Interior Designer Pay by State: What You Really Earn in 2025
When you think of an interior designer, a professional who plans and executes functional, beautiful spaces in homes and commercial buildings. Also known as interior decorator, it’s not just about picking paint colors—it’s about space planning, building codes, lighting, materials, and client budgets. The truth? Their pay varies wildly depending on where they work. In New York or California, top designers can earn well over $80,000 a year. In smaller states or rural areas, the average might hover around $45,000. It’s not just about talent—it’s about demand, cost of living, and the local construction market.
What drives those differences? A few key things. First, location, where a designer operates, directly affects client wealth and project scale. Big cities have more high-end homes, luxury renovations, and commercial projects that pay better. Second, experience, how long a designer has been working and what certifications they hold matters more than you think. Someone with NCIDQ certification or a portfolio of luxury projects can charge 2-3x more than a beginner. And third, freelance vs. firm work, whether a designer runs their own business or works for a design studio changes everything. Freelancers keep more of the profit but handle marketing, contracts, and clients alone. Those working for firms get steady pay but less control over projects.
It’s also not just about salary. Many designers earn through markups on furniture, lighting, and finishes—sometimes more than their hourly rate. A designer in Texas might make $50,000 in base pay but pull in another $20,000 from product commissions. In Florida, where vacation homes are common, seasonal spikes can double income in the winter months. Meanwhile, in states with strict licensing rules, like Illinois or Washington, you’ll find higher pay because the bar to enter the field is higher.
Looking at the data from recent surveys and job postings, the top five states for interior designer pay in 2025 are California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and Illinois. The lowest? States like Mississippi, West Virginia, and South Dakota, where the market is smaller and fewer clients can afford full-service design. But even in lower-paying areas, smart designers find ways to thrive—by specializing in small-space solutions, aging-in-place renovations, or virtual consultations that let them serve clients nationwide.
What you won’t find in most salary charts is the real story: how many designers work part-time, juggle side gigs, or build income through YouTube channels, online courses, or Instagram styling. The traditional 9-to-5 model is fading. The most successful designers today aren’t just artists—they’re business owners who understand pricing, client psychology, and how to scale their services.
Below, you’ll find real posts that break down exactly how much designers earn in different states, what certifications move the needle, how to raise your rates without losing clients, and why some designers in small towns make more than those in big cities. These aren’t guesses or averages—they’re real experiences from people doing the work right now.
Highest Paying US States for Interior Designer Salary (2025)
Discover which US states pay interior designers the most, see net effective salaries, licensing rules, and step‑by‑step tips to land high‑pay design jobs.
