Interior Designers pay range in Hickory
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $78,180 or more. The middle half of interior designers in Hickory earn between $60,250 and $62,570.
- $44K10th
- $60K25th
- $60KMedian
- $63K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,590 | $5,049 | $29.13 |
| Median | $60,250 | $5,021 | $28.97 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,250 | $5,021 | $28.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,570 | $5,214 | $30.08 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interior Designers pay in Hickory vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Interior designers in Hickory earn 9% less than the North Carolina average ($66,260) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($74,540). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $67,190.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | $60,590 | $60,250 | $44,270 | $78,180 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $66,260 | $61,400 | $39,870 | $100,450 | 2,610 |
| 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 Hickory
On the average salary of $60,590, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $48,955 a year, or $4,080 a month and $1,883 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Hickory a good place for interior designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $60,590 buys what about $68,474 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Interior Designers salary in other North Carolina cities
Hickory ranks 8th of 10 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($72,360).
- Charlotte$72,360
- Burlington$70,810
- Raleigh$68,860
- Winston-Salem$66,440
- Durham$65,760
- Asheville$62,380
- Greensboro$61,760
- Hickory$60,590
- Greenville$60,400
- Wilmington$54,490
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 Hickory: questions
How much do interior designers make an hour in Hickory?
$29.13 an hour on average, and $28.97 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interior designers salary in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,250, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interior designers take-home pay in Hickory?
About $48,955 a year ($4,080 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,590.
Do interior designers earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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