Interior Designers pay range in San Luis Obispo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $112,630 or more. The middle half of interior designers in San Luis Obispo earn between $61,210 and $96,850.
- $45K10th
- $61K25th
- $78KMedian
- $97K75th
- $113K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $83,690 | $6,974 | $40.24 |
| Median | $78,000 | $6,500 | $37.50 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $61,210 | $5,101 | $29.43 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,850 | $8,071 | $46.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interior Designers pay in San Luis Obispo vs. California and the U.S.
Interior designers in San Luis Obispo earn 7% less than the California average ($89,740) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($74,540). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $67,190.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | $83,690 | $78,000 | $45,380 | $112,630 | 50 |
| California | $89,740 | $80,230 | $50,940 | $131,770 | 8,500 |
| United States | $74,540 | $67,190 | $41,420 | $114,140 | 71,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Interior Designers salary after taxes in San Luis Obispo
On the average salary of $83,690, a single filer in San Luis Obispo takes home about $64,015 a year, or $5,335 a month and $2,462 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 Luis Obispo a good place for interior designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Luis Obispo area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.6), so the average $83,690 buys what about $77,065 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in San Luis Obispo ($50,770). A typical home costs $909,699, or 10.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Interior Designers salary in other California cities
San Luis Obispo ranks 8th of 14 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($100,980).
- San Jose$100,980
- San Francisco$99,350
- Los Angeles$88,370
- San Diego$86,370
- Santa Maria$85,050
- Salinas$84,840
- Santa Rosa$84,560
- San Luis Obispo$83,690
- Sacramento$83,160
- Riverside$82,060
Highest-paying cities for interior designers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($100,980).
- San Jose, CA$100,980
- San Francisco, CA$99,350
- Las Vegas, NV$92,760
- Denver, CO$89,330
- Los Angeles, CA$88,370
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Interior Designers salary in San Luis Obispo: questions
How much do interior designers make an hour in San Luis Obispo?
$40.24 an hour on average, and $37.50 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interior designers salary in San Luis Obispo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,210, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interior designers take-home pay in San Luis Obispo?
About $64,015 a year ($5,335 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $83,690. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do interior designers earn more in San Luis Obispo than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($74,540).
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 27-1025; area San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA (42020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- 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 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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