Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $84,430 a year, or about $40.59 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $86,533 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month — about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $84K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial and Industrial Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $107K | +34% | 450 |
| Kansas | $100K | +26% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +25% | 1,020 |
| Indiana | $94K | +18% | 400 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +17% | 210 |
| California | $93K | +17% | 4,530 |
| Nevada | $88K | +11% | 170 |
| Michigan | $85K | +8% | 2,580 |
| New York | $85K | +7% | 2,140 |
| South Carolina | $84K | +5% | 470 |
| Georgia | $82K | +3% | 460 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +2% | 1,030 |
| Arizona | $81K | +2% | 290 |
| Arkansas | $80K | +1% | 230 |
| Montana | $79K | -0% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $79K | -0% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $79K | -0% | 230 |
| Virginia | $78K | -2% | 1,480 |
| Minnesota | $78K | -2% | 560 |
| Missouri | $78K | -2% | 500 |
| Texas | $78K | -2% | 1,630 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -3% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | -4% | 500 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -4% | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -4% | 960 |
| Oklahoma | $76K | -4% | 330 |
| Oregon | $75K | -5% | 340 |
| Maryland | $75K | -5% | 390 |
| North Carolina | $74K | -6% | 1,220 |
| Alabama | $74K | -7% | 90 |
| Ohio | $71K | -10% | 1,060 |
| Kentucky | $70K | -11% | 290 |
| Iowa | $69K | -13% | 540 |
| Idaho | $68K | -15% | 220 |
| Vermont | $67K | -16% | 100 |
| Florida | $66K | -17% | 1,800 |
| Utah | $66K | -17% | 460 |
| Illinois | $65K | -18% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -24% | 970 |
| New Mexico | $59K | -26% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $53K | -33% | 130 |
| North Dakota | $51K | -35% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states
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 Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $84,430 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,540, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $135,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,332/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 32.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a commercial and industrial designers salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $86,533 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.