Interior Designers Salary
Interior Designers in Georgia make a median of $71,760 a year, or about $34.5 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $78,093 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $72K get you in Georgia?
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What this looks like in Georgia
Interior designers pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,434/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level interior designers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Interior Designers salary by metro in Georgia
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $72K | +1% | 2,430 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $64K | -11% | 50 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $62K | -14% | 50 |
| Savannah | $61K | -15% | 100 |
| Columbus | $48K | -33% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track interior designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a interior designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/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 interior designers in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interior designers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,711/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is interior designer a high-paying job in Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for interior designers?
Georgia pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do interior designers make in Georgia?
The median is $71,760 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,190, and experienced interior designers can clear $123,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,615/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 31.1% 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 interior designers salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 interior designers salary is worth about $78,093 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do interior 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.