Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Indiana make a median of $88,040 a year, or about $42.33 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $95,894 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 20.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $88K get you in Indiana?
About commercial and industrial designers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Commercial and industrial designers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $88K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 20.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial and Industrial Designers salary by metro in Indiana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $88K | +0% | 500 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $85K | -3% | 30 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $78K | -11% | 190 |
| Fort Wayne | $68K | -23% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track commercial and industrial designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 20.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial and industrial designers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,411/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $88K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Indiana pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Indiana?
The median is $88,040 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,850, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $117,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,636/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 20.3% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $95,894 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.
