Designers, All Other pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $170,100 or more. The middle half of other designers in San Francisco earn between $77,320 and $129,500.
- $59K10th
- $77K25th
- $103KMedian
- $130K75th
- $170K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $109,400 | $9,117 | $52.60 |
| Median | $103,040 | $8,587 | $49.54 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,320 | $6,443 | $37.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $129,500 | $10,792 | $62.26 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Designers, All Other pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Other designers in San Francisco earn 26% more than the California average ($87,050) and 38% more than the U.S. average ($79,090). At the median the gap is +59% against the U.S. median of $64,950.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $109,400 | $103,040 | $58,910 | $170,100 | 320 |
| California | $87,050 | $65,420 | $49,050 | $140,430 | 3,110 |
| United States | $79,090 | $64,950 | $43,030 | $129,110 | 9,480 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Designers, All Other salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $109,400, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $79,711 a year, or $6,643 a month and $3,066 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for other designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $109,400 buys what about $94,626 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 10.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Designers, All Other salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 6 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($112,730).
- San Jose$112,730
- San Francisco$109,400
- Sacramento$86,980
- San Diego$86,560
- Los Angeles$81,520
- Riverside$76,970
Highest-paying cities for other designers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($112,730).
- San Jose, CA$112,730
- San Francisco, CA$109,400
- Las Vegas, NV$97,970
- Nashville, TN$97,960
- New York, NY$93,590
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Designers, All Other salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do other designers make an hour in San Francisco?
$52.59 an hour on average, and $49.54 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level other designers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the other designers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $79,711 a year ($6,643 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $109,400. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do other designers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 38% more than the U.S. average for this job ($79,090).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1029; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.20, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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