Entry-level Interior Designer salary in New York, NY
Based on 65 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Brooklyn, Long Island City, Flushing, Ridgefield, Glendale.
Also listed as: Lighting Designer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $46,696 |
| 25th | $50,000 |
| 50th (median) | $55,000 |
| 75th | $65,000 |
| 90th | $72,947 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $47,840 | $45,000 | $50,000 | 22 |
| FY2021 | $48,000 | $41,662 | $52,728 | 29 |
| FY2022 | $47,500 | $42,500 | $55,000 | 33 |
| FY2023 | $55,000 | $47,100 | $58,000 | 38 |
| FY2024 | $53,000 | $47,920 | $61,454 | 35 |
| FY2025 | $52,000 | $46,696 | $60,000 | 38 |
| FY2026 | $65,000 | $53,000 | $70,024 | 27 |
Cost of living
New York's median entry-level Interior Designer salary of $55,000 is worth about $48,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Interior Designers in the New York, NY area earned a median of $76,580 in May 2025 (5,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $55,000, 28% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design | too few | 5 |
| Modern Declaration | too few | 3 |
| Watchorn Architecture Urbanism, D.P.C. | too few | 3 |
| Brandston Partnership | too few | 2 |
| One M Interiors | too few | 2 |
| Wanta-Architect Pllc | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $55,000 | 65 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $70,000 | 130 |
| Senior · Level III | $84,000 | 53 |
| Expert · Level IV | $100,000 | 40 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $46,696 | $55,000 | 65 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,374 | $70,000 | 130 |
| Senior · Level III | $79,747 | $84,000 | 53 |
| Expert · Level IV | $94,099 | $100,000 | 40 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.