Commercial and Industrial Designers Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers in Tennessee make a median of $71,230 a year, or about $34.25 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $79,338 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 24.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $71K get you in Tennessee?
About commercial and industrial designers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for commercial and industrial designers in Tennessee runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $84K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for commercial and industrial designerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level commercial and industrial designers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Commercial and Industrial Designers salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $70K | -1% | 100 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $68K | -5% | N/A |
| Memphis | $68K | -5% | 80 |
| Chattanooga | $67K | -7% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track commercial and industrial designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a commercial and industrial designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for commercial and industrial designers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new commercial and industrial designers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,720/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $71K here vs. $84K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for commercial and industrial designers?
Tennessee pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — below the national median.
How much do commercial and industrial designers make in Tennessee?
The median is $71,230 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,330, and experienced commercial and industrial designers can clear $108,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,875/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $79,338 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.