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Automotive designer salary
Average automotive designer salary
$69,782
Average Automotive Designer Salary
The average salary for an automotive designer is approximately $69,782 annually, translating to about $34 per hour. This figure can vary based on factors such as experience, education, and geographical location. For instance, entry-level designers may earn less, while those with extensive experience and advanced skills can command higher salaries.
Where Can an Automotive Designer Earn More?
Salary levels also differ significantly across states. Regions with a high concentration of automotive companies, like Michigan and California, tend to offer more competitive compensation packages. Automotive designers working for major manufacturers or in specialized roles often enjoy additional benefits and higher earnings.
Salary by Experience Level
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Junior designers can expect to earn lower salaries, while seasoned professionals, especially those in managerial positions, can see their compensation exceed $90,000 annually. According to recent data, those in senior roles report salaries significantly higher than the national average.
Conclusion
For aspiring automotive designers, understanding salary dynamics is essential for making informed career decisions. Utilize resources like Zippia to explore job openings and salary insights tailored to your skills and experience.
Let Zippia find your next automotive designer job
Let Zippia find your next automotive designer job
Where can an Automotive Designer earn more?
Automotive designer salaries by experience level
Automotive designer salary estimates from across the web
Average automotive designer salary by state
The average automotive designer salary in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average automotive designer salary states are North Dakota, Mississippi, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for automotive designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $89,938 | $43.24 |
| 2 | Oregon | $82,966 | $39.89 |
| 3 | New York | $82,459 | $39.64 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $85,475 | $41.09 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $81,461 | $39.16 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $82,331 | $39.58 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $78,354 | $37.67 |
| 8 | Maryland | $81,454 | $39.16 |
| 9 | Michigan | $73,961 | $35.56 |
| 10 | California | $79,392 | $38.17 |
| 11 | Texas | $75,628 | $36.36 |
| 12 | Ohio | $71,853 | $34.54 |
| 13 | Washington | $70,577 | $33.93 |
| 14 | Illinois | $70,389 | $33.84 |
| 15 | Nevada | $77,374 | $37.20 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $68,816 | $33.08 |
| 17 | Arizona | $72,004 | $34.62 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $68,625 | $32.99 |
| 19 | Georgia | $63,535 | $30.55 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $68,481 | $32.92 |
| 21 | Virginia | $68,490 | $32.93 |
| 22 | Indiana | $68,092 | $32.74 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $71,014 | $34.14 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $69,681 | $33.50 |
| 25 | Colorado | $66,663 | $32.05 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $62,272 | $29.94 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $59,731 | $28.72 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $63,184 | $30.38 |
| 29 | Delaware | $66,088 | $31.77 |
| 30 | Alabama | $59,749 | $28.73 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $61,621 | $29.63 |
| 32 | Kansas | $58,276 | $28.02 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $56,626 | $27.22 |
| 34 | Idaho | $60,293 | $28.99 |
| 35 | Maine | $59,534 | $28.62 |
| 36 | Utah | $57,552 | $27.67 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $57,386 | $27.59 |
| 38 | Florida | $55,057 | $26.47 |
| 39 | Iowa | $55,616 | $26.74 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $58,833 | $28.29 |
| 41 | Alaska | $60,218 | $28.95 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $56,161 | $27.00 |
| 43 | Missouri | $57,130 | $27.47 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $52,676 | $25.32 |
| 45 | Vermont | $54,974 | $26.43 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $53,270 | $25.61 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $53,577 | $25.76 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $48,914 | $23.52 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $50,769 | $24.41 |
| 50 | Montana | $47,095 | $22.64 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $43,182 | $20.76 |
Highest paying cities for automotive designers
The highest-paying cities for automotive designers are Belmont, CA, Parksdale, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belmont, CA | $86,255 | $41.47 |
| 2 | Parksdale, CA | $84,438 | $40.60 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $82,768 | $39.79 |
| 4 | Greensboro, NC | $79,232 | $38.09 |
| 5 | Santa Monica, CA | $77,050 | $37.04 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $77,018 | $37.03 |
| 7 | Culver City, CA | $76,978 | $37.01 |
| 8 | Fullerton, CA | $76,537 | $36.80 |
| 9 | Torrance, CA | $76,512 | $36.78 |
| 10 | Irvine, CA | $76,001 | $36.54 |
| 11 | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $75,881 | $36.48 |
| 12 | Newport Beach, CA | $75,823 | $36.45 |
| 13 | Carlsbad, CA | $74,662 | $35.90 |
| 14 | Warren, MI | $74,325 | $35.73 |
| 15 | Dearborn, MI | $74,278 | $35.71 |
| 16 | Auburn Hills, MI | $74,119 | $35.63 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $73,785 | $35.47 |
| 18 | Delaware, OH | $71,749 | $34.49 |
Automotive designer salary details
An automotive designer's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $108,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an automotive designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| Average | $69,782 | $5,815 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
Highest paying automotive designer jobs
The highest paying types of automotive designers are senior engineer, chief engineer, and staff engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Internship | $42,749 | $3,562 | $20.55 | 115,512 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Project Engineer | $75,050 | $6,254 | $36.08 | 176,689 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Research And Development Engineer | $100,169 | $8,347 | $48.16 | 187,910 |
Top companies hiring automotive designers now:
Which companies pay automotive designers the most?
Automotive designer salaries at Meta and SiriusXM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average automotive designer salary at companies like Populus Group and Volkswagen Group of America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $133,037 | $63.96 |
| 2 | SiriusXM | $88,482 | $42.54 |
| 3 | Populus Group | $87,336 | $41.99 |
| 4 | Volkswagen Group of America | $84,867 | $40.80 |
| 5 | AvL Technologies | $71,279 | $34.27 |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz of Sarasota | $70,500 | $33.89 |
| 7 | Vintech Management Services | $68,272 | $32.82 |
| 8 | Jegs High Performance | $50,550 | $24.30 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Automotive designer salary trends
The average automotive designer salary has risen by $8,460 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average automotive designer earned $61,322 annually, but today, they earn $69,782 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for automotive designers over the last decade.
Compare automotive designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average automotive designer salary over time
Compare automotive designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Automotive designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,800 | $33.55 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $68,400 | $32.91 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $67,600 | $32.51 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $66,500 | $31.96 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $65,200 | $31.33 | +0.7% |
Recently added automotive designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glassamerica | Automotive Prepper | Menifee, CA | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Boyd Group Services Inc. | Automotive Prepper | Menifee, CA | 06/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| Subaru of America Inc. | Automotive Designer (Nasi) | Clay, CA | 04/09/2025 | $57,500 |
| Sun Auto Tire and Service | Automotive Store MIT | Austin, TX | 02/27/2025 | $60,000 |
| Edmates Sdn | Automotive Designer | Bono, AR | 02/17/2025 | $45,000 |
| Manpowergroup | Automotive CMF Designer | Huntington Beach, CA | 02/12/2025 | $100,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz USA | Creative Automotive Designer | Carlsbad, CA | 01/27/2025 | $99,100 |
| Mercedes-Benz R&D North America | Creative Automotive Designer | Carlsbad, CA | 01/20/2025 | $99,100 |
| Caisteracademy | Automotive Designer | New York, NY | 12/15/2024 | $37,000 |
| Bot Auto Tx Inc. | Automotive Designer | Houston, TX | 12/09/2024 | $62,000 |
Automotive designer salary FAQs
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