Salary distribution
Where California interior designers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $60,260 and $99,030, with a median of $77,360.
Interior Designers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 127 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $78,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 39 | $62,733 |
| Level II — qualified | 51 | $78,229 |
| Level III — experienced | 14 | $88,844 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 12 | $104,043 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Interior Designers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corgan Associates, Inc. | ID (Interior Design) Project Coordinator | 7 | $84,490 |
| M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. | Designer | 6 | $87,946 |
| Gooder Supply Home Design, Inc | Design Consultant | 6 | $70,520 |
| Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. | Senior Interior Design Professional | 5 | $96,762 |
| STUDIOS Architecture | Designer | 4 | $77,000 |
| Nicole Hollis, Inc. | Project Designer | 3 | $85,000 |
| Stantec Architecture Inc. | Interior Designer | 3 | $80,018 |
| AMERICAN ICON INC | Designer and project coordinator | 3 | $48,000 |
| FDG Designgroup LLC | Architectural Designer | 2 | $86,625 |
| HDR Architecture, Inc. | Interior Design Coordinator | 2 | $74,651 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Designer at M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc.$110,000Los AngelesDecided Dec 11, 2025I-203-25338-456438
- Project Designer at Nicole Hollis, Inc.$85,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25336-451488
- Designer at STUDIOS Architecture$93,475San FranciscoDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-429039
- Architectural Designer at FDG Designgroup LLC$86,625San FranciscoDecided Nov 26, 2025I-200-25323-422434
- Senior Interior Design Professional at Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc.$96,762San FranciscoDecided Nov 21, 2025I-200-25319-411048
- Interior Designer at Stantec Architecture Inc.$90,002San FranciscoDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-394045
- Lighting and Control Systems Designer at Stantec Consulting Services Inc.$98,010San FranciscoDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-394090
- ID (Interior Design) Project Coordinator at Corgan Associates, Inc.$84,490Culver CityDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25310-382766
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Interior Designers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Interior Designers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 88 certified offers. The most common variant is Interior Designer at a median of $77,210.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Designer | Speed Construction and Development Inc. | 36 | $77,210 |
| Designer | M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. | 28 | $76,595 |
| Design Consultant | Gooder Supply Home Design, Inc | 7 | $75,000 |
| Architectural Designer | FDG Designgroup LLC | 5 | $86,625 |
| Project Designer | Nicole Hollis, Inc. | 3 | $85,000 |
| Senior Interior Design Professional | Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. | 3 | $93,891 |
| Interior Design Coordinator | HDR Architecture, Inc. | 3 | $74,027 |
| Designer and project coordinator | AMERICAN ICON INC | 3 | $48,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Interior Designers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 121 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $78,635.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Corgan Associates, Inc. | 90 | $78,635 |
| Retail and wholesale | Gooder Supply Home Design, Inc | 18 | $74,250 |
| Manufacturing | AMERICAN ICON INC | 4 | $55,367 |
| Technology and software | Criterion Systems, Inc. | 3 | $78,229 |
| Real estate | Hwowz Concept, Inc. | 3 | $90,000 |
| Education | USA Prancer Development Inc. | 2 | $83,500 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Chabad of Malibu | 1 | $68,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Building and Construction
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Originality
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
- 02
Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
- 03
Inspect construction work on site to ensure its adherence to the design plans.
- 04
Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
- 05
Advise client on interior design factors, such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
- 06
Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.
- 07
Estimate material requirements and costs, and present design to client for approval.
- 08
Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+3.2%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for interior designers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$79,800
- San Diego$78,990
- San Francisco$78,660
- Los Angeles$76,970
- Sacramento$75,170
- Riverside$70,180
Compare Interior Designers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Interior Designers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Interior Designers in California is $77,360.
- How does California compare to the national median for Interior Designers?
- The California median is +18.0% versus the BLS national figure of $65,579.
- What is the salary range for Interior Designers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $46,540 and the 90th-percentile at $131,870, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Interior Designers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 3.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Interior Designers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.