Best cities for a design manager/senior designer
The best cities for design managers/senior designer are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Sacramento, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for design managers/senior designer vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for design managers/senior designer in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a design manager/senior designer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for design managers/senior designer to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for design managers/senior designer. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a design manager/senior designer. While the absolute best city for design managers/senior designer is Seattle, WA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for design managers/senior designer in 2024.
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10 best cities for design managers/senior designer in 2025
1. Seattle, WA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $176,776 Lowest 10 percent warn: $123,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $252,000 Location quotient: 2.49 2. San Francisco, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $177,488 Lowest 10 percent warn: $124,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $253,000 Location quotient: 3.51 3. Sacramento, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $176,419 Lowest 10 percent warn: $123,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $252,000 Location quotient: 2.40 4. Los Angeles, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 33 Average annual salary: $168,609 Lowest 10 percent warn: $116,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $243,000 Location quotient: 3.85 5. San Jose, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $176,872 Lowest 10 percent warn: $123,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $253,000 Location quotient: 0.99 6. Irvine, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $167,109 Lowest 10 percent warn: $115,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $241,000 Location quotient: 1.47 7. Lubbock, TX
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $116,013 Lowest 10 percent warn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location quotient: 3.35 8. Austin, TX
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $114,998 Lowest 10 percent warn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location quotient: 2.40 9. Oakland, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $177,277 Lowest 10 percent warn: $123,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $253,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Fremont, CA
Total design manager/senior designer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $176,998 Lowest 10 percent warn: $123,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $253,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for design managers/senior designer
- Seattle, WA
- San Francisco, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Lubbock, TX
- Austin, TX
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- (21 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (35 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (5 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (33 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (7 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (4 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (1 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (16 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (0 design manager/senior designer jobs)
- (0 design manager/senior designer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a design manager/senior designer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $176,776 | $123,000 | 704,352 | 21 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $177,488 | $124,000 | 870,887 | 35 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $176,419 | $123,000 | 495,234 | 5 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $168,609 | $116,000 | 3,976,322 | 33 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $176,872 | $123,000 | 1,025,350 | 7 |
| 6 | Irvine, CA | $167,109 | $115,000 | 266,122 | 4 |
| 7 | Lubbock, TX | $116,013 | $81,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $114,998 | $78,000 | 947,890 | 16 |
| 9 | Oakland, CA | $177,277 | $123,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 10 | Fremont, CA | $176,998 | $123,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 11 | Stockton, CA | $176,379 | $123,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $134,799 | $93,000 | 1,615,017 | 6 |
| 13 | Long Beach, CA | $167,816 | $115,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 14 | Fresno, CA | $174,732 | $121,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 15 | Anaheim, CA | $167,645 | $115,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | $164,362 | $113,000 | 1,406,630 | 4 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $137,818 | $96,000 | 639,863 | 5 |
| 18 | Bakersfield, CA | $171,775 | $119,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 19 | Santa Ana, CA | $167,381 | $115,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 20 | Riverside, CA | $167,247 | $115,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 21 | Reno, NV | $133,242 | $93,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 22 | Glendale, AZ | $134,873 | $93,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 23 | Scottsdale, AZ | $134,645 | $93,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 24 | Chandler, AZ | $134,331 | $93,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 25 | Chula Vista, CA | $163,972 | $112,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 26 | Mesa, AZ | $134,278 | $93,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 27 | Tucson, AZ | $133,250 | $91,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 28 | Dallas, TX | $113,054 | $79,000 | 1,317,929 | 7 |
| 29 | Boston, MA | $123,383 | $88,000 | 673,184 | 16 |
| 30 | Plano, TX | $112,454 | $78,000 | 286,057 | 4 |
| 31 | New York, NY | $128,143 | $91,000 | 8,537,673 | 78 |
| 32 | Madison, WI | $107,178 | $78,000 | 252,551 | 3 |
| 33 | Gilbert, AZ | $134,243 | $92,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 34 | Henderson, NV | $128,961 | $89,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 35 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,490 | $90,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 36 | North Las Vegas, NV | $129,336 | $90,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 37 | Philadelphia, PA | $117,181 | $83,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 38 | Denver, CO | $118,757 | $85,000 | 693,060 | 27 |
| 39 | Pittsburgh, PA | $112,827 | $81,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 40 | Cleveland, OH | $103,937 | $75,000 | 385,809 | 2 |
| 41 | Anchorage, AK | $123,927 | $91,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 42 | El Paso, TX | $120,373 | $82,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 43 | Chicago, IL | $116,271 | $84,000 | 2,704,958 | 19 |
| 44 | Fort Worth, TX | $113,596 | $79,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 45 | Detroit, MI | $111,022 | $80,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 46 | San Antonio, TX | $114,914 | $77,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 47 | Arlington, TX | $113,451 | $79,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 48 | Laredo, TX | $112,920 | $74,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 49 | Irving, TX | $113,063 | $79,000 | 238,289 | 1 |
| 50 | Washington, DC | $141,371 | $101,000 | 681,170 | 11 |
Highest paying cities for design managers/senior designer
| Rank | City | Avg. design manager/senior designer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympia, WA | $177,695 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $177,488 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $141,371 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $137,818 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $134,799 |
| 6 | Carson City, NV | $133,593 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $128,143 |
| 8 | Richmond, VA | $123,564 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $123,383 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $118,757 |
| 11 | Annapolis, MD | $117,766 |
| 12 | Hartford, CT | $117,512 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $116,271 |
| 14 | Harrisburg, PA | $115,719 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $114,998 |
| 16 | Helena, MT | $113,309 |
| 17 | Cheyenne, WY | $111,680 |
| 18 | Lansing, MI | $110,448 |
| 19 | Concord, NH | $109,883 |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $106,604 |
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Updated January 8, 2025