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Exterior designer salary
Average exterior designer salary
$93,819
Understanding the Exterior Designer Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Exterior Designer in the United States stands at $93,819 per year. This figure reflects the demand for skilled professionals who can blend creativity with technical expertise to enhance outdoor spaces. Salaries for Exterior Designers tend to vary based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific industry sectors.
Salary Insights by State
Some states offer significantly higher salaries for Exterior Designers. For instance, states like California and New York often lead the chart due to higher living costs and demand for design services. Understanding which states pay more can help you make informed decisions about relocation or career advancement.
Career Opportunities
In addition to a competitive salary, becoming an Exterior Designer opens doors to various roles in landscape architecture, urban planning, and real estate development. With the right experience and portfolio, you can position yourself for higher-paying opportunities within these fields.
For those interested in this career, exploring different job listings and salary estimates can provide valuable insights into potential earnings and career paths.
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Where can an Exterior Designer earn more?
Exterior designer salary estimates from across the web
Average exterior designer salary by state
The highest-paying states for exterior designers are California, New York, and Virginia. The lowest average exterior designer salary states are Florida, South Dakota, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for exterior designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $107,669 | $51.76 |
| 2 | California | $112,455 | $54.06 |
| 3 | Virginia | $105,610 | $50.77 |
| 4 | Utah | $103,840 | $49.92 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $102,365 | $49.21 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $99,827 | $47.99 |
| 7 | Washington | $92,186 | $44.32 |
| 8 | Colorado | $96,246 | $46.27 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $98,178 | $47.20 |
| 10 | Oregon | $85,467 | $41.09 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $97,630 | $46.94 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $85,386 | $41.05 |
| 13 | Idaho | $92,440 | $44.44 |
| 14 | Vermont | $91,618 | $44.05 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $89,603 | $43.08 |
| 16 | Maine | $86,766 | $41.71 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $92,190 | $44.32 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $93,832 | $45.11 |
| 19 | Kansas | $83,963 | $40.37 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $88,686 | $42.64 |
| 21 | Michigan | $79,068 | $38.01 |
| 22 | Illinois | $82,737 | $39.78 |
| 23 | Maryland | $83,625 | $40.20 |
| 24 | Nevada | $81,672 | $39.27 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $79,664 | $38.30 |
| 26 | Georgia | $74,088 | $35.62 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $75,229 | $36.17 |
| 28 | Alabama | $76,340 | $36.70 |
| 29 | Alaska | $83,819 | $40.30 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $72,978 | $35.09 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $79,246 | $38.10 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $74,617 | $35.87 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $75,319 | $36.21 |
| 34 | Texas | $70,113 | $33.71 |
| 35 | Arizona | $71,491 | $34.37 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $69,154 | $33.25 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $67,165 | $32.29 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $73,798 | $35.48 |
| 39 | Delaware | $73,584 | $35.38 |
| 40 | Ohio | $65,581 | $31.53 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $73,908 | $35.53 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $66,397 | $31.92 |
| 43 | Missouri | $65,794 | $31.63 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $58,350 | $28.05 |
| 45 | Florida | $61,509 | $29.57 |
| 46 | Iowa | $62,322 | $29.96 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $61,329 | $29.49 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $62,427 | $30.01 |
| 49 | Indiana | $61,281 | $29.46 |
| 50 | Montana | $61,038 | $29.35 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $47,483 | $22.83 |
Highest paying cities for exterior designers
The highest-paying cities for exterior designers are Sacramento, CA, Camarillo, CA, and Santa Monica, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $120,689 | $58.02 |
| 2 | Camarillo, CA | $110,783 | $53.26 |
| 3 | Santa Monica, CA | $110,017 | $52.89 |
| 4 | Hawthorne, CA | $109,655 | $52.72 |
| 5 | Manhattan Beach, CA | $109,604 | $52.69 |
| 6 | Torrance, CA | $109,423 | $52.61 |
| 7 | Irvine, CA | $108,766 | $52.29 |
| 8 | Costa Mesa, CA | $108,719 | $52.27 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $102,456 | $49.26 |
| 10 | Dearborn, MI | $79,711 | $38.32 |
| 11 | Warren, MI | $79,613 | $38.28 |
| 12 | Plymouth, MI | $79,443 | $38.19 |
| 13 | Ann Arbor, MI | $79,382 | $38.16 |
| 14 | Decatur, GA | $75,022 | $36.07 |
| 15 | Kirkwood, MO | $66,089 | $31.77 |
| 16 | Dayton, OH | $65,034 | $31.27 |
Exterior designer salary details
An exterior designer's salary ranges from $58,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $150,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an exterior designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $150,000 | $12,500 | $72 |
| 75th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| Average | $93,819 | $7,818 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
Highest paying exterior designer jobs
The highest paying types of exterior designers are interior design director, design consultant, and interior designer/project manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Consultant | $77,803 | $6,484 | $37.41 | 59,470 |
| Kitchen And Bath Designer | $52,406 | $4,367 | $25.20 | 59,890 |
| Interior Designer/Project Manager | $73,114 | $6,093 | $35.15 | 85,288 |
| Interior Design Consultant | $61,447 | $5,121 | $29.54 | 48,894 |
| Project Designer | $64,943 | $5,412 | $31.22 | 60,364 |
| Interior Design Coordinator | $51,987 | $4,332 | $24.99 | 49,402 |
Top companies hiring exterior designers now:
Which companies pay exterior designers the most?
Exterior designer salaries at Tesla and General Motors are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average exterior designer salary at companies like Rivian and Karma Automotive are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla | $107,374 | $51.62 |
| 2 | General Motors | $105,912 | $50.92 |
| 3 | Rivian | $103,382 | $49.70 |
| 4 | Karma Automotive | $102,978 | $49.51 |
| 5 | Toyota Financial Svc | $95,569 | $45.95 |
| 6 | Volkswagen Group of America | $92,108 | $44.28 |
| 7 | Volvo Cars | $81,664 | $39.26 |
| 8 | Honda | $80,601 | $38.75 |
| 9 | Vintech Management Services | $79,152 | $38.05 |
| 10 | Window Nation | $77,202 | $37.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Exterior designer salary trends
The average exterior designer salary has risen by $9,816 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average exterior designer earned $84,003 annually, but today, they earn $93,819 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for exterior designers over the last decade.
Compare exterior designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average exterior designer salary over time
Compare exterior designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Exterior designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $93,800 | $45.11 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $92,100 | $44.29 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | $90,600 | $43.57 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $87,400 | $42.00 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $84,300 | $40.54 | -0.5% |
Recently added exterior designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris Industries | SR. Exterior Designer | Medina, MN | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. | KIA Exterior Designer | Irvine, CA | 06/10/2025 | $88,000 |
| Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. | Exterior Designer II | Irvine, CA | 05/22/2025 | $88,000 |
| Polaris Inc. | SR. Exterior Designer | Medina, MN | 05/16/2025 | $100,000 |
| Polaris Industries | SR. Advanced Interior & Exterior Designer | Medina, MN | 04/29/2025 | $105,000 |
| Mazda North American Operations | Designer II, Exterior | Irvine, CA | 04/28/2025 | $74,400 |
| Faraday Future | Exterior Designer II | Gardena, CA | 04/21/2025 | $75,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Exterior Designer | Newark, CA | 03/26/2025 | $129,700 |
| Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. | Hyundai Exterior Designer I/II | Irvine, CA | 03/25/2025 | $71,489 |
| Mazda North American Operations | Designer II, Exterior | Irvine, CA | 03/11/2025 | $74,400 |
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