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Environmental designer salary
Average environmental designer salary
$56,929
Understanding Environmental Designer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average Environmental Designer salary stands at $56,929 per year. This role is crucial for integrating sustainability into design projects, impacting urban planning and environmental conservation. Salaries can differ significantly based on several factors:
- Location: States such as California and New York typically offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
- Experience: Entry-level designers may start at lower salaries, while those with extensive experience and specialized skills often command higher pay.
- Industry: Working in sectors like renewable energy or urban development can lead to premium compensation packages.
For instance, experienced designers in metropolitan areas often report salaries exceeding $70,000. To optimize your career trajectory, consider pursuing certifications in sustainable design, which can enhance your employability and salary potential. Additionally, regularly updating your portfolio and networking within industry circles can open doors to higher-paying positions.
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Where can an Environmental Designer earn more?
Environmental designer salaries by experience level
Environmental designer salary estimates from across the web
Average environmental designer salary by state
The average environmental designer salary in Oregon, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average environmental designer salary states are Tennessee, Arkansas, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for environmental designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $78,946 | $37.95 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $71,652 | $34.45 |
| 3 | Washington | $69,190 | $33.26 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $70,774 | $34.03 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $70,851 | $34.06 |
| 6 | California | $67,676 | $32.54 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $67,853 | $32.62 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $68,334 | $32.85 |
| 9 | New York | $64,838 | $31.17 |
| 10 | Maine | $61,663 | $29.65 |
| 11 | Idaho | $67,771 | $32.58 |
| 12 | Alaska | $62,765 | $30.18 |
| 13 | Virginia | $63,144 | $30.36 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $67,273 | $32.34 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $61,390 | $29.51 |
| 16 | Michigan | $58,956 | $28.34 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $59,962 | $28.83 |
| 18 | Colorado | $58,830 | $28.28 |
| 19 | Vermont | $58,655 | $28.20 |
| 20 | Nevada | $61,258 | $29.45 |
| 21 | Maryland | $61,242 | $29.44 |
| 22 | Illinois | $55,896 | $26.87 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $58,273 | $28.02 |
| 24 | Texas | $54,692 | $26.29 |
| 25 | Arizona | $56,161 | $27.00 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $60,380 | $29.03 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $54,377 | $26.14 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $55,009 | $26.45 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $55,460 | $26.66 |
| 30 | Montana | $54,907 | $26.40 |
| 31 | Iowa | $51,087 | $24.56 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $48,387 | $23.26 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $49,766 | $23.93 |
| 34 | Utah | $50,807 | $24.43 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $53,396 | $25.67 |
| 36 | Delaware | $56,634 | $27.23 |
| 37 | Kansas | $50,065 | $24.07 |
| 38 | Indiana | $51,100 | $24.57 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $52,583 | $25.28 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $50,567 | $24.31 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $50,584 | $24.32 |
| 42 | Ohio | $47,756 | $22.96 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $48,796 | $23.46 |
| 44 | Georgia | $41,449 | $19.93 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $48,262 | $23.20 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $47,270 | $22.73 |
| 47 | Alabama | $47,787 | $22.97 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $43,399 | $20.86 |
| 49 | Florida | $36,116 | $17.36 |
| 50 | Missouri | $39,567 | $19.02 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $39,309 | $18.90 |
Highest paying cities for environmental designers
The highest-paying cities for environmental designers are Portland, OR, Berkeley, CA, and Norwood, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | $77,938 | $37.47 |
| 2 | Berkeley, CA | $77,588 | $37.30 |
| 3 | Norwood, MA | $71,919 | $34.58 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $71,652 | $34.45 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $70,058 | $33.68 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $68,304 | $32.84 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $65,096 | $31.30 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $61,437 | $29.54 |
| 9 | Mahwah, NJ | $60,844 | $29.25 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $56,151 | $27.00 |
| 11 | Fort Worth, TX | $55,453 | $26.66 |
| 12 | New Orleans, LA | $55,186 | $26.53 |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $50,799 | $24.42 |
| 14 | Ogden, UT | $50,543 | $24.30 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $41,624 | $20.01 |
| 16 | Orlando, FL | $36,475 | $17.54 |
Environmental designer salary details
An environmental designer's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $93,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an environmental designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| Average | $56,929 | $4,744 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying environmental designer jobs
The highest paying types of environmental designers are senior environmental engineer, environmental program manager, and environmental project manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Coordinator | $57,153 | $4,763 | $27.48 | 68,514 |
| Engineering Project Coordinator | $73,371 | $6,114 | $35.27 | 112,985 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
| Architectural Designer | $59,122 | $4,927 | $28.42 | 54,358 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Project Designer | $64,943 | $5,412 | $31.22 | 60,364 |
Top companies hiring environmental designers now:
Which companies pay environmental designers the most?
Environmental designer salaries at Dolby Laboratories and HDR are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average environmental designer salary at companies like University of California, Berkeley and Louis Berger are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dolby Laboratories | $97,283 | $46.77 |
| 2 | HDR | $64,111 | $30.82 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | $63,689 | $30.62 |
| 4 | Louis Berger | $61,576 | $29.60 |
| 5 | Robert Half | $53,325 | $25.64 |
| 6 | The Freeman Company LLC | $52,086 | $25.04 |
| 7 | Team Epiphany | $51,689 | $24.85 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Environmental Designer salary by industry
The average environmental designer salary varies across industries:
- The average environmental designer salary in the hospitality industry is $69,199, the highest of any industry.
- The average environmental designer salary in the finance industry is $63,108.
- Environmental designers in the retail industry earn an average salary of $55,022, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for environmental designers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $69,199 | $33.27 |
| 2 | Professional | $63,108 | $30.34 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $59,512 | $28.61 |
| 4 | Retail | $55,022 | $26.45 |
High paying environmental designer jobs
Environmental designer salary trends
The average environmental designer salary has risen by $8,077 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average environmental designer earned $48,852 annually, but today, they earn $56,929 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for environmental designers over the last decade.
Compare environmental designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average environmental designer salary over time
Compare environmental designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $56,900 | $27.37 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $54,900 | $26.40 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $54,100 | $26.03 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $53,600 | $25.79 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $52,500 | $25.22 | +0.4% |
Recently added environmental designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Board Experiential Marketing | Environmental Designer | New York, NY | 06/24/2025 | $71,000 |
| On Board Experiential Marketing | Environmental Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $71,000 |
| Matthews International | Senior Environmental Designer | Portland, OR | 05/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Allied Global Marketing | Experiential & Environmental Designer (A.Sports) | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $75,000 |
| Atelier Ten USA, LLC | Senior Environmental Designer | San Francisco, CA | 02/21/2025 | $85,000 |
| Thisismkg | Senior Environmental Designer | Noble, LA | 02/19/2025 | $80,000 |
| Hashicorp | SR. Environmental Brand Designer | Noble, LA | 02/05/2025 | $153,000 |
| Pinnacle Technical Resources Inc. | Senior Environmental Designer (Wayfinding) | San Francisco, CA | 10/17/2024 | $80,000 |
| City of Memphis | Environmental Engineering Designer A | Memphis, TN | 10/16/2024 | $68,062 |
| Entrust Solutions Group | SR. Environmental Designer | Forest Hill, TX | 09/26/2024 | $83,000 |
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