Industrial designer pay by city
Across the 48 largest US metros, typical industrial designer pay ranges from $63,650 in Birmingham, AL to $141,310 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, Chicago, IL.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Commercial and Industrial Designers, SOC 27-1021).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $141,310 | $89,600 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $100,520 | $81,100 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $112,950 | $80,000 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $108,180 | $77,800 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $95,160 | $75,700 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $104,980 | $74,400 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $94,680 | $71,100 |
| 8 | Providence, RI | $93,220 | $70,300 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $102,530 | $70,200 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | $81,620 | $70,000 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $88,040 | $69,400 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $89,360 | $68,800 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $87,620 | $68,700 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $85,530 | $68,400 |
| 15 | Dallas, TX | $86,920 | $67,900 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $94,390 | $67,100 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | $84,760 | $66,800 |
| 18 | Kansas City, MO | $80,450 | $66,800 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $83,770 | $66,700 |
| 20 | San Francisco, CA | $104,000 | $66,200 |
| 21 | San Diego, CA | $99,650 | $66,000 |
| 22 | Jacksonville, FL | $80,240 | $65,600 |
| 23 | Milwaukee, WI | $80,590 | $64,600 |
| 24 | Cleveland, OH | $78,270 | $64,500 |
| 25 | Louisville, KY | $78,140 | $63,900 |
| 26 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,190 | $63,800 |
| 27 | Tampa, FL | $78,890 | $63,800 |
| 28 | Los Angeles, CA | $96,260 | $63,200 |
| 29 | Grand Rapids, MI | $79,410 | $63,200 |
| 30 | Columbus, OH | $77,640 | $63,000 |
| 31 | Buffalo, NY | $78,360 | $63,000 |
| 32 | Orlando, FL | $77,350 | $62,400 |
| 33 | Hartford, CT | $82,020 | $61,900 |
| 34 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,440 | $61,600 |
| 35 | Denver, CO | $84,230 | $61,500 |
| 36 | Sacramento, CA | $86,120 | $61,500 |
| 37 | Memphis, TN | $67,830 | $61,300 |
| 38 | New York, NY | $94,890 | $60,200 |
| 39 | Las Vegas, NV | $72,370 | $59,600 |
| 40 | Washington, DC | $85,660 | $59,500 |
| 41 | Nashville, TN | $68,020 | $58,900 |
| 42 | Riverside, CA | $80,300 | $58,300 |
| 43 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,250 | $57,800 |
| 44 | Miami, FL | $80,690 | $57,400 |
| 45 | Portland, OR | $81,450 | $56,600 |
| 46 | Baltimore, MD | $79,820 | $56,500 |
| 47 | Birmingham, AL | $63,650 | $54,300 |
| 48 | Salt Lake City, UT | $64,610 | $50,700 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays industrial designers the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical industrial designer pay among the 48 largest US metros: $141,310 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $63,650. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does industrial designer pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical industrial designer pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, Chicago, IL. It goes the least far in Salt Lake City, UT, where it's worth about $50,700 in typical-US-city dollars.