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Design team lead salary
Average design team lead salary
$94,522
Average Design Team Lead Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Design Team Lead is $94,522 per year. This figure reflects a growing demand for skilled professionals who can lead creative teams and manage design projects effectively. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which a Design Team Lead operates.
Where Can a Design Team Lead Earn More?
Top-paying states for Design Team Leads include California, New York, and Massachusetts, where salaries often exceed the national average. Major cities in these states, such as San Francisco and New York City, tend to offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for design expertise.
Career Opportunities
The role of a Design Team Lead is essential in industries ranging from technology to fashion. By leading creative projects, professionals in this position contribute significantly to a company's success. If you're considering a career as a Design Team Lead, explore job openings in your area to find opportunities that match your skills and ambitions.
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Where can a Design Team Lead earn more?
Design team lead salary estimates from across the web
Average design team lead salary by state
The average design team lead salary in New York, Virginia, and North Carolina are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average design team lead salary states are Colorado, Nebraska, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for design team leads
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $109,141 | $52.47 |
| 2 | Delaware | $100,761 | $48.44 |
| 3 | Michigan | $104,535 | $50.26 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $105,050 | $50.50 |
| 5 | Washington | $99,206 | $47.70 |
| 6 | Virginia | $105,986 | $50.95 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $104,337 | $50.16 |
| 8 | California | $99,153 | $47.67 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $85,577 | $41.14 |
| 10 | Idaho | $87,782 | $42.20 |
| 11 | Nevada | $87,117 | $41.88 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $99,586 | $47.88 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $91,096 | $43.80 |
| 14 | Oregon | $89,580 | $43.07 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $94,322 | $45.35 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $97,634 | $46.94 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $89,015 | $42.80 |
| 18 | Maryland | $90,814 | $43.66 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $99,398 | $47.79 |
| 20 | Illinois | $86,675 | $41.67 |
| 21 | Alaska | $85,384 | $41.05 |
| 22 | Vermont | $87,605 | $42.12 |
| 23 | Florida | $84,311 | $40.53 |
| 24 | Maine | $87,288 | $41.97 |
| 25 | Texas | $84,750 | $40.75 |
| 26 | Ohio | $86,098 | $41.39 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $90,665 | $43.59 |
| 28 | Indiana | $84,348 | $40.55 |
| 29 | Montana | $79,033 | $38.00 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $81,190 | $39.03 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $82,010 | $39.43 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $82,208 | $39.52 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $79,316 | $38.13 |
| 34 | Alabama | $75,253 | $36.18 |
| 35 | Arizona | $80,764 | $38.83 |
| 36 | Utah | $73,641 | $35.40 |
| 37 | Georgia | $79,209 | $38.08 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $71,826 | $34.53 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $74,723 | $35.92 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $69,548 | $33.44 |
| 41 | Iowa | $74,946 | $36.03 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $78,162 | $37.58 |
| 43 | Missouri | $74,815 | $35.97 |
| 44 | Colorado | $71,050 | $34.16 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $76,549 | $36.80 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $65,640 | $31.56 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $74,138 | $35.64 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $70,050 | $33.68 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $72,466 | $34.84 |
| 50 | Kansas | $61,914 | $29.77 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $56,078 | $26.96 |
Highest paying cities for design team leads
The highest-paying cities for design team leads are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Cary, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $110,199 | $52.98 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $109,351 | $52.57 |
| 3 | Cary, NC | $107,117 | $51.50 |
| 4 | Troy, MI | $105,164 | $50.56 |
| 5 | Harrisburg, PA | $104,115 | $50.06 |
| 6 | Newark, DE | $100,767 | $48.45 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $99,948 | $48.05 |
| 8 | New Haven, CT | $91,264 | $43.88 |
| 9 | Springfield, MA | $91,200 | $43.85 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $91,047 | $43.77 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | $87,615 | $42.12 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $87,575 | $42.10 |
| 13 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | $83,592 | $40.19 |
| 14 | Columbus, IN | $82,897 | $39.85 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $82,563 | $39.69 |
| 16 | Eden Prairie, MN | $80,947 | $38.92 |
| 17 | Aiken, SC | $80,855 | $38.87 |
| 18 | Tucson, AZ | $80,557 | $38.73 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $78,979 | $37.97 |
| 20 | Chattanooga, TN | $76,011 | $36.54 |
Design team lead salary details
A design team lead's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $134,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a design team lead's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| Average | $94,522 | $7,877 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying design team lead jobs
The highest paying types of design team leads are lead developer, senior software engineer, and software development engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineering Internship | $47,164 | $3,930 | $22.67 | 301,105 |
| Software Developer Internship | $38,480 | $3,207 | $18.50 | 314,860 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
| SQL Server Developer | $90,179 | $7,515 | $43.36 | 135,285 |
| Salesforce Developer | $98,375 | $8,198 | $47.30 | 82,312 |
| Developer/Consultant | $98,508 | $8,209 | $47.36 | 257,985 |
Top companies hiring design team leads now:
Which companies pay design team leads the most?
Design team lead salaries at TEKsystems and Joby Aviation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average design team lead salary at companies like Datadog and PepsiCo are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEKsystems | $122,827 | $59.05 |
| 2 | Joby Aviation | $120,899 | $58.12 |
| 3 | Datadog | $118,010 | $56.74 |
| 4 | PepsiCo | $117,806 | $56.64 |
| 5 | ICONMA | $116,033 | $55.79 |
| 6 | Tesla | $115,378 | $55.47 |
| 7 | Stoneridge | $109,502 | $52.65 |
| 8 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | $107,392 | $51.63 |
| 9 | Nifco America | $106,503 | $51.20 |
| 10 | Garver, LLC | $102,490 | $49.27 |
| 11 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $100,266 | $48.20 |
| 12 | Axis | $100,111 | $48.13 |
| 13 | Burns & McDonnell | $99,803 | $47.98 |
| 14 | MSA Professional Services | $99,619 | $47.89 |
| 15 | Activision Blizzard | $95,889 | $46.10 |
| 16 | David Evans and Associates | $95,106 | $45.72 |
| 17 | Stantec | $93,345 | $44.88 |
| 18 | PSEA | $92,195 | $44.32 |
| 19 | Fortna | $91,649 | $44.06 |
| 20 | Philly Shipyard Inc | $91,228 | $43.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Design team lead salary trends
The average design team lead salary has risen by $17,548 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average design team lead earned $76,974 annually, but today, they earn $94,522 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for design team leads over the last decade.
Compare design team lead salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average design team lead salary over time
Compare design team lead salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Design team lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $94,500 | $45.44 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $91,400 | $43.95 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $89,300 | $42.95 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $87,800 | $42.19 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $86,300 | $41.48 | +1.8% |
Recently added design team lead salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Cranston, RI | 06/30/2025 | $45,914 |
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $38,401 |
| Movement Mortgage | Design Team Lead | Landrum, SC | 06/25/2025 | $85,000 |
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Las Vegas, NV | 06/04/2025 | $45,914 |
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | San Jose, CA | 05/28/2025 | $36,001 |
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Schaumburg, IL | 05/28/2025 | $36,001 |
| Crate & Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Bellevue, WA | 05/15/2025 | $33,392 |
| Crate and Barrel | Team Leader, Design & Trade | Lone Tree, CO | 05/10/2025 | $40,801 |
| Siemens Energy | Product Design Team Lead | Olean, NY | 05/03/2025 | $80,000 |
| Popli, Architecture + Engineering | Team Leader, Bridge Design | Buffalo, NY | 05/03/2025 | $135,000 |
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