What are the main factors that influence a Creative/Design Manager's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Creative/Design Manager's salary?

A Creative/Design Manager's salary grows with experience: starting around $129,409 for beginners, reaching about $131,640 at mid-level, and approach $137,767 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Creative/Design Manager?

Creative/Design Manager salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Creative/Design Manager roles are District of Columbia $148,000, California $147,500, Massachusetts $145,500. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How do different companies affect a Creative/Design Manager's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Creative/Design Manager roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Creative/Design Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Creative/Design Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Creative/Design Manager in the United States is $133,700 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Creative/Design Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $154,524
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $122,200 to $144,600
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $111,730

10% $111,730

50% (Median) $133,700

90% $154,524

Creative/Design Manager Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$144,600	$12,050	$2,781	$70
Average	$133,700	$11,142	$2,571	$64
25th Percentile	$122,200	$10,183	$2,350	$59

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Creative/Design Manager Salaries

A Creative/Design Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Creative/Design Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Creative/Design Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $129,409
Early Career (1-2 years): $129,924
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $131,640
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $135,652
Expert (over 8 years): $137,767

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Creative/Design Manager	$129,409
Intermediate Level Creative/Design Manager	$129,924
Senior Level Creative/Design Manager	$131,640
Specialist Level Creative/Design Manager	$135,652
Expert Level Creative/Design Manager	$137,767

View as Graph

How Do Creative/Design Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Creative/Design Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $148,000.
California: $147,500.
Massachusetts: $145,500.

District of Columbia $148,000 California $147,500 Massachusetts $145,500 Washington $145,000 New Jersey $144,900 Alaska $144,700 Connecticut $142,900 New York $142,100

Hawaii $139,700 Rhode Island $138,600 Maryland $137,800 Minnesota $136,800 Colorado $136,400 Illinois $136,300 Oregon $135,800 Delaware $135,400

New Hampshire $135,200 Virginia $134,600 Pennsylvania $133,100 Nevada $132,300 North Dakota $132,100 Michigan $131,700 Wisconsin $131,500 Vermont $131,200

Texas $130,400 Arizona $130,300 Maine $130,300 Ohio $130,200 Georgia $128,900 Indiana $128,300 Wyoming $128,200 Utah $128,000

Iowa $127,900 Kansas $127,300 Louisiana $127,100 North Carolina $127,000 Missouri $127,000 Florida $126,500 Montana $126,200 Nebraska $126,000

Kentucky $125,800 South Carolina $125,300 Tennessee $124,900 Idaho $124,800 New Mexico $123,800 Oklahoma $123,600 Alabama $122,800 South Dakota $121,500

Arkansas $120,800 West Virginia $120,400 Mississippi $119,200

Top Paying Cities for Creative/Design Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $168,600
San Francisco: $166,800
Oakland: $163,200

San Jose, CA $168,600

San Francisco, CA $166,800

Oakland, CA $163,200

New York, NY $153,900

Paramus, NJ $152,000

Queens Village, NY $152,000

Passaic, NJ $151,900

Bergenfield, NJ $151,900

Huntington, NY $151,600

Stamford, CT $151,600

Newark, NJ $150,600

Bridgeport, CT $150,300

Vallejo, CA $150,000

New Brunswick, NJ $150,000

Petaluma, CA $149,900

Middlesex, NJ $149,600

Somerset, NJ $149,500

Santa Cruz, CA $149,400

Boston, MA $148,500

Monterey, CA $148,100

Seattle, WA $147,800

Santa Rosa, CA $147,700

Los Angeles, CA $147,700

Juneau, AK $147,400

Washington, DC $147,200

Orange, CA $146,700

Santa Ana, CA $146,400

Long Beach, CA $146,300

Anchorage, AK $146,200

Anaheim, CA $146,200

Santa Maria, CA $145,800

Everett, WA $145,700

Danbury, CT $145,300

Bremerton, WA $145,100

Tacoma, WA $144,600

New Suffolk, NY $144,600

Sacramento, CA $144,600

Santa Barbara, CA $144,400

Trenton, NJ $144,300

San Diego, CA $144,300

Brockton, MA $144,100

Fairbanks, AK $143,800

Lompoc, CA $143,400

Lowell, MA $143,300

Ventura, CA $143,300

Nashua, NH $143,300

Stockton, CA $143,300

Modesto, CA $142,300

Poughkeepsie, NY $142,000

Olympia, WA $141,700

Kennewick, WA $141,700

New Haven, CT $141,700

Lawrence, MA $141,200

Hartford, CT $141,100

Riverside, CA $141,100

New Bedford, MA $140,900

Richland, WA $140,900

Atlantic City, NJ $140,700

San Bernardino, CA $140,700

Bakersfield, CA $140,700

New Britain, CT $140,700

New London, CT $140,600

Norwich, CT $140,600

Portsmouth, NH $140,500

Boulder, CO $140,300

Portland, OR $140,100

Worcester, MA $140,100

Minneapolis, MN $139,600

Philadelphia, PA $139,500

Honolulu, HI $139,000

Saint Paul, MN $139,000

Vineland, NJ $138,900

Providence, RI $138,500

Chicago, IL $138,200

Bellingham, WA $138,000

Springfield, MA $137,900

Baltimore, MD $137,800

Chico, CA $137,500

Pittsfield, MA $137,200

Manchester, NH $136,900

Spokane, WA $136,300

Denver, CO $136,300

Albany, NY $135,700

Troy, NY $135,600

Nassau, NY $135,500

Schenectady, NY $135,300

Wilmington, DE $135,200

Burlington, VT $135,000

Salem, OR $135,000

Portland, ME $134,600

Yakima, WA $134,400

Rochester, MN $134,000

Reno, NV $134,000

Fresno, CA $134,000

Milwaukee, WI $133,800

Detroit, MI $133,700

Ann Arbor, MI $133,700

Allentown, PA $133,700

Carson City, NV $133,400

Syracuse, NY $133,400

Colorado Springs, CO $133,400

Houston, TX $133,200

Eugene, OR $133,100

Gary, IN $133,000

Springfield, OR $132,800

Bismarck, ND $132,800

Galveston, TX $132,700

Medford, OR $132,500

Fort Collins, CO $132,500

Austin, TX $132,400

Concord, NH $132,400

Mesa, AZ $132,100

Reading, PA $132,100

Phoenix, AZ $132,100

Dallas, TX $132,000

Saint Cloud, MN $131,900

Madison, WI $131,700

Utica, NY $131,400

Raleigh, NC $131,100

Des Moines, IA $131,100

Rochester, NY $131,100

Atlanta, GA $130,900

Battle Creek, MI $130,900

Salt Lake City, UT $130,800

Lancaster, PA $130,600

Harrisburg, PA $130,400

Champaign, IL $130,300

Fort Worth, TX $130,300

Kansas City, MO $130,300

Kansas City, KS $130,300

Columbus, OH $130,200

Boca Raton, FL $130,200

Pittsburgh, PA $130,200

Richmond, VA $130,100

Indianapolis, IN $130,100

Cleveland, OH $130,100

Cincinnati, OH $129,900

Las Vegas, NV $129,900

Petersburg, VA $129,700

Huntsville, AL $129,500

Lansing, MI $129,400

Lebanon, PA $129,400

Pueblo, CO $129,400

Appleton, WI $129,300

Buffalo, NY $129,300

Dayton, OH $129,300

Racine, WI $129,200

Charlotte, NC $129,200

Saint Louis, MO $129,200

Gastonia, NC $129,100

York, PA $129,100

Elkhart, IN $129,100

Billings, MT $129,000

Beaumont, TX $129,000

Lorain, OH $129,000

Binghamton, NY $128,900

Benton Harbor, MI $128,900

Toledo, OH $128,900

Rockford, IL $128,800

Rock Hill, SC $128,800

Springfield, IL $128,700

Elyria, OH $128,700

Fargo, ND $128,700

Flagstaff, AZ $128,600

Fort Lauderdale, FL $128,500

Duluth, MN $128,500

Miami, FL $128,500

Grand Forks, ND $128,400

Cheyenne, WY $128,400

Bangor, ME $128,100

Cedar Rapids, IA $127,900

Durham, NC $127,900

Louisville, KY $127,800

Grand Rapids, MI $127,800

Hialeah, FL $127,800

Casper, WY $127,600

Scranton, PA $127,500

New Orleans, LA $127,400

Virginia Beach, VA $127,400

Akron, OH $127,300

Peoria, IL $127,200

Sarasota, FL $127,100

Nashville, TN $127,000

Omaha, NE $127,000

Green Bay, WI $127,000

Baton Rouge, LA $127,000

Charleston, SC $127,000

Davenport, IA $126,900

Jamestown, NY $126,900

Tucson, AZ $126,800

Saint Petersburg, FL $126,700

Tampa, FL $126,700

Evansville, IN $126,600

Port Arthur, TX $126,600

Bradenton, FL $126,600

Santa Fe, NM $126,300

Orlando, FL $126,100

Clearwater, FL $126,100

Canton, OH $125,800

La Crosse, WI $125,800

Albuquerque, NM $125,700

Newport News, VA $125,700

High Point, NC $125,600

Ogden, UT $125,600

Corpus Christi, TX $125,500

Norfolk, VA $125,400

Laramie, WY $125,400

Salisbury, NC $125,300

Jacksonville, FL $125,300

Rock Island, IL $125,300

Saginaw, MI $125,300

Boise, ID $125,200

Moline, IL $125,200

Fort Myers, FL $125,100

Memphis, TN $125,100

Tulsa, OK $125,000

Waterloo, IA $124,900

Spartanburg, SC $124,800

Provo, UT $124,700

Lincoln, NE $124,700

Fort Wayne, IN $124,700

Cedar Falls, IA $124,500

San Antonio, TX $124,500

Greensboro, NC $124,400

South Bend, IN $124,400

Savannah, GA $124,300

Muskegon, MI $124,200

Birmingham, AL $124,200

Winston Salem, NC $124,100

Lake Charles, LA $123,800

Anderson, IN $123,800

Lexington, KY $123,800

Augusta, GA $123,700

Greenville, SC $123,700

Wichita, KS $123,600

Lima, OH $123,600

Tuscaloosa, AL $123,600

Springfield, OH $123,500

Columbia, SC $123,500

Asheville, NC $123,200

Bloomington, IN $123,100

Knoxville, TN $122,700

Shreveport, LA $122,700

Wilmington, NC $122,500

Roanoke, VA $122,500

Topeka, KS $122,200

Frankfort, KY $122,200

Longview, TX $122,100

Oklahoma City, OK $122,100

Chillicothe, OH $122,100

Melbourne, FL $122,000

Sioux Falls, SD $121,800

Mobile, AL $121,800

Terre Haute, IN $121,800

Altoona, PA $121,700

Killeen, TX $121,600

Amarillo, TX $121,600

Chattanooga, TN $121,400

Fayetteville, AR $121,400

Sioux City, IA $121,300

Idaho Falls, ID $121,300

Lynchburg, VA $121,200

Gainesville, FL $121,000

Portsmouth, OH $120,900

Little Rock, AR $120,900

Youngstown, OH $120,800

Daytona Beach, FL $120,800

Lafayette, LA $120,800

Clarksville, TN $120,700

Pensacola, FL $120,700

Temple, TX $120,700

Hopkinsville, KY $120,300

Erie, PA $120,300

Florence, SC $120,200

Great Falls, MT $120,000

Charleston, WV $120,000

Tallahassee, FL $119,800

Macon, GA $119,800

Fayetteville, NC $119,700

Waco, TX $119,700

Helena, MT $119,600

Pine Bluff, AR $119,600

Vincennes, IN $119,400

Lubbock, TX $119,300

Alamogordo, NM $119,300

Rapid City, SD $119,100

Twin Falls, ID $119,100

Jackson, MS $118,900

Huntington, WV $118,900

Greenville, MS $118,900

Parkersburg, WV $118,700

Montgomery, AL $118,700

Wichita Falls, TX $118,600

Springfield, MO $118,600

Biloxi, MS $118,500

Monroe, LA $118,400

Johnstown, PA $118,300

Sumter, SC $118,200

Columbus, GA $118,200

Pascagoula, MS $117,900

Abilene, TX $117,900

Kingsport, TN $117,600

Albany, GA $117,600

Gulfport, MS $117,600

Alexandria, LA $117,100

Fort Smith, AR $116,800

El Paso, TX $116,400

Las Cruces, NM $115,800

Harlingen, TX $115,500

Pocatello, ID $115,500

Florence, AL $115,300

Brownsville, TX $115,300

Mcallen, TX $115,000

Dothan, AL $114,800

Columbus, MS $114,000

Altus, OK $113,400

Lawton, OK $113,100

Pierre, SD $112,600

What Skills Can Increase a Creative/Design Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Insight (Mentioned in 7.32% Job Postings): Insight is the understanding cause and effect based on the identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario.
SEM (Mentioned in 3.96% Job Postings): A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused beam of electrons.
Google AdWords (Mentioned in 2.34% Job Postings): Google AdWords is a marketplace where companies pay to have their website ranked at the top of a search results page, based on keywords.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Insight	7.32%
SEM	3.96%
Google AdWords	2.34%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Creative/Design Manager's salary.

Tech Savvy: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Influencing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Tech Savvy	$144,396	8%
Commitment	$143,059	7%
Influencing	$143,059	7%

Get Latest Data

Creative/Design Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Creative/Design Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $149,415. While startup companies pay approximate $126,390.

Creative/Design Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$126,390
Growth Stage	51~500	$133,670
Established	501~5000	$144,280
Enterprise	5000+	$149,415

Creative/Design Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Creative/Design Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Creative/Design Manager positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Creative/Design Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Creative/Design Manager

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$173,810	$84.0	30%
Pharmaceuticals	$167,125	$80.0	25%
Aerospace & Defense	$160,440	$77.0	20%
Financial Services	$160,440	$77.0	20%
Software & Networking	$153,755	$74.0	15%

How Education impacts a Creative/Design Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Creative/Design Managers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Creative/Design Manager with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $102,067 and $116,700).

Creative/Design Manager Salaries by Degree Level

$122,700
$119,700
$116,800
$113,900
$110,900
$108,000
$105,100
$102,100

Typical Education for Creative/Design Manager
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.7%
High School	10.6%
Associates	11.3%
Bachelors	61.6%
Masters	13.9%
Doctorate	2.0%

View as Graph

Creative/Design Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Creative/Design Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$122,200

Average $133,700/year

$144,600

$10,183

Average $11,142/month

$12,050

$2,350

Average $2,571/week

$2,781

$59

Average $64/hour

$70

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$144,600	$12,050	$2,781	$70
Average	$133,700	$11,142	$2,571	$64
25th Percentile	$122,200	$10,183	$2,350	$59

Salary Trends for Creative/Design Manager

Salaries for a Creative/Design Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $141,421 in 2023 to around $139,479 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Creative/Design Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Creative/Design Manager Over Time

$???
$141,421
$140,725
$139,479
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$141,421
2024	$140,725
2025	$139,479
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Creative/Design Manager

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Creative/Design Manager

Here are companies hiring for Creative/Design Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

C $128,509/per year

C R Bard Inc Biotechnology the United States

H $124,697/per year

Henry Schein Canada Biotechnology the United States

N $123,899/per year

Nordex Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $120,416/per year

Nipro Corp Biotechnology the United States

E $115,870/per year

Enovis Biotechnology the United States

A $114,553/per year

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Biotechnology the United States

M $112,110/per year

MiniMed Inc Biotechnology the United States

L $111,500/per year

Labcorp Drug Development Biotechnology the United States

L $110,229/per year

Life Technologies Corp Biotechnology the United States

Z $106,224/per year

Zimmer Biomet Biotechnology the United States

P $103,077/per year

Promontory Therapeutics Biotechnology the United States

S $102,181/per year

Steris PLC Biotechnology the United States

G $97,274/per year

Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd Biotechnology the United States

E $94,764/per year

Endeavor BioMedicines Biotechnology the United States

R $94,402/per year

Replay Holdings LLC Biotechnology the United States

P $94,235/per year

Pleno Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $93,666/per year

Simulaids Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $88,880/per year

NOIRLab/CAS Biotechnology the United States

O $86,468/per year

Onward Technology Biotechnology the United States

L $84,895/per year

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc Biotechnology the United States

E $84,682/per year

Eyeco Ltd Biotechnology the United States

P $84,523/per year

Paerosol Biotechnology the United States

I $83,525/per year

IONIQ Sciences Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $82,815/per year

Stateside PPE Biotechnology the United States

D $82,041/per year

Digi Bio Biotechnology the United States

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FAQ about Creative/Design Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Creative/Design Manager?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Creative/Design Manager roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

2. How much do creative managers earn?

Creative Managers in the United Kingdom earn between £91,900 and £138,000 annually, with a median salary of approximately £118,100. This range reflects the varying levels of experience and responsibility within the role, providing a comprehensive overview of potential earnings in this field.

3. What is the highest salary of manager?

The highest salary for a Creative/Design Manager is $138,000 per year. The salary range typically starts at a minimum of $91,900, with a mid-level salary of $118,100. This reflects the competitive nature of the role within the industry.

4. What is the career path to design manager?

To become a design manager, pursuing a bachelor's degree in fields like engineering, architecture, mathematics, or industrial design is essential. Advanced degrees such as a master's in engineering, architecture, project management, or construction management can enhance your qualifications. Salaries for design managers typically range from $91,900 to $138,000, with a median of $118,100.

5. What is the difference between a designer and a design manager?

A principal designer leads the design process, overseeing other designers to ensure the final product aligns with customer needs. In contrast, a design manager oversees the entire design team, setting strategies and coordinating resources. The salary for a Creative/Design Manager ranges from $91,900 to $138,000, with a midpoint of $118,100.

6. Is creative design a good career?

A career in creative design is rewarding for imaginative individuals, allowing them to turn creativity into income. With salaries ranging from $91,900 to $138,000, it offers financial stability alongside diverse and engaging work. This field not only fosters artistic expression but also provides opportunities for professional growth and development.

7. What is creative design management?

Creative design management involves overseeing the processes and strategies that drive innovation in product, service, and brand design. It ensures that design aligns with business goals, enhancing quality of life and organizational success. Professionals in this field typically earn between $91,900 and $138,000, with a median salary of $118,100.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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