | $71,760 | $78,660 | $34.50 |
| Arkansas | 740 | $69,990 | $80,310 | $33.65 |
| Oklahoma | 490 | $68,520 | $69,220 | $32.94 |
| Connecticut | 630 | $67,330 | $71,730 | $32.37 |
| Oregon | 1,030 | $66,350 | $76,170 | $31.90 |
| South Dakota | 150 | $65,220 | $74,170 | $31.36 |
| Texas | 6,450 | $65,160 | $72,090 | $31.33 |
| Maryland | 1,440 | $65,070 | $70,600 | $31.29 |
| Nebraska | 430 | $64,870 | $70,220 | $31.19 |
| New Hampshire | 300 | $64,140 | $64,750 | $30.84 |
| Vermont | 110 | $63,870 | $72,660 | $30.71 |
| Maine | 230 | $63,830 | $64,440 | $30.69 |
| South Carolina | 940 | $63,790 | $67,970 | $30.67 |
| Hawaii | 270 | $63,780 | $73,680 | $30.66 |
| Tennessee | 1,530 | $63,660 | $68,480 | $30.61 |
| Alaska | 40 | $63,320 | $73,320 | $30.44 |
| Wisconsin | 1,200 | $62,740 | $70,280 | $30.17 |
| Indiana | 1,020 | $62,580 | $65,460 | $30.09 |
| Virginia | 1,550 | $62,560 | $70,840 | $30.08 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,820 | $62,400 | $67,890 | $30.00 |
| Montana | 290 | $61,770 | $63,500 | $29.70 |
| Utah | 1,110 | $61,740 | $66,290 | $29.68 |
| Arizona | 1,600 | $61,460 | $69,240 | $29.55 |
| Ohio | 2,180 | $61,410 | $70,070 | $29.52 |
| North Carolina | 2,610 | $61,400 | $66,260 | $29.52 |
| Kansas | 400 | $61,090 | $66,910 | $29.37 |
| Alabama | 620 | $61,050 | $62,200 | $29.35 |
| Florida | 7,410 | $60,860 | $65,980 | $29.26 |
| New Mexico | 90 | $60,850 | $70,320 | $29.25 |
| Louisiana | 350 | $60,610 | $59,410 | $29.14 |
| Delaware | 190 | $60,360 | $64,670 | $29.02 |
| Missouri | 1,010 | $59,610 | $67,280 | $28.66 |
| Michigan | 1,930 | $59,340 | $62,180 | $28.53 |
| Kentucky | 490 | $59,240 | $63,620 | $28.48 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $59,190 | $60,190 | $28.46 |
| Rhode Island | 550 | $58,100 | $67,150 | $27.93 |
| Iowa | 510 | $58,040 | $68,360 | $27.90 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $49,800 | $54,150 | $23.94 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $43,740 | $57,000 | $21.03 |
| Puerto Rico | 130 | $32,150 | $36,410 | $15.46 |
| Idaho | 350 | not published | not published | not published |
| Nevada | 590 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Artists and Related Workers, All Other$71,240 a year
- Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other$70,720 a year
- Lighting Technicians$68,060 a year
- Athletes and Sports Competitors$66,710 a year
- Designers, All Other$64,950 a year
- Graphic Designers$62,960 a year
Common questions
How much do Interior Designers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $67,190 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,420 and the highest-paid 10% more than $114,140.
How many people work as Interior Designers?
About 71,500 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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