Designers, All Other Salary
The median pay for a designers, all other in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $76,070/year ($36.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $67,986 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 60.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $76K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 designers, all others
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What this looks like in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad sits well above the national pay line for designers, all other, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 61.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for designers, all others in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $59K | $52K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $103K | $89K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $129K | $117K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $65K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level designers, all others (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Designers, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Designers, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $95K | +46% | N/A |
| New York | $86K | +32% | 1,050 |
| Hawaii | $86K | +32% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $84K | +29% | 60 |
| Illinois | $77K | +19% | 30 |
| Nevada | $75K | +16% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | +12% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $72K | +12% | 280 |
| Indiana | $67K | +3% | 70 |
| Colorado | $66K | +1% | 230 |
| Florida | $66K | +1% | 440 |
| California | $65K | +1% | 3,110 |
| Oregon | $61K | -6% | 280 |
| Maryland | $61K | -6% | 260 |
| Virginia | $60K | -8% | 50 |
| New Jersey | $59K | -8% | 550 |
| Georgia | $59K | -10% | 810 |
| Washington | $58K | -11% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -12% | 250 |
| Utah | $56K | -14% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $52K | -20% | 120 |
| Missouri | $48K | -26% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -32% | 40 |
| Montana | $42K | -35% | 60 |
| Texas | $42K | -36% | N/A |
| Ohio | $38K | -41% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 26 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track designers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a designers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 61.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for designers, all others in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new designers, all others typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,241/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 93% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is designers, all other a high-paying job in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $76K here vs. $65K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 12% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for designers, all others?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do designers, all others make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $76,070 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,010, and experienced designers, all others can clear $124,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,891/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 61.4% 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 designers, all other salary go in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median designers, all other salary is worth about $67,986 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do designers, all others 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.