How much does a Lead Level Designer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Level Designer in the United States is $91,193 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $44.
However, a Lead Level Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $103,867
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $81,700 to $97,827
Key Factors That Influence Lead Level Designer Salaries
A Lead Level 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
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Lead Level Designer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Level 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:
How Do Lead Level 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 Lead Level Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $100,969.
California: $100,586.
Massachusetts: $99,245.
District of Columbia$100,969
California$100,586
Massachusetts$99,245
Washington$98,880
New Jersey$98,844
Alaska$98,716
Connecticut$97,458
New York$96,947
Hawaii$95,315
Rhode Island$94,549
Maryland$94,029
Minnesota$93,318
Colorado$93,044
Illinois$92,953
Oregon$92,606
Delaware$92,351
New Hampshire$92,191
Virginia$91,831
Pennsylvania$90,783
Nevada$90,254
North Dakota$90,080
Michigan$89,807
Wisconsin$89,706
Vermont$89,506
Texas$88,950
Maine$88,913
Arizona$88,858
Ohio$88,795
Georgia$87,956
Indiana$87,536
Wyoming$87,454
Utah$87,326
Iowa$87,272
Kansas$86,834
Louisiana$86,706
North Carolina$86,661
Missouri$86,642
Florida$86,287
Montana$86,095
Nebraska$85,913
Kentucky$85,813
South Carolina$85,448
Tennessee$85,220
Idaho$85,129
New Mexico$84,463
Oklahoma$84,317
Alabama$83,779
South Dakota$82,876
Arkansas$82,384
West Virginia$82,119
Mississippi$81,326
Top Paying Cities for Lead Level 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: $115,022
San Francisco: $113,762
Oakland: $111,365
San Jose, CA$115,022
San Francisco, CA$113,762
Oakland, CA$111,365
New York, NY$104,999
Paramus, NJ$103,722
Queens Village, NY$103,717
Passaic, NJ$103,631
Bergenfield, NJ$103,622
Stamford, CT$103,422
Huntington, NY$103,384
Newark, NJ$102,711
Bridgeport, CT$102,518
Vallejo, CA$102,337
New Brunswick, NJ$102,300
Petaluma, CA$102,245
Middlesex, NJ$102,072
Somerset, NJ$102,008
Santa Cruz, CA$101,890
Boston, MA$101,334
Monterey, CA$101,013
Seattle, WA$100,805
Santa Rosa, CA$100,786
Los Angeles, CA$100,759
Juneau, AK$100,522
Washington, DC$100,422
Orange, CA$100,097
Santa Ana, CA$99,856
Long Beach, CA$99,765
Anaheim, CA$99,747
Anchorage, AK$99,701
Santa Maria, CA$99,428
Everett, WA$99,409
Danbury, CT$99,088
Bremerton, WA$98,963
Tacoma, WA$98,634
New Suffolk, NY$98,632
Sacramento, CA$98,607
Santa Barbara, CA$98,507
Trenton, NJ$98,406
San Diego, CA$98,406
Brockton, MA$98,306
Fairbanks, AK$98,083
Lompoc, CA$97,850
Lowell, MA$97,776
Ventura, CA$97,759
Nashua, NH$97,741
Stockton, CA$97,731
Modesto, CA$97,066
Poughkeepsie, NY$96,865
Olympia, WA$96,692
Kennewick, WA$96,692
New Haven, CT$96,655
Lawrence, MA$96,327
Hartford, CT$96,236
Riverside, CA$96,218
New Bedford, MA$96,126
Richland, WA$96,126
Bakersfield, CA$95,999
San Bernardino, CA$95,962
New Britain, CT$95,953
Atlantic City, NJ$95,953
New London, CT$95,917
Norwich, CT$95,889
Portsmouth, NH$95,871
Boulder, CO$95,678
Portland, OR$95,552
Worcester, MA$95,543
Minneapolis, MN$95,260
Philadelphia, PA$95,132
Honolulu, HI$94,831
Saint Paul, MN$94,788
Vineland, NJ$94,768
Providence, RI$94,503
Chicago, IL$94,239
Bellingham, WA$94,129
Springfield, MA$94,056
Baltimore, MD$94,029
Chico, CA$93,801
Pittsfield, MA$93,555
Manchester, NH$93,382
Spokane, WA$92,980
Denver, CO$92,971
Albany, NY$92,543
Troy, NY$92,506
Nassau, NY$92,409
Schenectady, NY$92,315
Wilmington, DE$92,242
Burlington, VT$92,114
Salem, OR$92,077
Portland, ME$91,795
Yakima, WA$91,704
Rochester, MN$91,421
Reno, NV$91,375
Fresno, CA$91,375
Milwaukee, WI$91,293
Detroit, MI$91,202
Ann Arbor, MI$91,187
Allentown, PA$91,175
Colorado Springs, CO$91,020
Syracuse, NY$90,974
Carson City, NV$90,974
Houston, TX$90,846
Eugene, OR$90,801
Gary, IN$90,691
Springfield, OR$90,618
Bismarck, ND$90,600
Galveston, TX$90,536
Medford, OR$90,400
Fort Collins, CO$90,363
Concord, NH$90,317
Austin, TX$90,290
Mesa, AZ$90,099
Reading, PA$90,089
Phoenix, AZ$90,080
Dallas, TX$90,053
Saint Cloud, MN$89,965
Madison, WI$89,843
Utica, NY$89,597
Rochester, NY$89,451
Des Moines, IA$89,442
Raleigh, NC$89,433
Atlanta, GA$89,296
Battle Creek, MI$89,269
Salt Lake City, UT$89,241
Lancaster, PA$89,105
Harrisburg, PA$88,977
Kansas City, MO$88,886
Champaign, IL$88,867
Kansas City, KS$88,867
Fort Worth, TX$88,858
Columbus, OH$88,843
Boca Raton, FL$88,822
Pittsburgh, PA$88,785
Richmond, VA$88,749
Indianapolis, IN$88,731
Cleveland, OH$88,722
Las Vegas, NV$88,612
Cincinnati, OH$88,612
Petersburg, VA$88,475
Huntsville, AL$88,339
Lansing, MI$88,277
Lebanon, PA$88,266
Pueblo, CO$88,256
Appleton, WI$88,229
Buffalo, NY$88,193
Dayton, OH$88,165
Racine, WI$88,147
Charlotte, NC$88,138
Saint Louis, MO$88,111
York, PA$88,056
Elkhart, IN$88,056
Gastonia, NC$88,039
Billings, MT$88,017
Beaumont, TX$87,992
Lorain, OH$87,974
Benton Harbor, MI$87,956
Toledo, OH$87,937
Binghamton, NY$87,892
Rock Hill, SC$87,883
Rockford, IL$87,837
Springfield, IL$87,801
Elyria, OH$87,791
Fargo, ND$87,791
Flagstaff, AZ$87,728
Fort Lauderdale, FL$87,673
Duluth, MN$87,618
Miami, FL$87,618
Cheyenne, WY$87,554
Grand Forks, ND$87,554
Bangor, ME$87,354
Cedar Rapids, IA$87,253
Durham, NC$87,215
Louisville, KY$87,208
Grand Rapids, MI$87,190
Hialeah, FL$87,180
Casper, WY$87,053
Scranton, PA$86,943
New Orleans, LA$86,916
Virginia Beach, VA$86,907
Akron, OH$86,861
Peoria, IL$86,743
Sarasota, FL$86,724
Nashville, TN$86,661
Omaha, NE$86,661
Green Bay, WI$86,661
Baton Rouge, LA$86,615
Charleston, SC$86,597
Jamestown, NY$86,551
Davenport, IA$86,551
Tucson, AZ$86,506
Saint Petersburg, FL$86,451
Tampa, FL$86,433
Evansville, IN$86,378
Port Arthur, TX$86,378
Bradenton, FL$86,341
Santa Fe, NM$86,177
Orlando, FL$86,013
Clearwater, FL$85,986
Canton, OH$85,794
La Crosse, WI$85,794
Albuquerque, NM$85,740
Newport News, VA$85,730
High Point, NC$85,703
Ogden, UT$85,667
Corpus Christi, TX$85,594
Norfolk, VA$85,539
Laramie, WY$85,539
Rock Island, IL$85,484
Saginaw, MI$85,466
Jacksonville, FL$85,457
Salisbury, NC$85,439
Boise, ID$85,420
Moline, IL$85,375
Fort Myers, FL$85,347
Memphis, TN$85,329
Tulsa, OK$85,284
Waterloo, IA$85,229
Spartanburg, SC$85,138
Lincoln, NE$85,092
Fort Wayne, IN$85,074
Provo, UT$85,065
Cedar Falls, IA$84,955
San Antonio, TX$84,919
Greensboro, NC$84,882
South Bend, IN$84,873
Savannah, GA$84,773
Muskegon, MI$84,736
Birmingham, AL$84,727
Winston Salem, NC$84,683
Lake Charles, LA$84,463
Anderson, IN$84,445
Lexington, KY$84,417
Augusta, GA$84,390
Greenville, SC$84,390
Lima, OH$84,317
Wichita, KS$84,308
Tuscaloosa, AL$84,308
Columbia, SC$84,226
Springfield, OH$84,208
Asheville, NC$84,062
Bloomington, IN$83,998
Knoxville, TN$83,669
Shreveport, LA$83,660
Wilmington, NC$83,542
Roanoke, VA$83,542
Topeka, KS$83,378
Frankfort, KY$83,368
Oklahoma City, OK$83,305
Chillicothe, OH$83,268
Longview, TX$83,259
Melbourne, FL$83,250
Sioux Falls, SD$83,104
Mobile, AL$83,095
Terre Haute, IN$83,058
Altoona, PA$83,004
Amarillo, TX$82,940
Killeen, TX$82,913
Fayetteville, AR$82,840
Chattanooga, TN$82,812
Sioux City, IA$82,730
Idaho Falls, ID$82,712
Lynchburg, VA$82,639
Gainesville, FL$82,520
Portsmouth, OH$82,475
Little Rock, AR$82,457
Lafayette, LA$82,420
Youngstown, OH$82,420
Daytona Beach, FL$82,365
Clarksville, TN$82,356
Pensacola, FL$82,347
Temple, TX$82,341
Hopkinsville, KY$82,074
Erie, PA$82,055
Florence, SC$82,019
Charleston, WV$81,873
Great Falls, MT$81,827
Macon, GA$81,700
Tallahassee, FL$81,691
Fayetteville, NC$81,672
Waco, TX$81,654
Helena, MT$81,590
Pine Bluff, AR$81,556
Vincennes, IN$81,444
Lubbock, TX$81,408
Alamogordo, NM$81,353
Twin Falls, ID$81,271
Rapid City, SD$81,244
Jackson, MS$81,080
Huntington, WV$81,073
Greenville, MS$81,070
Parkersburg, WV$80,977
Montgomery, AL$80,961
Wichita Falls, TX$80,870
Springfield, MO$80,870
Biloxi, MS$80,824
Monroe, LA$80,733
Johnstown, PA$80,669
Sumter, SC$80,633
Columbus, GA$80,624
Pascagoula, MS$80,450
Abilene, TX$80,450
Kingsport, TN$80,213
Albany, GA$80,213
Gulfport, MS$80,186
Alexandria, LA$79,885
Fort Smith, AR$79,657
El Paso, TX$79,411
Las Cruces, NM$79,000
Harlingen, TX$78,769
Pocatello, ID$78,754
Florence, AL$78,636
Brownsville, TX$78,617
Mcallen, TX$78,426
Dothan, AL$78,298
Columbus, MS$77,757
Altus, OK$77,332
Lawton, OK$77,158
Pierre, SD$76,830
What Skills Can Increase a Lead Level Designer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Collaboration (Mentioned in 1.32% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
Software Design (Mentioned in 3.67% Job Postings): Software design is the process by which an agent creates a specification of a software artifact, intended to accomplish goals, using a set of primitive components and subject to constraints. Software design may refer to either "all the activity involved in conceptualizing, framing, implementing, commissioning, and ultimately modifying complex systems" or "the activity following requirements specification and before programming, as ... [in] a stylized software engineering process." Software design usually involves problem solving and planning a software solution. This includes both a low-level component and algorithm design and a high-level, architecture design.
Advertising (Mentioned in 1.29% Job Postings): Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.:465 Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services. Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser pays for and has control over the message. It differs from personal selling in that the message is non-personal, i.e., not directed to a particular individual.:661,672 Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; and new media such as search results, blogs, social media, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement, or "ad" or advert for short. Commercial ads often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through "branding", which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers. On the other hand, ads that intend to elicit an immediate sale are known as direct-response advertising. Non-commercial entities that advertise more than consumer products or services include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. Advertising may also help to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful.
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 Lead Level Designer's salary.
Scheduling: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Animation Design: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Technical Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Lead Level Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Lead Level Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 62% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Telecom and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 22% above the average.
In contrast, Lead Level Designer positions in Transportation or Media typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Lead Level Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Lead Level Designer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Telecom
$111,255
$53.0
22%
Energy & Utilities
$109,431
$53.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$109,431
$53.0
20%
Software & Networking
$109,431
$53.0
20%
Healthcare
$104,872
$50.0
15%
Lead Level Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Lead Level 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$81,700
Average$91,193/year
$97,827
$6,808
Average$7,599/month
$8,152
$1,571
Average$1,754/week
$1,881
$39
Average$44/hour
$47
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$97,827
$8,152
$1,881
$47
Average
$91,193
$7,599
$1,754
$44
25th Percentile
$81,700
$6,808
$1,571
$39
Salaries of Jobs related to Lead Level Designer
Lead Designer$109,444
Senior Level Designer$83,786
Mid Level Graphic Designer$70,001
Architectural Designer (Level)$66,149
Level Designer$65,052
Entry Level Graphic Designer$59,801
Lead Level And Layout Designer$58,935
Junior Level Designer$57,018
Entry Level Interior Designer$53,902
Entry Level Designer$44,086
Game Level Designer$43,619
Salary Trends for Lead Level Designer
Salaries for a Lead Level Designer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $85,749 in 2023
to around $84,113 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Lead Level Designer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Lead Level Designer Over Time
$???
$85,749
$84,786
$84,113
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$85,749
2024
$84,786
2025
$84,113
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Lead Level Designer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Lead Level Designer
Here are companies hiring for Lead Level Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Lead Level Designer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lead Level Designer?
The Telecom industry offers the highest average compensation for Lead Level Designer roles,
with salaries approximately 22% 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.
