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Senior designer salary
Average senior designer salary
$102,058
Average Senior Designer Salary
The average salary for a Senior Designer in the United States is approximately $102,058 per year or about $49 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and years of experience. In states like California and New York, top earners can see salaries that exceed this average, reflecting the high demand for skilled designers in competitive markets.
Where Can a Senior Designer Earn More?
Senior Designers can find the highest salaries in industries such as technology, advertising, and entertainment. In addition, major metropolitan areas often offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for creative talent. By targeting jobs in these lucrative regions and sectors, designers can maximize their earning potential.
Top Paying States for Senior Designers
- California
- New York
- Washington
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
Understanding these dynamics helps aspiring Senior Designers to navigate their career paths effectively and make strategic choices regarding their employment opportunities.
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Where can a Senior Designer earn more?
Senior designer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior designer salary by state
The average senior designer salary in Washington, California, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior designer salary states are Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $144,764 | $69.60 |
| 2 | California | $121,270 | $58.30 |
| 3 | Oregon | $105,316 | $50.63 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $105,120 | $50.54 |
| 5 | Texas | $97,997 | $47.11 |
| 6 | Nevada | $116,081 | $55.81 |
| 7 | Virginia | $100,774 | $48.45 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $104,188 | $50.09 |
| 9 | New York | $98,767 | $47.48 |
| 10 | Arizona | $98,444 | $47.33 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $101,935 | $49.01 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $91,810 | $44.14 |
| 13 | Utah | $91,204 | $43.85 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $91,271 | $43.88 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $91,226 | $43.86 |
| 16 | Michigan | $88,006 | $42.31 |
| 17 | Colorado | $93,847 | $45.12 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $89,277 | $42.92 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $95,393 | $45.86 |
| 20 | Alaska | $96,490 | $46.39 |
| 21 | Maryland | $93,674 | $45.04 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $89,637 | $43.09 |
| 23 | Illinois | $87,391 | $42.01 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $87,216 | $41.93 |
| 25 | Ohio | $85,888 | $41.29 |
| 26 | Delaware | $87,891 | $42.26 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $86,082 | $41.39 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $86,360 | $41.52 |
| 29 | Kansas | $81,602 | $39.23 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $81,605 | $39.23 |
| 31 | Missouri | $82,466 | $39.65 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $83,959 | $40.36 |
| 33 | Florida | $83,895 | $40.33 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $80,763 | $38.83 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $82,314 | $39.57 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $91,896 | $44.18 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $83,757 | $40.27 |
| 38 | Vermont | $80,646 | $38.77 |
| 39 | Georgia | $76,493 | $36.78 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $80,388 | $38.65 |
| 41 | Idaho | $77,826 | $37.42 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $76,689 | $36.87 |
| 43 | Indiana | $77,696 | $37.35 |
| 44 | Alabama | $77,282 | $37.15 |
| 45 | Maine | $72,007 | $34.62 |
| 46 | Iowa | $76,572 | $36.81 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $75,614 | $36.35 |
| 48 | Montana | $74,050 | $35.60 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $74,797 | $35.96 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $67,290 | $32.35 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $62,049 | $29.83 |
Highest paying cities for senior designers
The highest-paying cities for senior designers are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $146,796 | $70.58 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $131,348 | $63.15 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $104,985 | $50.47 |
| 4 | Beaverton, OR | $104,862 | $50.41 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $104,317 | $50.15 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $98,880 | $47.54 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $98,780 | $47.49 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $98,241 | $47.23 |
| 9 | Columbia, MD | $93,732 | $45.06 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $93,312 | $44.86 |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $91,996 | $44.23 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $91,766 | $44.12 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $91,703 | $44.09 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $90,574 | $43.55 |
| 15 | Warren, MI | $88,193 | $42.40 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $87,601 | $42.12 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $85,672 | $41.19 |
| 18 | Orlando, FL | $84,960 | $40.85 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $80,859 | $38.87 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $80,681 | $38.79 |
Senior Designers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Senior designer salary details
A senior designer's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $143,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| Average | $102,058 | $8,505 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
Highest paying senior designer jobs
The highest paying types of senior designers are head designer, lead designer, and senior mechanical designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer/Art Director | $97,448 | $8,121 | $46.85 | 53,314 |
| Graphic Designer, Marketing | $48,763 | $4,064 | $23.44 | 115,113 |
| Computer Aided Design Designer | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 92,503 |
| Lead Graphic Designer | $76,009 | $6,334 | $36.54 | 46,260 |
| Interactive Designer | $97,929 | $8,161 | $47.08 | 48,136 |
| Graphic Designer | $49,450 | $4,121 | $23.77 | 45,625 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior designers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Abby Guido
Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Top companies hiring senior designers now:
Which companies pay senior designers the most?
Senior designer salaries at Lyft and Google are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior designer salary at companies like Squarespace and The Walt Disney Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lyft | $161,450 | $77.62 |
| 2 | $158,568 | $76.23 | |
| 3 | Squarespace | $155,811 | $74.91 |
| 4 | The Walt Disney Company | $153,569 | $73.83 |
| 5 | StubHub | $153,245 | $73.68 |
| 6 | Atlassian | $153,239 | $73.67 |
| 7 | DoorDash | $152,953 | $73.54 |
| 8 | Apple | $152,605 | $73.37 |
| 9 | Microsoft | $150,445 | $72.33 |
| 10 | PayPal | $149,750 | $72.00 |
| 11 | Didi Chuxing | $147,452 | $70.89 |
| 12 | eBay | $145,745 | $70.07 |
| 13 | The Weitz Company | $145,653 | $70.03 |
| 14 | Zoox | $143,979 | $69.22 |
| 15 | Evernote | $143,786 | $69.13 |
| 16 | Sharecare | $142,340 | $68.43 |
| 17 | Levi Strauss & Co. | $139,151 | $66.90 |
| 18 | $138,193 | $66.44 | |
| 19 | Walmart | $137,440 | $66.08 |
| 20 | Warner Bros. | $136,999 | $65.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Designer salary by industry
The average senior designer salary varies across industries:
- The average senior designer salary in the media industry is $105,282, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior designer salary in the finance industry is $104,052.
- Senior designers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $91,360, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior designers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $105,282 | $50.62 |
| 2 | Retail | $104,052 | $50.02 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $103,043 | $49.54 |
| 4 | Technology | $102,003 | $49.04 |
| 5 | Automotive | $101,988 | $49.03 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $99,903 | $48.03 |
| 7 | Professional | $91,360 | $43.92 |
High paying senior designer jobs
Senior designer salary trends
The average senior designer salary has risen by $17,914 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior designer earned $84,144 annually, but today, they earn $102,058 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for senior designers over the last decade.
Compare senior designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior designer salary over time
Compare senior designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,000 | $49.07 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $99,600 | $47.90 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $96,300 | $46.30 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $93,100 | $44.76 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $91,100 | $43.79 | +1.6% |
Recently added senior designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple, Inc. | Senior Designer | Philadelphia, PA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Syska Hennessy Group | ICT Senior Designer | Charlotte, NC | 06/29/2025 | $61,268 |
| ZP Group | SR. Designer (Mechanical, Electrical, or Plumbing) (Exempt) | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $110,000 |
| Hargroveepc | I&E Senior Designer | Concord, CA | 06/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Floor & Decor | Senior Designer | San Diego, CA | 06/28/2025 | $38,610 |
| Rue La La | Senior Designer | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Excel Sports Management | Senior Designer | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $120,000 |
| Centric Brands | Senior Designer-Izod (Men's Knits and Sweaters) | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $95,200 |
| Hargrove Engineers & Constructors | I&E Senior Designer | Concord, CA | 06/27/2025 | $140,000 |
| Publicis Groupe | Senior Designer | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $66,785 |
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