Best cities for a designer
The best cities for designers are San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for designers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for designers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a designer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for designers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for designers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a designer. While the absolute best city for designers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for designers in 2024.
If you're looking for a designer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for designers in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Designer jobs in San FranciscoTotal designer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $87,012 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 7.52 2. Portland, OR
Designer jobs in PortlandTotal designer jobs: 76 Average annual salary: $78,143 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 2.18 3. Oakland, CA
Designer jobs in OaklandTotal designer jobs: 33 Average annual salary: $86,748 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 3.38 4. Seattle, WA
Designer jobs in SeattleTotal designer jobs: 188 Average annual salary: $100,293 Lowest 10 percent warn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 2.18 5. Urban Honolulu, HI
Designer jobs in Urban HonoluluTotal designer jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $92,179 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 2.34 6. Oyster Bay, NY
Designer jobs in Oyster BayTotal designer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $72,086 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location quotient: 54.61 7. Boston, MA
Designer jobs in BostonTotal designer jobs: 191 Average annual salary: $72,469 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location quotient: 2.61 8. Toledo, OH
Designer jobs in ToledoTotal designer jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $66,812 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 1.54 9. Indianapolis, IN
Designer jobs in IndianapolisTotal designer jobs: 88 Average annual salary: $63,396 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location quotient: 2.19 10. New York, NY
Designer jobs in New YorkTotal designer jobs: 50 Average annual salary: $71,993 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location quotient: 9.33
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Best cities for designers
- San Francisco, CA
- Portland, OR
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Oyster Bay, NY
- Boston, MA
- Toledo, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- New York, NY
Detailed list of the best cities for a designer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $87,012 | $53,000 | 870,887 | 1 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $78,143 | $48,000 | 639,863 | 76 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $86,748 | $53,000 | 420,005 | 33 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $100,293 | $62,000 | 704,352 | 188 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $92,179 | $69,000 | 351,792 | 30 |
| 6 | Oyster Bay, NY | $72,086 | $48,000 | 293,214 | 2 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $72,469 | $49,000 | 673,184 | 191 |
| 8 | Toledo, OH | $66,812 | $44,000 | 278,508 | 7 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $63,396 | $42,000 | 855,164 | 88 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $71,993 | $48,000 | 8,537,673 | 50 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $67,341 | $44,000 | 2,704,958 | 47 |
| 12 | Louisville, KY | $60,556 | $40,000 | 597,337 | 41 |
| 13 | Los Angeles, CA | $75,940 | $48,000 | 3,976,322 | 50 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,186 | $46,000 | 1,567,872 | 79 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $66,275 | $44,000 | 860,090 | 62 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $63,339 | $41,000 | 458,880 | 58 |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $65,233 | $43,000 | 298,800 | 36 |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA | $85,885 | $53,000 | 495,234 | 32 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $61,863 | $40,000 | 947,890 | 171 |
| 20 | Corpus Christi, TX | $61,877 | $39,000 | 325,733 | 7 |
| 21 | Santa Ana, CA | $75,288 | $48,000 | 334,217 | 21 |
| 22 | Irvine, CA | $75,164 | $48,000 | 266,122 | 110 |
| 23 | San Jose, CA | $85,631 | $53,000 | 1,025,350 | 92 |
| 24 | Fremont, CA | $86,143 | $53,000 | 233,136 | 24 |
| 25 | Detroit, MI | $72,784 | $48,000 | 672,795 | 18 |
| 26 | Milwaukee, WI | $64,912 | $43,000 | 595,047 | 27 |
| 27 | Atlanta, GA | $61,425 | $40,000 | 472,522 | 72 |
| 28 | Dallas, TX | $60,976 | $40,000 | 1,317,929 | 144 |
| 29 | Virginia Beach, VA | $68,489 | $45,000 | 452,602 | 16 |
| 30 | Winston-Salem, NC | $63,260 | $41,000 | 242,203 | 7 |
| 31 | Cleveland, OH | $67,261 | $44,000 | 385,809 | 14 |
| 32 | Pittsburgh, PA | $68,282 | $45,000 | 303,625 | 29 |
| 33 | Nashville, TN | $60,175 | $39,000 | 660,388 | 31 |
| 34 | Fort Wayne, IN | $64,421 | $42,000 | 264,488 | 6 |
| 35 | Irving, TX | $61,007 | $40,000 | 238,289 | 70 |
| 36 | Madison, WI | $64,567 | $42,000 | 252,551 | 19 |
| 37 | Bakersfield, CA | $78,346 | $49,000 | 376,380 | 6 |
| 38 | Long Beach, CA | $75,559 | $48,000 | 470,130 | 9 |
| 39 | Henderson, NV | $59,246 | $37,000 | 292,969 | 8 |
| 40 | Charlotte, NC | $61,990 | $40,000 | 842,051 | 64 |
| 41 | Houston, TX | $61,319 | $39,000 | 2,303,482 | 185 |
| 42 | Lexington, KY | $60,859 | $40,000 | 318,449 | 5 |
| 43 | Minneapolis, MN | $62,538 | $41,000 | 413,651 | 75 |
| 44 | Greensboro, NC | $63,363 | $41,000 | 287,027 | 7 |
| 45 | San Antonio, TX | $62,137 | $40,000 | 1,492,510 | 30 |
| 46 | Fresno, CA | $82,003 | $51,000 | 522,053 | 5 |
| 47 | San Diego, CA | $74,197 | $47,000 | 1,406,630 | 124 |
| 48 | Washington, DC | $76,275 | $50,000 | 681,170 | 137 |
| 49 | Denver, CO | $65,994 | $44,000 | 693,060 | 171 |
| 50 | Memphis, TN | $57,994 | $38,000 | 652,717 | 19 |
Highest paying cities for designers
| Rank | City | Avg. designer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $100,293 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $87,012 |
| 3 | Beaverton, OR | $78,360 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $76,275 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $72,469 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $71,993 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,186 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $67,341 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $66,275 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $66,000 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $65,994 |
| 12 | New Haven, CT | $64,916 |
| 13 | Greenville, NC | $63,542 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $63,396 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $62,538 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $62,137 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $61,744 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $60,281 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $60,218 |
| 20 | Bentonville, AR | $59,763 |
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Updated January 8, 2025