Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Dubuque, IA make a median of $64,690 a year, or about $31.1 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $74,075 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About commercial and industrial designers
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What this looks like in Dubuque
Pay for commercial and industrial designers in Dubuque runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $84K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for commercial and industrial designers in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $78K | $85K |
| Cedar Rapids | $66K | $75K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $74K | $83K |
| Sioux City | $76K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial and Industrial Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Commercial and Industrial Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | $105K | +25% | 260 |
| Michigan | $102K | +22% | 2,930 |
| Massachusetts | $102K | +21% | 1,240 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +21% | 190 |
| California | $101K | +20% | 5,300 |
| Louisiana | $98K | +17% | 130 |
| Minnesota | $94K | +12% | 590 |
| Washington | $94K | +12% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $93K | +10% | 230 |
| Georgia | $91K | +9% | 360 |
| Colorado | $91K | +8% | 400 |
| New Jersey | $90K | +8% | 1,230 |
| New York | $90K | +7% | 2,400 |
| Indiana | $88K | +5% | 1,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $83K | -2% | 770 |
| Virginia | $82K | -2% | 1,480 |
| Connecticut | $81K | -3% | 160 |
| Idaho | $81K | -4% | 180 |
| Vermont | $81K | -4% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -4% | 1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | -4% | 820 |
| Ohio | $79K | -5% | 1,190 |
| Florida | $79K | -6% | 1,990 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -8% | 810 |
| Oregon | $77K | -8% | 480 |
| Nevada | $77K | -9% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $77K | -9% | 240 |
| Arizona | $76K | -9% | 170 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -9% | 420 |
| Missouri | $75K | -10% | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -12% | 110 |
| West Virginia | $73K | -13% | 110 |
| Montana | $73K | -13% | 60 |
| Nebraska | $72K | -15% | 90 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -15% | 750 |
| Maryland | $71K | -16% | 490 |
| Iowa | $70K | -16% | 440 |
| Alabama | $64K | -24% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $63K | -25% | 110 |
| Utah | $63K | -25% | 480 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -28% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track commercial and industrial designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Dubuque numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial and industrial designers in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,093/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is commercial and industrial designer a high-paying job in Dubuque?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $65K here vs. $84K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Dubuque pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — below the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $64,690 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,550, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $120,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,219/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 25.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a commercial and industrial designers salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median commercial and industrial designers salary is worth about $74,075 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do commercial and industrial designers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.