As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Automotive Designer in the US is $72,391, equivalent to $35 per hour, $1,392 weekly, or $6,033 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Automotive Designer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Automotive Designer in the US vary widely, spanning from $59,317 to $85,504. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($65,548) and 75th percentile ($79,255), while top earners (90th percentile) make $85,504 per year. This $13,707 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Collaboration or Product Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Automotive Designer often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 15 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Automotive Designer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Automotive Designer Salary $59,317 US May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Automotive Designer Salary $65,548 US May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Automotive Designer Salary $72,391 US May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Automotive Designer Salary $79,255 US May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Automotive Designer Salary $85,504 US May 01, 2026
25% $65,548 10% $59,317 90% $85,504 75% $79,255 $72,391 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is an Automotive Designer ?

Automotive design is the process of developing the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles, including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. The functional design and development of a modern motor vehicle is typically done by a large team from many different disciplines included within automotive engineering, however, design roles are not associated with requirements for Professional or Chartered-Engineer qualifications. Automotive design in this context is primarily concerned with developing the visual appearance or aesthetics of the vehicle, th...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Automotive Designer.

Job Openings for Automotive Designer

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Automotive Designer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Industrial Designer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for an Automotive Designer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
65548
79255
72391

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
72504
89231
79634
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Automotive Designer in the United States. The base salary for Automotive Designer ranges from $65,548 to $79,255 with the average base salary of $72,391. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $72,504 to $89,231 with the average total cash compensation of $79,634.

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65548
79255

 

Skills associated with Automotive Designer: Design

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