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Design specialist salary
Average design specialist salary
$56,917
Average Design Specialist Salary Overview
The average salary for a Design Specialist is approximately $56,917 per year, or $27 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for design expertise.
Salary by State
In states with a high demand for design specialists, salaries can reach upwards of $70,000. For example, in California, the average salary can exceed $65,000, while states like Texas and Florida typically offer salaries closer to the national average. It’s essential for job seekers to consider these geographical differences when evaluating potential job opportunities.
Industry Impact
Different industries also influence salary ranges. Design specialists working in tech or advertising often earn more than those in education or non-profits. Analyzing these trends can help professionals make informed career decisions and negotiate better salaries.
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Where can a Design Specialist earn more?
Design specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average design specialist salary by state
The average design specialist salary in New York, California, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average design specialist salary states are Montana, Vermont, and Alaska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for design specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $67,705 | $32.55 |
| 2 | California | $67,602 | $32.50 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $61,406 | $29.52 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $65,947 | $31.71 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $64,423 | $30.97 |
| 6 | Delaware | $60,838 | $29.25 |
| 7 | Texas | $59,181 | $28.45 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $64,307 | $30.92 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $57,390 | $27.59 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $56,309 | $27.07 |
| 11 | Michigan | $51,949 | $24.98 |
| 12 | Iowa | $51,694 | $24.85 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $52,850 | $25.41 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $59,463 | $28.59 |
| 15 | Oregon | $50,838 | $24.44 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $53,754 | $25.84 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $52,053 | $25.03 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $55,687 | $26.77 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $58,780 | $28.26 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $53,752 | $25.84 |
| 21 | Kansas | $50,729 | $24.39 |
| 22 | Arizona | $47,241 | $22.71 |
| 23 | Washington | $46,055 | $22.14 |
| 24 | Maine | $51,099 | $24.57 |
| 25 | Maryland | $52,396 | $25.19 |
| 26 | Ohio | $49,726 | $23.91 |
| 27 | Virginia | $47,891 | $23.02 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $46,138 | $22.18 |
| 29 | Georgia | $46,485 | $22.35 |
| 30 | Illinois | $48,631 | $23.38 |
| 31 | Idaho | $45,372 | $21.81 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $41,734 | $20.06 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $48,306 | $23.22 |
| 34 | Colorado | $43,557 | $20.94 |
| 35 | Vermont | $34,931 | $16.79 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $44,070 | $21.19 |
| 37 | Nevada | $41,253 | $19.83 |
| 38 | Alaska | $34,826 | $16.74 |
| 39 | Florida | $39,068 | $18.78 |
| 40 | Alabama | $39,264 | $18.88 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $36,979 | $17.78 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $29,966 | $14.41 |
| 43 | Missouri | $39,269 | $18.88 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $40,151 | $19.30 |
| 45 | Montana | $35,399 | $17.02 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $36,445 | $17.52 |
| 47 | Utah | $31,407 | $15.10 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $37,824 | $18.18 |
| 49 | Indiana | $37,859 | $18.20 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $35,697 | $17.16 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,979 | $15.37 |
Highest paying cities for design specialists
The highest-paying cities for design specialists are Menlo Park, CA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $73,390 | $35.28 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $68,335 | $32.85 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $65,938 | $31.70 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,074 | $31.29 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $61,068 | $29.36 |
| 6 | Greenville, NC | $60,756 | $29.21 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $51,871 | $24.94 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $50,321 | $24.19 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $49,059 | $23.59 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $48,483 | $23.31 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,265 | $22.72 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $46,419 | $22.32 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $46,354 | $22.29 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,186 | $22.20 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $43,542 | $20.93 |
| 16 | Greenville, SC | $40,108 | $19.28 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $39,883 | $19.17 |
| 18 | Tallahassee, FL | $38,034 | $18.29 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $37,377 | $17.97 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $31,117 | $14.96 |
Design specialist salary details
A design specialist's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $91,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a design specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| 75th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| Average | $56,917 | $4,743 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying design specialist jobs
The highest paying types of design specialists are visual designer, design consultant, and designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
| Graphic Designer Internship | $35,800 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 93,292 |
| Interior Design Internship | $45,975 | $3,831 | $22.10 | 88,151 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | $48,619 | $4,052 | $23.37 | 95,831 |
| Interior Designer | $52,482 | $4,373 | $25.23 | 48,020 |
| Project Designer | $64,943 | $5,412 | $31.22 | 60,364 |
Top companies hiring design specialists now:
Which companies pay design specialists the most?
Design specialist salaries at BP America Inc and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average design specialist salary at companies like SAP and Citi are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BP America Inc | $124,252 | $59.74 |
| 2 | Meta | $118,750 | $57.09 |
| 3 | SAP | $107,759 | $51.81 |
| 4 | Citi | $106,486 | $51.20 |
| 5 | Tesla | $106,042 | $50.98 |
| 6 | Lenovo | $105,984 | $50.95 |
| 7 | General Motors | $104,409 | $50.20 |
| 8 | Lam Research | $103,567 | $49.79 |
| 9 | Nokia | $103,140 | $49.59 |
| 10 | Nalco Holding Company | $100,770 | $48.45 |
| 11 | Halliburton | $100,520 | $48.33 |
| 12 | Pacifi | $99,087 | $47.64 |
| 13 | NYISO | $98,776 | $47.49 |
| 14 | Ch2M Hill | $98,454 | $47.33 |
| 15 | Zebra Technologies | $98,310 | $47.26 |
| 16 | Cisco | $97,755 | $47.00 |
| 17 | Climatec | $97,535 | $46.89 |
| 18 | Cenergy International Services | $95,620 | $45.97 |
| 19 | NTT Data International L.L.C. | $95,617 | $45.97 |
| 20 | Thales | $94,760 | $45.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Design specialist salary trends
The average design specialist salary has risen by $9,416 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average design specialist earned $47,501 annually, but today, they earn $56,917 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for design specialists over the last decade.
Compare design specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average design specialist salary over time
Compare design specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Design specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $56,900 | $27.36 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $55,900 | $26.87 | +4.8% |
| 2024 | $53,200 | $25.59 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $51,400 | $24.70 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $49,700 | $23.89 | +1.9% |
Recently added design specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAC Architecture | Design Professional II | Spokane, WA | 06/30/2025 | $73,000 |
| Discovery Furniture Inc. | In-Home Design Specialist | Topeka, KS | 06/29/2025 | $31,000 |
| Furnituremallofkansas | In-Home Design Specialist | Topeka, KS | 06/29/2025 | $31,000 |
| SGS & Co | Design Adaptation Specialist 2 | Florence, KY | 06/28/2025 | $58,436 |
| Geologics | Electrical Design Specialist | Sterling Heights, MI | 06/28/2025 | $107,481 |
| Kwikee | Design Adaptation Specialist 2 | Florence, KY | 06/28/2025 | $58,436 |
| Pacificorp | Design Specialist (MID, SR) Portland, or #113797 | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $71,800 |
| Wayfair | Design Specialist | Oak Brook, IL | 06/26/2025 | $44,662 |
| Sap | User Experience Design Specialist | Palo Alto, CA | 06/26/2025 | $144,262 |
| Sap | User Experience Design Specialist | Kane, PA | 06/26/2025 | $84,900 |
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