What are the main factors that influence a Chief Designer's salary?

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

What industry pays the highest salary for Chief Designer?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Chief Designer roles, with salaries approximately 18% above the market median.

How does experience change A Chief Designer's salary?

A Chief Designer's salary grows with experience: an Applications Programmer V (7-10 years)earns $167,927, an Applications Programming Supervisor (10+ years)earns $134,955, an Chief Designer (10+ years)earns $152,740, an Applications Programming Senior Manager (10+ years)earns $177,915, an Applications Programming Director (10+ years)earns $198,227,

What are the highest paying states for a Chief Designer?

Chief Designer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Chief Designer roles are District of Columbia $166,699, California $166,067, Massachusetts $163,853. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Chief Designer roles make?

Salaries for Chief Designer level roles vary by specialization: Chief of Surgery: $473,975; Chief of Anesthesiology: $384,800; Chief of Staff: $228,706; Chief Geophysicist: $192,100; Chief Meteorologist: $137,307.

How do different companies affect a Chief Designer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Chief Designer 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.

Chief Designer Salary in the United States

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

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Designer in the United States is $150,559 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $169,940
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $140,090 to $160,704
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $130,559

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Chief Designer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$160,704	$13,392	$3,090	$77
Average	$150,559	$12,547	$2,895	$72
25th Percentile	$140,090	$11,674	$2,694	$67

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Key Factors That Influence Chief Designer Salaries

A Chief 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 Chief Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief 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): $167,927
Early Career (1-2 years): $134,955
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $152,740
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $177,915
Expert (over 8 years): $198,227

Levels	Salary
Applicati... Level Chief Designer	$167,927
Applicati... Level Chief Designer	$134,955
Chief Des... Level Chief Designer	$152,740
Applicati... Level Chief Designer	$177,915
Applicati... Level Chief Designer	$198,227

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Chief 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 Chief Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $166,699.
California: $166,067.
Massachusetts: $163,853.

District of Columbia $166,699 California $166,067 Massachusetts $163,853 Washington $163,251 New Jersey $163,191 Alaska $162,980 Connecticut $160,902 New York $160,059

Hawaii $157,364 Rhode Island $156,100 Maryland $155,241 Minnesota $154,067 Colorado $153,615 Illinois $153,465 Oregon $152,893 Delaware $152,471

New Hampshire $152,206 Virginia $151,613 Pennsylvania $149,881 Nevada $149,008 North Dakota $148,722 Michigan $148,271 Wisconsin $148,105 Vermont $147,774

Texas $146,855 Maine $146,795 Arizona $146,705 Ohio $146,599 Georgia $145,214 Indiana $144,522 Wyoming $144,386 Utah $144,175

Iowa $144,085 Kansas $143,362 Louisiana $143,151 North Carolina $143,076 Missouri $143,046 Florida $142,459 Montana $142,143 Nebraska $141,842

Kentucky $141,676 South Carolina $141,074 Tennessee $140,697 Idaho $140,547 New Mexico $139,448 Oklahoma $139,207 Alabama $138,319 South Dakota $136,828

Arkansas $136,015 West Virginia $135,578 Mississippi $134,269

Top Paying Cities for Chief 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: $189,900
San Francisco: $187,821
Oakland: $183,863

San Jose, CA $189,900

San Francisco, CA $187,821

Oakland, CA $183,863

New York, NY $173,352

Paramus, NJ $171,244

Queens Village, NY $171,237

Passaic, NJ $171,094

Bergenfield, NJ $171,080

Stamford, CT $170,749

Huntington, NY $170,687

Newark, NJ $169,575

Bridgeport, CT $169,257

Vallejo, CA $168,957

New Brunswick, NJ $168,897

Petaluma, CA $168,807

Middlesex, NJ $168,521

Somerset, NJ $168,415

Santa Cruz, CA $168,220

Boston, MA $167,301

Monterey, CA $166,773

Seattle, WA $166,428

Santa Rosa, CA $166,398

Los Angeles, CA $166,353

Juneau, AK $165,961

Washington, DC $165,796

Orange, CA $165,260

Santa Ana, CA $164,862

Long Beach, CA $164,712

Anaheim, CA $164,681

Anchorage, AK $164,606

Santa Maria, CA $164,154

Everett, WA $164,124

Danbury, CT $163,594

Bremerton, WA $163,387

Tacoma, WA $162,845

New Suffolk, NY $162,842

Sacramento, CA $162,799

Santa Barbara, CA $162,634

Trenton, NJ $162,468

San Diego, CA $162,468

Brockton, MA $162,303

Fairbanks, AK $161,934

Lompoc, CA $161,550

Lowell, MA $161,428

Ventura, CA $161,399

Nashua, NH $161,369

Stockton, CA $161,354

Modesto, CA $160,255

Poughkeepsie, NY $159,924

Olympia, WA $159,638

Kennewick, WA $159,638

New Haven, CT $159,577

Lawrence, MA $159,035

Hartford, CT $158,885

Riverside, CA $158,855

New Bedford, MA $158,704

Richland, WA $158,704

Bakersfield, CA $158,493

San Bernardino, CA $158,433

New Britain, CT $158,418

Atlantic City, NJ $158,418

New London, CT $158,358

Norwich, CT $158,313

Portsmouth, NH $158,283

Boulder, CO $157,963

Portland, OR $157,756

Worcester, MA $157,741

Minneapolis, MN $157,274

Philadelphia, PA $157,063

Honolulu, HI $156,566

Saint Paul, MN $156,494

Vineland, NJ $156,461

Providence, RI $156,024

Chicago, IL $155,588

Bellingham, WA $155,407

Springfield, MA $155,287

Baltimore, MD $155,241

Chico, CA $154,865

Pittsfield, MA $154,458

Manchester, NH $154,172

Spokane, WA $153,510

Denver, CO $153,495

Albany, NY $152,787

Troy, NY $152,727

Nassau, NY $152,566

Schenectady, NY $152,411

Wilmington, DE $152,290

Burlington, VT $152,080

Salem, OR $152,019

Portland, ME $151,553

Yakima, WA $151,402

Rochester, MN $150,935

Reno, NV $150,860

Fresno, CA $150,860

Milwaukee, WI $150,725

Detroit, MI $150,574

Ann Arbor, MI $150,548

Allentown, PA $150,529

Colorado Springs, CO $150,273

Syracuse, NY $150,198

Carson City, NV $150,198

Houston, TX $149,987

Eugene, OR $149,912

Gary, IN $149,731

Springfield, OR $149,610

Bismarck, ND $149,580

Galveston, TX $149,475

Medford, OR $149,249

Fort Collins, CO $149,189

Concord, NH $149,114

Austin, TX $149,068

Mesa, AZ $148,752

Reading, PA $148,737

Phoenix, AZ $148,722

Dallas, TX $148,677

Saint Cloud, MN $148,532

Madison, WI $148,331

Utica, NY $147,924

Rochester, NY $147,683

Des Moines, IA $147,668

Raleigh, NC $147,653

Atlanta, GA $147,427

Battle Creek, MI $147,382

Salt Lake City, UT $147,337

Lancaster, PA $147,111

Harrisburg, PA $146,900

Kansas City, MO $146,750

Champaign, IL $146,720

Kansas City, KS $146,720

Fort Worth, TX $146,705

Columbus, OH $146,679

Boca Raton, FL $146,644

Pittsburgh, PA $146,584

Richmond, VA $146,524

Indianapolis, IN $146,494

Cleveland, OH $146,479

Las Vegas, NV $146,298

Cincinnati, OH $146,298

Petersburg, VA $146,072

Huntsville, AL $145,847

Lansing, MI $145,746

Lebanon, PA $145,726

Pueblo, CO $145,711

Appleton, WI $145,666

Buffalo, NY $145,606

Dayton, OH $145,560

Racine, WI $145,530

Charlotte, NC $145,515

Saint Louis, MO $145,470

York, PA $145,380

Elkhart, IN $145,380

Gastonia, NC $145,351

Billings, MT $145,315

Beaumont, TX $145,274

Lorain, OH $145,244

Benton Harbor, MI $145,214

Toledo, OH $145,184

Binghamton, NY $145,109

Rock Hill, SC $145,094

Rockford, IL $145,018

Springfield, IL $144,958

Elyria, OH $144,943

Fargo, ND $144,943

Flagstaff, AZ $144,838

Fort Lauderdale, FL $144,747

Duluth, MN $144,657

Miami, FL $144,657

Cheyenne, WY $144,552

Grand Forks, ND $144,552

Bangor, ME $144,220

Cedar Rapids, IA $144,055

Durham, NC $143,992

Louisville, KY $143,980

Grand Rapids, MI $143,949

Hialeah, FL $143,934

Casper, WY $143,724

Scranton, PA $143,543

New Orleans, LA $143,498

Virginia Beach, VA $143,483

Akron, OH $143,407

Peoria, IL $143,212

Sarasota, FL $143,182

Nashville, TN $143,076

Omaha, NE $143,076

Green Bay, WI $143,076

Baton Rouge, LA $143,001

Charleston, SC $142,971

Jamestown, NY $142,896

Davenport, IA $142,896

Tucson, AZ $142,820

Saint Petersburg, FL $142,730

Tampa, FL $142,700

Evansville, IN $142,609

Port Arthur, TX $142,609

Bradenton, FL $142,549

Santa Fe, NM $142,278

Orlando, FL $142,007

Clearwater, FL $141,962

Canton, OH $141,646

La Crosse, WI $141,646

Albuquerque, NM $141,556

Newport News, VA $141,541

High Point, NC $141,495

Ogden, UT $141,435

Corpus Christi, TX $141,315

Norfolk, VA $141,224

Laramie, WY $141,224

Rock Island, IL $141,134

Saginaw, MI $141,104

Jacksonville, FL $141,089

Salisbury, NC $141,059

Boise, ID $141,029

Moline, IL $140,953

Fort Myers, FL $140,908

Memphis, TN $140,878

Tulsa, OK $140,803

Waterloo, IA $140,712

Spartanburg, SC $140,562

Lincoln, NE $140,487

Fort Wayne, IN $140,456

Provo, UT $140,441

Cedar Falls, IA $140,261

San Antonio, TX $140,201

Greensboro, NC $140,140

South Bend, IN $140,125

Savannah, GA $139,960

Muskegon, MI $139,899

Birmingham, AL $139,884

Winston Salem, NC $139,811

Lake Charles, LA $139,448

Anderson, IN $139,418

Lexington, KY $139,372

Augusta, GA $139,327

Greenville, SC $139,327

Lima, OH $139,207

Wichita, KS $139,192

Tuscaloosa, AL $139,192

Columbia, SC $139,056

Springfield, OH $139,026

Asheville, NC $138,785

Bloomington, IN $138,680

Knoxville, TN $138,138

Shreveport, LA $138,123

Wilmington, NC $137,927

Roanoke, VA $137,927

Topeka, KS $137,656

Frankfort, KY $137,640

Oklahoma City, OK $137,536

Chillicothe, OH $137,475

Longview, TX $137,460

Melbourne, FL $137,445

Sioux Falls, SD $137,204

Mobile, AL $137,189

Terre Haute, IN $137,129

Altoona, PA $137,039

Amarillo, TX $136,933

Killeen, TX $136,888

Fayetteville, AR $136,768

Chattanooga, TN $136,723

Sioux City, IA $136,587

Idaho Falls, ID $136,557

Lynchburg, VA $136,437

Gainesville, FL $136,241

Portsmouth, OH $136,166

Little Rock, AR $136,135

Lafayette, LA $136,075

Youngstown, OH $136,075

Daytona Beach, FL $135,985

Clarksville, TN $135,970

Pensacola, FL $135,955

Temple, TX $135,944

Hopkinsville, KY $135,503

Erie, PA $135,473

Florence, SC $135,413

Charleston, WV $135,172

Great Falls, MT $135,097

Macon, GA $134,886

Tallahassee, FL $134,871

Fayetteville, NC $134,841

Waco, TX $134,811

Helena, MT $134,705

Pine Bluff, AR $134,648

Vincennes, IN $134,464

Lubbock, TX $134,404

Alamogordo, NM $134,314

Twin Falls, ID $134,178

Rapid City, SD $134,133

Jackson, MS $133,862

Huntington, WV $133,851

Greenville, MS $133,847

Parkersburg, WV $133,693

Montgomery, AL $133,666

Wichita Falls, TX $133,516

Springfield, MO $133,516

Biloxi, MS $133,440

Monroe, LA $133,290

Johnstown, PA $133,184

Sumter, SC $133,124

Columbus, GA $133,109

Pascagoula, MS $132,823

Abilene, TX $132,823

Kingsport, TN $132,432

Albany, GA $132,432

Gulfport, MS $132,387

Alexandria, LA $131,890

Fort Smith, AR $131,513

El Paso, TX $131,107

Las Cruces, NM $130,429

Harlingen, TX $130,047

Pocatello, ID $130,023

Florence, AL $129,827

Brownsville, TX $129,797

Mcallen, TX $129,481

Dothan, AL $129,270

Columbus, MS $128,376

Altus, OK $127,674

Lawton, OK $127,388

Pierre, SD $126,846

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Project Management (Mentioned in 10.71% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
Application Support (Mentioned in 2.19% Job Postings): Applications support is a service that ensures the operational processes in a business run smoothly and enables users to conduct their business.
Azure (Mentioned in 1.22% Job Postings): Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Project Management	10.71%
Application Support	2.19%
Azure	1.22%

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 Chief Designer's salary.

People Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Business Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
People Management	$159,593	6%
Partnering	$156,581	4%
Business Analysis	$156,581	4%
Products and Services	$155,076	3%
Alignment	$155,076	3%
Change Management	$155,076	3%

Get Latest Data

Chief Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Chief Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 38% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average. In contrast, Chief Designer positions in Internet or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Chief Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Chief Designer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals	$177,660	$85.0	18%
Energy & Utilities	$173,143	$83.0	15%
Financial Services	$173,143	$83.0	15%
Construction	$168,626	$81.0	12%
Insurance	$165,615	$80.0	10%

How Education impacts a Chief Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Designers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Chief Designer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $149,605 and $157,999).

Chief Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Designer

No Diploma 3.1%

High School 5.1%

Associates 8.2%

Bachelors 58.2%

Masters 24.5%

Doctorate 1.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	3.1%
High School	5.1%
Associates	8.2%
Bachelors	58.2%
Masters	24.5%
Doctorate	1.0%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Chief 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 July 01, 2026

$140,090

Average $150,559/year

$160,704

$11,674

Average $12,547/month

$13,392

$2,694

Average $2,895/week

$3,090

$67

Average $72/hour

$77

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$160,704	$13,392	$3,090	$77
Average	$150,559	$12,547	$2,895	$72
25th Percentile	$140,090	$11,674	$2,694	$67

Salaries of jobs related to Chief Designer

Salary Trends for Chief Designer

Salaries for a Chief Designer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $142,338 in 2023 to around $136,840 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Chief Designer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Chief Designer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$142,338

2024

$139,773

2025

$136,840

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$142,338
2024	$139,773
2025	$136,840
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Chief Designer

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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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