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Car Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Car Designer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Car Designer in the United States is $74,933 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $91,188
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $67,193 to $83,441
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $60,146
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Car Designer Salaries

A Car Designer'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 Car Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Car Designer'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): $61,006
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $76,545
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $90,272
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $86,298
  • Expert (over 8 years): $131,461
Levels Salary
Telecommu... Level Car Designer$61,006
Car Desig... Level Car Designer$76,545
Telecommu... Level Car Designer$90,272
Telecommu... Level Car Designer$86,298
Telecommu... Level Car Designer$131,461
View as Graph

How Do Car Designer 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 Car Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $82,966.
  • California: $82,651.
  • Massachusetts: $81,550.

Top Paying Cities for Car Designers

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: $94,513
  • San Francisco: $93,478
  • Oakland: $91,508

What Skills Can Increase a Car Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.61% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Repairing (Mentioned in 4.94% Job Postings): To put something that is damaged, broken, or not working correctly, back into good condition or make it work again.
  • Network Solutions (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Network Solutions offers everything you need to get online quickly. From website development to optimization, social media, online advertising and more, we'll have your business online in no time.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 5.61%
Repairing 4.94%
Network Solutions 1.25%
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 Car Designer's salary.

  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 36%.
  • Store Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Repairing: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis $101,909
36%
Store Operations $86,922
16%
Repairing $86,173
15%
Get Latest Data

Car Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Car Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 160% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 80% above the average. In contrast, Car Designer positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Car Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Car Designer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Internet$134,879$65.080%
Software & Networking$127,386$61.070%
Financial Services$119,893$58.060%
Biotechnology$112,400$54.050%
Energy & Utilities$104,906$50.040%

How Education impacts a Car Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Car Designers 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 Car Designer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $66,999 and $71,770).

Car Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Car Designer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 38.7%
Associates 37.1%
Bachelors 21.8%
Masters 0.8%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Car Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Car Designer'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 September 01, 2026
$67,193
Average $74,933/year
$83,441
$5,599
Average $6,244/month
$6,953
$1,292
Average $1,441/week
$1,605
$32
Average $36/hour
$40
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $83,441 $6,953 $1,605 $40
Average $74,933 $6,244 $1,441 $36
25th Percentile $67,193 $5,599 $1,292 $32

Most common benefits for Car Designer

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

Common company salaries for Car Designer

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

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FAQ about Car Designer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Car Designer?

The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for Car Designer roles, with salaries approximately 80% 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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