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Project and design lead salary
Average project and design lead salary
$89,305
Average Project and Design Lead Salary
The average salary for a Project and Design Lead stands at approximately $89,305 per year, translating to about $43 per hour. This salary reflects the essential nature of this role, where professionals lead projects from conception to completion, ensuring design integrity and team collaboration.
Salary by Experience Level
As with many positions, experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level Project and Design Leads can expect to earn less than their more experienced counterparts. With a few years in the field, many see substantial salary increases. For instance, leads with over ten years of experience may see salaries exceeding $100,000.
Highest Paying Locations
Geographic location impacts salaries significantly. States such as California and New York typically offer the highest salaries, often above the national average. Major cities like San Francisco and New York City frequently rank as the highest-paying locations for this role, driven by demand and cost of living factors.
Career Opportunities
The demand for Project and Design Leads is growing, especially in sectors like technology, construction, and design firms. As industries evolve, staying updated with the latest trends and skills is essential for career advancement and salary growth.
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Where can a Project And Design Lead earn more?
Project and design lead salaries by experience level
Average project and design lead salary by state
The highest-paying states for project and design leads are California, New Mexico, and Maryland. The lowest average project and design lead salary states are North Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for project and design leads
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $105,715 | $50.82 |
| 2 | Idaho | $99,207 | $47.70 |
| 3 | California | $113,852 | $54.74 |
| 4 | Iowa | $95,728 | $46.02 |
| 5 | Texas | $93,559 | $44.98 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $96,189 | $46.24 |
| 7 | Delaware | $103,121 | $49.58 |
| 8 | Washington | $100,903 | $48.51 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $92,105 | $44.28 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $92,717 | $44.58 |
| 11 | Michigan | $86,330 | $41.50 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $100,458 | $48.30 |
| 13 | Maryland | $103,369 | $49.70 |
| 14 | Georgia | $89,550 | $43.05 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $105,615 | $50.78 |
| 16 | Nevada | $85,628 | $41.17 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $90,277 | $43.40 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $95,925 | $46.12 |
| 19 | Virginia | $95,734 | $46.03 |
| 20 | Ohio | $85,294 | $41.01 |
| 21 | Maine | $86,670 | $41.67 |
| 22 | Alaska | $86,955 | $41.81 |
| 23 | New York | $94,763 | $45.56 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $91,896 | $44.18 |
| 25 | Alabama | $82,815 | $39.81 |
| 26 | Illinois | $91,635 | $44.06 |
| 27 | Arizona | $86,771 | $41.72 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $94,065 | $45.22 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $79,855 | $38.39 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $82,343 | $39.59 |
| 31 | Indiana | $81,016 | $38.95 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $80,435 | $38.67 |
| 33 | Vermont | $85,148 | $40.94 |
| 34 | Missouri | $81,111 | $39.00 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $83,094 | $39.95 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $79,813 | $38.37 |
| 37 | Colorado | $84,325 | $40.54 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $81,371 | $39.12 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $76,625 | $36.84 |
| 40 | Florida | $83,493 | $40.14 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $78,098 | $37.55 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $69,684 | $33.50 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $73,267 | $35.22 |
| 44 | Kansas | $69,231 | $33.28 |
| 45 | Montana | $72,992 | $35.09 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $69,852 | $33.58 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $68,695 | $33.03 |
| 48 | Utah | $79,762 | $38.35 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $75,147 | $36.13 |
| 50 | Oregon | $75,026 | $36.07 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $74,657 | $35.89 |
Highest paying cities for project and design leads
The highest-paying cities for project and design leads are Redwood City, CA, Washington, DC, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $121,934 | $58.62 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $105,654 | $50.80 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $101,312 | $48.71 |
| 4 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $96,884 | $46.58 |
| 5 | McLean, VA | $96,132 | $46.22 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $95,866 | $46.09 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $94,932 | $45.64 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $94,042 | $45.21 |
| 9 | Smyrna, TN | $92,207 | $44.33 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $85,310 | $41.01 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $83,465 | $40.13 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $82,443 | $39.64 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $81,075 | $38.98 |
Project and design lead salary details
A project and design lead's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $118,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a project and design lead's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| Average | $89,305 | $7,442 | $43 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
Highest paying project and design lead jobs
The highest paying types of project and design leads are senior engineer, lead design engineer, and chief engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consulting Engineer | $97,746 | $8,145 | $46.99 | 125,600 |
| Chief Engineer | $108,050 | $9,004 | $51.95 | 88,473 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Mechanical Engineering Internship | $42,749 | $3,562 | $20.55 | 115,512 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $75,352 | $6,279 | $36.23 | 105,618 |
| Design Engineer | $77,134 | $6,428 | $37.08 | 138,173 |
Top companies hiring project and design leads now:
Which companies pay project and design leads the most?
Project and design lead salaries at Eli Lilly and Company and Boston Consulting Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average project and design lead salary at companies like Neiman Marcus Group and Abbott are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eli Lilly and Company | $116,106 | $55.82 |
| 2 | Boston Consulting Group | $112,450 | $54.06 |
| 3 | Neiman Marcus Group | $112,056 | $53.87 |
| 4 | Abbott | $111,014 | $53.37 |
| 5 | Corning Incorporated | $101,182 | $48.65 |
| 6 | American Woodmark | $92,462 | $44.45 |
| 7 | Schneider Electric Industrial Services | $89,382 | $42.97 |
| 8 | Goken America | $88,049 | $42.33 |
| 9 | Alstom | $87,038 | $41.85 |
| 10 | NBBJ Design | $86,087 | $41.39 |
| 11 | Lilly & Company | $85,573 | $41.14 |
| 12 | DPR Construction | $84,330 | $40.54 |
| 13 | MG2 | $82,733 | $39.78 |
| 14 | Nes Holdings | $78,042 | $37.52 |
| 15 | Kohler Co. | $74,314 | $35.73 |
| 16 | University of Pennsylvania | $54,529 | $26.22 |
| 17 | Target | $53,533 | $25.74 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Project And Design Lead salary by industry
The average project and design lead salary varies across industries:
- The average project and design lead salary in the finance industry is $101,323, the highest of any industry.
- The average project and design lead salary in the finance industry is $94,686.
- Project and design leads in the professional industry earn an average salary of $73,036, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for project and design leads
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $101,323 | $48.71 |
| 2 | Energy | $94,686 | $45.52 |
| 3 | Technology | $93,914 | $45.15 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $89,184 | $42.88 |
| 5 | Construction | $85,946 | $41.32 |
| 6 | Automotive | $84,539 | $40.64 |
| 7 | Professional | $73,036 | $35.11 |
High paying project and design lead jobs
Project and design lead salary trends
The average project and design lead salary has risen by $10,826 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average project and design lead earned $78,479 annually, but today, they earn $89,305 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for project and design leads over the last decade.
Compare project and design lead salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average project and design lead salary over time
Compare project and design lead salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Project and design lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $89,300 | $42.94 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $87,600 | $42.11 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $86,500 | $41.61 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $85,100 | $40.90 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $83,400 | $40.09 | +0.7% |
Recently added project and design lead salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda | Design Project Leader | Raymond, OH | 06/26/2025 | $95,200 |
| Abbott Laboratories | Associate Project Leader Design Assurance (Infant Formula ACT (IFA) Compliance Support-Columbus OH | Columbus, OH | 06/24/2025 | $54,000 |
| American Woodmark | Project Leader, System Design and Development | Anaheim, CA | 06/13/2025 | $140,358 |
| Honda | Design Project Leader I MMC | Raymond, OH | 05/23/2025 | $95,200 |
| Intuit | Design and Construction Project Lead | San Diego, CA | 05/20/2025 | $148,000 |
| Legislative Branch | Lead Project Designer | Washington, DC | 05/20/2025 | $107,685 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Project Engineer-Design Lead | Indianapolis, IN | 05/17/2025 | $64,500 |
| Rehlko | Senior Design Project Leader | Livermore, CA | 05/08/2025 | $165,000 |
| Consolidated Electrical Distributors | Commercial Solar Design Project Lead | Omaha, NE | 04/24/2025 | $75,000 |
| Gensler | Project Design Technology Lead-Large Scale | San Francisco, CA | 04/10/2025 | $110,000 |
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