Best cities for a senior designer
The best cities for senior designers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for senior designers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for senior designers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a senior designer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for senior designers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for senior designers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a senior designer. While the absolute best city for senior designers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for senior designers in 2024.
If you're looking for a senior designer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for senior designers in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Senior designer jobs in San FranciscoTotal senior designer jobs: 104 Average annual salary: $131,348 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 8.44 2. Seattle, WA
Senior designer jobs in SeattleTotal senior designer jobs: 77 Average annual salary: $146,796 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $221,000 Location quotient: 2.14 3. Oakland, CA
Senior designer jobs in OaklandTotal senior designer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $131,102 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 2.21 4. El Paso, TX
Senior designer jobs in El PasoTotal senior designer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $100,271 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location quotient: 2.47 5. Chandler, AZ
Senior designer jobs in ChandlerTotal senior designer jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $98,397 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location quotient: 3.31 6. Austin, TX
Senior designer jobs in AustinTotal senior designer jobs: 60 Average annual salary: $98,241 Lowest 10 percent warn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 2.10 7. San Jose, CA
Senior designer jobs in San JoseTotal senior designer jobs: 55 Average annual salary: $130,299 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 1.82 8. Los Angeles, CA
Senior designer jobs in Los AngelesTotal senior designer jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $118,521 Lowest 10 percent warn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location quotient: 4.54 9. Portland, OR
Senior designer jobs in PortlandTotal senior designer jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $104,812 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 3.58 10. Dallas, TX
Senior designer jobs in DallasTotal senior designer jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $97,786 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 1.84
Choose from 10+ customizable senior designer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use senior designer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your senior designer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for senior designers
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Oakland, CA
- El Paso, TX
- Chandler, AZ
- Austin, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Portland, OR
- Dallas, TX
Detailed list of the best cities for a senior designer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,348 | $86,000 | 870,887 | 104 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $146,796 | $97,000 | 704,352 | 77 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $131,102 | $86,000 | 420,005 | 9 |
| 4 | El Paso, TX | $100,271 | $68,000 | 683,080 | 6 |
| 5 | Chandler, AZ | $98,397 | $66,000 | 247,477 | 14 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $98,241 | $67,000 | 947,890 | 60 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $130,299 | $86,000 | 1,025,350 | 55 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $118,521 | $78,000 | 3,976,322 | 166 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $104,812 | $69,000 | 639,863 | 52 |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $97,786 | $66,000 | 1,317,929 | 48 |
| 11 | Henderson, NV | $114,720 | $75,000 | 292,969 | 2 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $115,360 | $76,000 | 632,912 | 16 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $97,659 | $67,000 | 2,303,482 | 96 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $129,902 | $85,000 | 495,234 | 15 |
| 15 | Irvine, CA | $116,861 | $77,000 | 266,122 | 48 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $98,239 | $67,000 | 1,492,510 | 20 |
| 17 | Scottsdale, AZ | $98,769 | $66,000 | 246,645 | 8 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $104,985 | $75,000 | 673,184 | 101 |
| 19 | Anaheim, CA | $117,413 | $78,000 | 351,043 | 5 |
| 20 | Winston-Salem, NC | $91,265 | $65,000 | 242,203 | 6 |
| 21 | Toledo, OH | $86,038 | $61,000 | 278,508 | 7 |
| 22 | Long Beach, CA | $117,518 | $78,000 | 470,130 | 5 |
| 23 | Phoenix, AZ | $98,780 | $66,000 | 1,615,017 | 39 |
| 24 | Nashville, TN | $90,142 | $64,000 | 660,388 | 18 |
| 25 | Milwaukee, WI | $91,996 | $65,000 | 595,047 | 16 |
| 26 | Arlington, TX | $97,907 | $67,000 | 392,772 | 2 |
| 27 | Raleigh, NC | $91,766 | $66,000 | 458,880 | 20 |
| 28 | Plano, TX | $97,638 | $66,000 | 286,057 | 13 |
| 29 | New Orleans, LA | $86,131 | $59,000 | 391,495 | 13 |
| 30 | New York, NY | $98,880 | $70,000 | 8,537,673 | 185 |
| 31 | Irving, TX | $97,812 | $66,000 | 238,289 | 11 |
| 32 | San Diego, CA | $114,238 | $76,000 | 1,406,630 | 50 |
| 33 | Fremont, CA | $130,626 | $86,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 34 | North Las Vegas, NV | $115,200 | $76,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 35 | Reno, NV | $121,124 | $80,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 36 | Fort Worth, TX | $97,973 | $67,000 | 854,113 | 3 |
| 37 | Greensboro, NC | $91,429 | $66,000 | 287,027 | 5 |
| 38 | Lincoln, NE | $85,691 | $60,000 | 280,364 | 11 |
| 39 | Stockton, CA | $130,072 | $86,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 40 | Philadelphia, PA | $91,703 | $65,000 | 1,567,872 | 27 |
| 41 | Lubbock, TX | $99,510 | $67,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 42 | Madison, WI | $91,767 | $65,000 | 252,551 | 11 |
| 43 | Detroit, MI | $88,187 | $63,000 | 672,795 | 16 |
| 44 | Garland, TX | $97,668 | $66,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 45 | Fresno, CA | $127,339 | $84,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 46 | Bakersfield, CA | $124,036 | $82,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 47 | Chicago, IL | $87,601 | $62,000 | 2,704,958 | 115 |
| 48 | Laredo, TX | $97,666 | $67,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 49 | Denver, CO | $93,312 | $63,000 | 693,060 | 81 |
| 50 | Glendale, AZ | $98,798 | $66,000 | 245,895 | - |
Highest paying cities for senior designers
| Rank | City | Avg. senior designer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $146,796 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $131,348 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $104,985 |
| 4 | Beaverton, OR | $104,862 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $104,317 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $98,880 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $98,780 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $98,241 |
| 9 | Columbia, MD | $93,732 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $93,312 |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $91,996 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $91,766 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $91,703 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $90,574 |
| 15 | Warren, MI | $88,193 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $87,601 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $85,672 |
| 18 | Orlando, FL | $84,960 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $80,859 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $80,681 |
Senior designer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for senior designer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025