Interior Designers · California

Interior Designers Salary in California

Interior Designers in California earn a median annual wage of $80,230 —19.4% above the national median of $67,190. That ranks CA #3 of 49 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$80,230
Median hourly
$38.57
Entry level (P10)
$50,940
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$131,770
90th percentile
Employment
8,500
0.5 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+19.4%
U.S. $67,190

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$50,940
$63,370
$80,230
$102,940
$50,940$80,230$131,770
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $80,230.

Employment concentration (1.02×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for interior designers

All 49 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$98,450$47.336201.92
2Wyoming$96,100$46.20900.72
3California$80,230$38.578,5001.02
4Massachusetts$80,110$38.521,5800.95
5Colorado$78,390$37.692,3001.74
6Washington$76,570$36.811,3300.81
7Illinois$76,290$36.682,5700.92
8New York$75,580$36.345,3401.20
9New Jersey$74,020$35.591,6700.85
10Minnesota$73,270$35.231,2200.90

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
Public Relations Specialists$85,030$74,750
Coaches and Scouts$47,660$47,320
Graphic Designers$75,130$62,960
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$47,010$39,390
Producers and Directors$129,790$90,360
Editors$98,030$77,920

Frequently asked questions

How much do interior designers make in California?

The median annual wage for interior designers in California is $80,230, or $38.57 per hour. That is 19.4% above the national median of $67,190.

What is the entry-level interior designers salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $50,940 per year ($24.49/hour). The 25th percentile is $63,370.

How many people work as interior designers in California?

About 8,500 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.5 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for interior designers?

California ranks #3 of 49 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.02x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays interior designers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $98,450 per year, followed by Wyoming ($96,100) and California ($80,230).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes