Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN make a median of $85,280 a year, or about $41 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.43), which stretches that salary to about $91,277 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,242/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.43). 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette
Commercial and industrial designers pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,242/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.43 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $88K | $92K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $78K | $87K |
| Fort Wayne | $68K | $73K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $108K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $60K 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
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 Lafayette-West Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial and industrial designers in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,092/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is commercial and industrial designer a high-paying job in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.43), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $85,280 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,200, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $128,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,482/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 93.43 (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 $91,277 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.
