Interior Designers Salary
Interior Designers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC make a median of $60,250 a year, or about $28.97 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $68,087 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 27.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $60K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 interior designers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Interior designers pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,095/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for interior designers in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $60K | $62K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $64K | $66K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $64K | $66K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $61K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level interior designers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Interior Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Interior Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98K | +47% | 620 |
| Wyoming | $96K | +43% | 90 |
| California | $80K | +19% | 8,500 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +19% | 1,580 |
| Colorado | $78K | +17% | 2,300 |
| Washington | $77K | +14% | 1,330 |
| Illinois | $76K | +14% | 2,570 |
| New York | $76K | +12% | 5,340 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +10% | 1,670 |
| Minnesota | $73K | +9% | 1,220 |
| Georgia | $72K | +7% | 3,050 |
| Arkansas | $70K | +4% | 740 |
| Oklahoma | $69K | +2% | 490 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +0% | 630 |
| Oregon | $66K | -1% | 1,030 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -3% | 150 |
| Texas | $65K | -3% | 6,450 |
| Maryland | $65K | -3% | 1,440 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -3% | 430 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -5% | 300 |
| Vermont | $64K | -5% | 110 |
| Maine | $64K | -5% | 230 |
| South Carolina | $64K | -5% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -5% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $64K | -5% | 1,530 |
| Alaska | $63K | -6% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -7% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $63K | -7% | 1,020 |
| Virginia | $63K | -7% | 1,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -7% | 1,820 |
| Montana | $62K | -8% | 290 |
| Utah | $62K | -8% | 1,110 |
| Arizona | $61K | -9% | 1,600 |
| Ohio | $61K | -9% | 2,180 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -9% | 2,610 |
| Kansas | $61K | -9% | 400 |
| Alabama | $61K | -9% | 620 |
| Florida | $61K | -9% | 7,410 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -9% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -10% | 350 |
| Delaware | $60K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $60K | -11% | 1,010 |
| Michigan | $59K | -12% | 1,930 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -12% | 490 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -12% | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | -14% | 550 |
| Iowa | $58K | -14% | 510 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -26% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -35% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track interior designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a interior designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for interior designers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interior designers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,656/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for interior designers?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do interior designers make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $60,250 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,270, and experienced interior designers can clear $78,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,978/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a interior designers salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $68,087 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.