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Interior Designer III Salary in the United States

How much does an Interior Designer III make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Interior Designer III in the United States is $70,063 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

However, an Interior Designer III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $79,627
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $62,733 to $75,069
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $56,059

Key Factors That Influence Interior Designer III Salaries

An Interior Designer III'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 Interior Designer III Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Interior Designer III'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:

  • Interior Designer I (0-2 years): $53,827
  • Interior Designer II (2-4 years): $60,833
  • Interior Designer III (4-7 years): $70,063
  • Interior Designer IV (7+ years): $80,832
  • Interior Designer V (7-10 years): $93,639
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Interior Designer I0-2 years$53,827
Interior Designer II2-4 years$60,833
Interior Designer III4-7 years$70,063
Interior Designer IV7+ years$80,832
Interior Designer V7-10 years$93,639

Top Paying Cities for Interior Designer III

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: $88,370
  • San Francisco: $87,403
  • Oakland: $85,561

What Skills Can Increase an Interior Designer III's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 5.75% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Photoshop (Mentioned in 2.05% Job Postings): Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.
  • Programming (Mentioned in 1.23% Job Postings): Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 5.75%
Photoshop 2.05%
Programming 1.23%

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 an Interior Designer III's salary.

  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Leadership $75,668
8%
Collaboration $74,967
7%
Project Management $74,967
7%

Interior Designer III Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Interior Designer III salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $75,755. While startup companies pay approximate $64,064.

Interior Designer III Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $64,064
Growth Stage 51~500 $67,763
Established 501~5000 $73,150
Enterprise 5000+ $75,755

Interior Designer III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Interior Designer III roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 90% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Business Services, offers compensation 50% above the average. Conversely, Interior Designer positions in Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Interior Designer III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Interior Designer III

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Business Services$105,094$51.050%

How Education impacts an Interior Designer III's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Interior Designer III enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Interior Designer III with a Bachelor's Degree is between $63,991 and $70,604.

Interior Designer III Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Interior Designer III
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 1.6%
Associates 8.1%
Bachelors 78.3%
Masters 12.0%
Doctorate 0.0%

Interior Designer III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Interior Designer III'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 August 01, 2026
$62,733
Average $70,063/year
$75,069
$5,228
Average $5,839/month
$6,256
$1,206
Average $1,347/week
$1,444
$30
Average $34/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $75,069 $6,256 $1,444 $36
Average $70,063 $5,839 $1,347 $34
25th Percentile $62,733 $5,228 $1,206 $30

Interior Designer III Salary Growth & Career Path

For an Interior Designer III, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Interior Designer IV role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $80,832 - a projected growth of 15% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Interior Designer III

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

Common company salaries for Interior Designer III

Here are companies hiring for Interior Designer III and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Interior Designer III

1. Where can an Interior Designer III earn the most?

An Interior Designer III's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Interior Designer III earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Interior Designer III is $88,370.

2. What is the highest pay for Interior Designer III?

The highest pay for Interior Designer III is $79,627.

3. What is the lowest pay for Interior Designer III?

The lowest pay for Interior Designer III is $56,059.

4. What are the responsibilities of Interior Designer III?

Develops plans and designs for the interior of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings based on the needs of the client. Creates functional and aesthetic designs that help boost productivity, increase sales, attract customers, or enhance a living space. Responsible for planning the use and layout of the space and decorating with color, furniture, fixtures, etc. Develops drawings, presentations, and cost estimates and coordinates the work of contractors. Requires a bachelor's degree in area of specialty. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Typically requires 4 to 7 years of related experience. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. Work is generally independent and collaborative in nature.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Interior Designer III?

The Business Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Interior Designer III roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

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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