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Color and materials designer salary
Average color and materials designer salary
$83,086
Average Color and Materials Designer Salary
The average salary for a Color and Materials Designer in the United States stands at $83,086 per year. Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry. For instance, designers in states like California or New York may see higher salaries than those in less populated areas.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level designers typically earn around $55,000, while those with more than ten years of experience can command salaries exceeding $100,000. This progression highlights the value of continued education and skill development in this creative field.
Opportunities for Growth
Job seekers can enhance their earning potential by pursuing specialized roles such as Product Developer or Design Director. These positions not only offer higher salaries but also foster professional growth within dynamic industries like fashion and interior design. Stay informed about industry trends and salary expectations to navigate your career path effectively.
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Where can a Color And Materials Designer earn more?
Color and materials designer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level color and materials designer | $51,900 | $24.96 |
| Mid-level color and materials designer | $72,800 | $34.99 |
| Senior-level color and materials designer | $113,000 | $54.55 |
Color and materials designer salary estimates from across the web
Average color and materials designer salary by state
The average color and materials designer salary in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average color and materials designer salary states are Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for color and materials designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $112,746 | $54.20 |
| 2 | Washington | $104,441 | $50.21 |
| 3 | Virginia | $105,398 | $50.67 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $97,790 | $47.01 |
| 5 | Maryland | $105,711 | $50.82 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $89,855 | $43.20 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $91,943 | $44.20 |
| 8 | Michigan | $87,517 | $42.08 |
| 9 | New York | $90,135 | $43.33 |
| 10 | Illinois | $89,343 | $42.95 |
| 11 | California | $91,131 | $43.81 |
| 12 | Oregon | $85,657 | $41.18 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $87,107 | $41.88 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $82,086 | $39.46 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $81,827 | $39.34 |
| 16 | Arizona | $84,387 | $40.57 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $88,562 | $42.58 |
| 18 | Georgia | $79,706 | $38.32 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $90,427 | $43.47 |
| 20 | Utah | $77,298 | $37.16 |
| 21 | Alaska | $85,953 | $41.32 |
| 22 | Colorado | $80,269 | $38.59 |
| 23 | Nevada | $81,120 | $39.00 |
| 24 | Vermont | $78,254 | $37.62 |
| 25 | Ohio | $76,653 | $36.85 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $78,258 | $37.62 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $75,714 | $36.40 |
| 28 | Indiana | $76,480 | $36.77 |
| 29 | Idaho | $76,602 | $36.83 |
| 30 | Iowa | $75,656 | $36.37 |
| 31 | Texas | $75,339 | $36.22 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $74,848 | $35.98 |
| 33 | Delaware | $78,250 | $37.62 |
| 34 | Missouri | $75,594 | $36.34 |
| 35 | Maine | $72,447 | $34.83 |
| 36 | Montana | $74,071 | $35.61 |
| 37 | Florida | $73,841 | $35.50 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $73,750 | $35.46 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $72,896 | $35.05 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $71,034 | $34.15 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $71,133 | $34.20 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $70,971 | $34.12 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $69,041 | $33.19 |
| 44 | Kansas | $67,958 | $32.67 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $69,411 | $33.37 |
| 46 | Alabama | $59,410 | $28.56 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $67,624 | $32.51 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $65,031 | $31.26 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $63,662 | $30.61 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $55,002 | $26.44 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $53,765 | $25.85 |
Highest paying cities for color and materials designers
The highest-paying cities for color and materials designers are Redmond, WA, Boston, MA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redmond, WA | $105,068 | $50.51 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $97,848 | $47.04 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $90,185 | $43.36 |
| 4 | Burbank, CA | $89,894 | $43.22 |
| 5 | Farmington Hills, MI | $87,768 | $42.20 |
| 6 | Beaverton, OR | $85,431 | $41.07 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $84,602 | $40.67 |
| 8 | Alpharetta, GA | $80,277 | $38.59 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $80,262 | $38.59 |
| 10 | Kent, OH | $78,029 | $37.51 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $76,971 | $37.01 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $76,036 | $36.56 |
Color and materials designer salary details
A color and materials designer's salary ranges from $58,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $117,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a color and materials designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $117,000 | $9,750 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $83,086 | $6,924 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
Highest paying color and materials designer jobs
The highest paying types of color and materials designers are head designer, lead designer, and senior designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | $59,367 | $4,947 | $28.54 | 2,088 |
| Graphic Artist | $54,900 | $4,575 | $26.39 | 8,752 |
| Production Artist | $61,870 | $5,156 | $29.75 | 59,103 |
| Design Internship | $45,791 | $3,816 | $22.01 | 97,018 |
| Graphic Designer Internship | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 93,292 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
Top companies hiring color and materials designers now:
Which companies pay color and materials designers the most?
Color and materials designer salaries at Microsoft and Tesla are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average color and materials designer salary at companies like Nokia and VF are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $119,550 | $57.48 |
| 2 | Tesla | $103,569 | $49.79 |
| 3 | Nokia | $103,000 | $49.52 |
| 4 | VF | $95,403 | $45.87 |
| 5 | Rivian | $94,597 | $45.48 |
| 6 | Nike | $91,416 | $43.95 |
| 7 | The Walt Disney Company | $87,908 | $42.26 |
| 8 | Under Armour | $87,089 | $41.87 |
| 9 | M.I.T. International, Inc. | $86,320 | $41.50 |
| 10 | Akebono Brake | $86,147 | $41.42 |
| 11 | Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. | $85,922 | $41.31 |
| 12 | Mercedes-Benz of Sarasota | $84,546 | $40.65 |
| 13 | Naumann/Hobbs Material Hndlng | $84,262 | $40.51 |
| 14 | Paramount | $83,167 | $39.98 |
| 15 | Converse | $79,337 | $38.14 |
| 16 | SSOE Group | $74,949 | $36.03 |
| 17 | Black Diamond | $57,196 | $27.50 |
| 18 | Schneller | $55,506 | $26.69 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Color and materials designer salary trends
The average color and materials designer salary has risen by $14,584 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average color and materials designer earned $68,502 annually, but today, they earn $83,086 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for color and materials designers over the last decade.
Compare color and materials designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average color and materials designer salary over time
Compare color and materials designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Color and materials designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $83,100 | $39.95 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $81,100 | $38.99 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $78,400 | $37.69 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $75,800 | $36.44 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $74,200 | $35.65 | +1.6% |
Recently added color and materials designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson | Materials Designer, Footwear | Portland, OR | 06/21/2025 | $65,000 |
| Amer Sports Company | Materials Designer, Footwear | Portland, OR | 06/19/2025 | $65,000 |
| Wilson Sporting Goods | Materials Designer, Footwear | Portland, OR | 06/18/2025 | $65,000 |
| Sony Pictures Animation | Color Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/14/2025 | $108,065 |
| PVH | Sneaker Color & Concept Designer | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $121,400 |
| L'Oreal | Director, Global Color Designer & Product Develoment, Essie DMI | Jersey City, NJ | 06/11/2025 | $138,500 |
| Brooks Running | Senior Designer, Color, Material Finishes (CMF) Design-Footwear | Seattle, WA | 06/11/2025 | $124,186 |
| Cella Inc. | Color Designer | Denver, CO | 05/15/2025 | $83,480 |
| Sony Pictures | Color Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 04/30/2025 | $108,065 |
| Aquent | Footwear Color Designer | Beaverton, OR | 04/24/2025 | $87,654 |
Color and materials designer salary FAQs
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