Interior Designers Salary
Interior Designers in Rhode Island make a median of $58,100 a year, or about $27.93 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $57,090 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 40.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Rhode Island?
About interior designers
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Pay for interior designers in Rhode Island runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,544/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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 interior designerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level interior designers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Interior Designers salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $58K | +0% | 590 |
Compare to other states
Track interior designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a interior designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for interior designers in Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interior designers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,016/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Rhode Island?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $58K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for interior designers?
Rhode Island pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do interior designers make in Rhode Island?
The median is $58,100 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,270, and experienced interior designers can clear $99,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,910/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 39.5% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 interior designers salary is worth about $57,090 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.