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Exterior Design Salary in the United States

How much does an Exterior Design make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Exterior Design in the United States is $65,077 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,748
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,067 to $74,850
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,953
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Exterior Design Salaries

An Exterior Design'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 Exterior Design Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Exterior Design'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): $56,864
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $67,163
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $79,355
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $97,956
  • Expert (over 8 years): $139,091
Levels Salary
Landscape... Level Exterior Design$56,864
Exterior ... Level Exterior Design$67,163
Landscape... Level Exterior Design$79,355
Landscape... Level Exterior Design$97,956
Landscape... Level Exterior Design$139,091
View as Graph

How Do Exterior Design 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 Exterior Designs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $72,054.
  • California: $71,780.
  • Massachusetts: $70,824.

Top Paying Cities for Exterior Designs

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: $82,082
  • San Francisco: $81,183
  • Oakland: $79,473

What Skills Can Increase an Exterior Design's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 12.36% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Site Planning (Mentioned in 1.45% Job Postings): Going through a thorough analysis of the feasibility of developing a site allows the architect to determine optimal locations and design for a structure that works within the space.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 12.36%
Microsoft Office 2.39%
Site Planning 1.45%
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 an Exterior Design's salary.

  • Color Management: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Delegating: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
  • Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Color Management $81,998
26%
Delegating $80,696
24%
Business Development $72,887
12%
Get Latest Data

Exterior Design Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Exterior Design roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Construction, offers compensation 40% above the average. Conversely, Exterior Design positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Exterior Design as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Exterior Design

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$91,108$44.040%

How Education impacts an Exterior Design's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Exterior Designs 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 an Exterior Design with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,775 and $67,645).

Exterior Design Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Exterior Design
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 1.6%
Associates 0.8%
Bachelors 53.5%
Masters 44.2%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Exterior Design Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Exterior Design'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 October 01, 2026
$55,067
Average $65,077/year
$74,850
$4,589
Average $5,423/month
$6,238
$1,059
Average $1,251/week
$1,439
$26
Average $31/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $74,850 $6,238 $1,439 $36
Average $65,077 $5,423 $1,251 $31
25th Percentile $55,067 $4,589 $1,059 $26

Most common benefits for Exterior Design

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

Common company salaries for Exterior Design

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

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FAQ about Exterior Design

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Exterior Design?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Exterior Design roles, with salaries approximately 40% 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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