Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Maryland make a median of $70,870 a year, or about $34.07 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $71,760 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $71K get you in Maryland?
About commercial and industrial designers
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What this looks like in Maryland
Pay for commercial and industrial designers in Maryland runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $84K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for commercial and industrial designerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial and Industrial Designers salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $80K | +13% | 360 |
Compare to other states
Track commercial and industrial designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial and industrial designers in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,636/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Maryland?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $71K here vs. $84K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Maryland pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Maryland?
The median is $70,870 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,940, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $106,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,588/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 39.1% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $71,760 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.