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Visual Design Manager Salary in the United States

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

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Visual Design Manager in the United States is $152,213 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $73.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $172,597
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $138,673 to $162,883
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $126,346
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View as table View as graph 25% $138,673 10% $126,346 90% $172,597 75% $162,883 $152,213 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Visual Design Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $162,883 $13,574 $3,132 $78
Average $152,213 $12,684 $2,927 $73
25th Percentile $138,673 $11,556 $2,667 $67
Check out Visual Design Manager Job Openings in the United States
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Communication Concept Design and Architecture Manager

Aerospace Corporation - EL SEGUNDO, CA

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Key Factors That Influence Visual Design Manager Salaries

A Visual 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Visual Design Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Visual 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:

  • Interaction Designer Intermediate (2-4 years): $88,391
  • Interaction Designer Senior (4-7 years): $113,577
  • Interaction Designer Specialist (7+ years): $137,380
  • Interaction Designer Expert (7-10 years): $156,569
  • Visual Design Manager (10+ years): $152,193
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Interaction Designer Intermediate2-4 years$88,391
Interaction Designer Senior4-7 years$113,577
Interaction Designer Specialist7+ years$137,380
Interaction Designer Expert7-10 years$156,569
Visual Design Manager10+ years$152,193
$88,391 Interacti...
$113,577 Interacti...
$137,380 Interacti...
$156,569 Interacti...
$152,193 Visual De...
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Visual 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 Visual Design Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $168,523.
  • California: $167,883.
  • Massachusetts: $165,653.

Top Paying Cities for Visual 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: $191,983
  • San Francisco: $190,093
  • Oakland: $185,873

What Skills Can Increase a Visual Design Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.58% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Adobe (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
  • User-Centered Design (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): User-centered design (UCD) is an iterative design process in which designers focus on the users and their needs in each phase of the design process.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.58%
Adobe 2.26%
User-Centered Design 1.85%
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 Visual Design Manager's salary.
  • Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Product Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Product Development
$167,434
10%
Product Engineering
$165,912
9%
Alignment
$164,390
8%
Usability Testing
$164,390
8%
Product Design
$164,390
8%
Research Design
$161,346
6%
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Visual Design Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Visual 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.

Last Updated on February 01, 2026

Visual Design Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Visual Design Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Interaction Design Senior Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $199,100 - a projected growth of 31% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Visual Design Manager

Salaries for a Visual Design Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $139,722 in 2023 to around $135,117 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Visual Design Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Visual Design Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$139,722
2024
$137,726
2025
$135,117
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $139,722
2024 $137,726
2025 $135,117
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Visual Design Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Visual Design Manager

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

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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.)

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