Best cities for a design specialist
The best cities for design specialists are Houston, TX, Durham, NC, and Raleigh, NC, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for design specialists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for design specialists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a design specialist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for design specialists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for design specialists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a design specialist. While the absolute best city for design specialists is Houston, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for design specialists in 2024.
If you're looking for a design specialist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for design specialists in 2026
1. Houston, TX
Total design specialist jobs: 80 Average annual salary: $60,257 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location quotient: 6.21 2. Durham, NC
Total design specialist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $58,643 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 4.82 3. Raleigh, NC
Total design specialist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $58,584 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 3.68 4. Fremont, CA
Total design specialist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $73,031 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 4.77 5. Sacramento, CA
Total design specialist jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $71,190 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location quotient: 9.20 6. New York, NY
Total design specialist jobs: 136 Average annual salary: $68,335 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location quotient: 3.62 7. San Francisco, CA
Total design specialist jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $73,320 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 3.05 8. Los Angeles, CA
Total design specialist jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $66,289 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location quotient: 11.18 9. San Antonio, TX
Total design specialist jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $61,068 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location quotient: 2.08 10. Oakland, CA
Total design specialist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $73,092 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 2.74
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Best cities for design specialists
- Houston, TX
- Durham, NC
- Raleigh, NC
- Fremont, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- New York, NY
- San Francisco, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- Oakland, CA
- (80 design specialist jobs)
- (9 design specialist jobs)
- (11 design specialist jobs)
- (11 design specialist jobs)
- (22 design specialist jobs)
- (136 design specialist jobs)
- (35 design specialist jobs)
- (110 design specialist jobs)
- (7 design specialist jobs)
- (3 design specialist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a design specialist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $60,257 | $34,000 | 2,303,482 | 80 |
| 2 | Durham, NC | $58,643 | $34,000 | 263,016 | 9 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | $58,584 | $34,000 | 458,880 | 11 |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $73,031 | $43,000 | 233,136 | 11 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $71,190 | $42,000 | 495,234 | 22 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $68,335 | $40,000 | 8,537,673 | 136 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $73,320 | $43,000 | 870,887 | 35 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $66,289 | $38,000 | 3,976,322 | 110 |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX | $61,068 | $35,000 | 1,492,510 | 7 |
| 10 | Oakland, CA | $73,092 | $43,000 | 420,005 | 3 |
| 11 | Bakersfield, CA | $69,282 | $40,000 | 376,380 | 2 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,074 | $38,000 | 1,567,872 | 6 |
| 13 | San Jose, CA | $73,130 | $43,000 | 1,025,350 | 16 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $65,938 | $38,000 | 681,170 | 35 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $60,540 | $34,000 | 947,890 | 10 |
| 16 | Fort Worth, TX | $57,377 | $34,000 | 854,113 | 4 |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $57,070 | $33,000 | 1,317,929 | 19 |
| 18 | Chula Vista, CA | $62,659 | $36,000 | 267,172 | 2 |
| 19 | Anaheim, CA | $65,307 | $38,000 | 351,043 | 2 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $50,707 | $32,000 | 389,902 | 4 |
| 21 | Long Beach, CA | $65,501 | $38,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 22 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,751 | $36,000 | 303,625 | 2 |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | $48,483 | $29,000 | 860,090 | 19 |
| 24 | Laredo, TX | $61,865 | $35,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 25 | El Paso, TX | $61,820 | $36,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 26 | Corpus Christi, TX | $61,398 | $35,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 27 | Tucson, AZ | $47,018 | $27,000 | 530,706 | 9 |
| 28 | Irvine, CA | $64,821 | $38,000 | 266,122 | 8 |
| 29 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,246 | $31,000 | 302,398 | 12 |
| 30 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,106 | $36,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 31 | Atlanta, GA | $46,354 | $27,000 | 472,522 | 49 |
| 32 | Hempstead, NY | $68,356 | $40,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 33 | Toledo, OH | $50,657 | $31,000 | 278,508 | 1 |
| 34 | Lubbock, TX | $58,332 | $34,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 35 | Islip, NY | $68,080 | $40,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 36 | Irving, TX | $57,000 | $33,000 | 238,289 | 6 |
| 37 | Portland, OR | $50,320 | $32,000 | 639,863 | 13 |
| 38 | Oyster Bay, NY | $67,936 | $40,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 39 | Madison, WI | $53,071 | $34,000 | 252,551 | 3 |
| 40 | Brookhaven, NY | $67,637 | $40,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 41 | Arlington, TX | $57,341 | $34,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 42 | Greensboro, NC | $57,115 | $33,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 43 | Stockton, CA | $71,787 | $42,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 44 | Winston-Salem, NC | $56,294 | $33,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 45 | Milwaukee, WI | $54,254 | $35,000 | 595,047 | 2 |
| 46 | Charlotte, NC | $53,761 | $31,000 | 842,051 | 6 |
| 47 | Fresno, CA | $70,773 | $41,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 48 | Garland, TX | $56,706 | $33,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 49 | Cleveland, OH | $52,998 | $32,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 50 | San Diego, CA | $62,847 | $37,000 | 1,406,630 | 14 |
Highest paying cities for design specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. design specialist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $73,390 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $68,335 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $65,938 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,074 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $61,068 |
| 6 | Greenville, NC | $60,756 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $51,871 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $50,321 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $49,059 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $48,483 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,265 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $46,419 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $46,354 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,186 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $43,542 |
| 16 | Greenville, SC | $40,108 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $39,883 |
| 18 | Tallahassee, FL | $38,034 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $37,377 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $31,117 |
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Updated January 8, 2025