Interior Designer Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Interior Designers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $80,000 a year — 19% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $60,860 take-home, or $5,072 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median interior designer salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,770
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,960
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,160
- California income tax$3,210
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,040
- Take-home pay$60,860
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Interior Designer pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,740 | $20.07 | $34,517 | $2,876 |
| 25th percentile | $58,600 | $28.17 | $46,938 | $3,911 |
| Median (50th) | $80,000 | $38.46 | $60,860 | $5,072 |
| 75th percentile | $115,180 | $55.38 | $81,880 | $6,823 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $131,360 | $63.15 | $91,356 | $7,613 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $80,000 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median interior designer's $60,860 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,590 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 1.4× the national concentration of interior designer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for interior designers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #2 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | $72,490 | $56,687 | $56,654 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,000 | $60,860 | $53,590 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $65,160 | $54,536 | $52,901 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $76,580 | $59,166 | $52,562 |
| 5 | Miami, FL | $60,860 | $51,081 | $44,747 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →
About the job: interior designers
Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.7% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a interior designer make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median interior designer salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $80,000 a year, or about $38.46 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,600 and $115,180.
What is a interior designer’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $80,000 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $60,860 a year ($5,072 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,250 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a interior designer?
Pay here is 19% above the national median of $67,190. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,590 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #2 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a interior designer afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median interior designer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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