Interior Designers
SOC 27-1025 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Interior Designers is $62,510, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $68,530, and an estimated 67,760 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +9.6% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -6.9% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will grow 3.2% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Interior Designers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $62,510 | $62,510 | 67,760 |
| 2022 | $61,590 | $64,125 | 64,290 |
| 2021 | $60,340 | $67,851 | 61,970 |
| 2020 | $57,060 | $67,178 | 59,170 |
Nominal change
+9.6%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-6.9%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+3.2%
Faster than average
Employment 2024
87,100
Projected 2034
89,900
Annual Openings
7,800
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Interior Designers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $62,510. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $81,200 | +29.9% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $76,920 | +23.1% | 1,700 |
| California | $76,300 | +22.1% | 8,590 |
| Washington | $74,240 | +18.8% | 1,580 |
| New York | $74,140 | +18.6% | 6,900 |
| Oregon | $67,990 | +8.8% | 540 |
| Colorado | $66,440 | +6.3% | 2,480 |
| Nevada | $66,000 | +5.6% | 530 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $65,960 | +5.5% | 80 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $64,740 | +3.6% | 50 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$37,730
25th Pct
$47,990
Median
$62,510
75th Pct
$79,580
90th Pct
$101,860
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. | NY | 5 | $90,000 |
| Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP | WA | 2 | $76,440 |
| Marvel Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designer PLLC | NY | 2 | $46,800 |
| Marvel Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers PLLC | NY | 2 | $65,000 |
| SUSAN LIN DESIGN INC | FL | 2 | $58,000 |
| Golden Rock Builders Inc | CA | 2 | $52,083 |
| RATIO States, LLC | IL | 2 | $59,280 |
| Inner View Inc. | NY | 2 | $85,000 |
| Art of Building Architecture Construction Management, Inc | CA | 2 | $57,075 |
| Journey Corporate Holdings LLC | NY | 2 | $85,000 |
| Blind Ambition Enterprises, LLC | GA | 1 | $38,875 |
| Brandston Partnership, Inc. | NY | 1 | $68,000 |
| WRNS Studio | CA | 1 | $73,500 |
| Trinity Global, Inc. | FL | 1 | $57,000 |
| OTJ Architects, Inc. | CA | 1 | $58,000 |
| AECOM Technical Services Inc | PA | 1 | $72,000 |
| Showroom Group LLC | CA | 1 | $150,000 |
| MIN DESIGN LIMITED | CA | 1 | $72,654 |
| Francois & Company LLC | GA | 1 | $79,995 |
| DeLeon, Inc. | CA | 1 | $62,400 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
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