Interior Designer.
St. Louis.
$55,000
median salary, 8% below the national average
$42,000 to $73,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
St. Louis is 10% cheaper than the national average. For Interior Designers, that shakes out to a median of $55,000, with the full range spanning $42,000 to $73,000. Specialization in commercial, hospitality, or healthcare interiors drives higher pay than residential work. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $49,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$36,000
to $44,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$47,000
to $58,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$61,000
to $72,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$69,000
to $85,000
Salary trend
+4% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $16,000 to the total package.
Base
$55,000
Equity
$9,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $71,000
How St. Louis compares
St. Louis, MO
$55,000
Cost of living: 10% below average
National Average
$60,000
St. Louis is $5,000 below
Interior Designer salary by city
Salary by role in St. Louis
What you should know
The Interior Designer landscape in St. Louis is not what most salary sites will tell you. St. Louis offers one of the most affordable major metro areas in the country, with a strong base in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing. The region's anchor employers include Boeing, Centene, and Washington University's medical campus. A growing biotech and plant sciences corridor centered on the Cortex Innovation District is attracting new investment and talent. Specialization in commercial, hospitality, or healthcare interiors drives higher pay than residential work. Designers with NCIDQ certification, proficiency in Revit and 3D visualization, and a portfolio of large-scale projects earn at the top of the range in major metros.
Junior Interior Designers start at $46,000 to $54,000. Mid-level designers managing client relationships and full projects earn $58,000 to $72,000. Senior Designers and Design Directors reach $75,000 to $95,000, with firm principals and celebrity designers earning well above $120,000. In St. Louis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Self-employed interior designers often earn more through markup on furnishings and materials, adding 20 to 35% to effective income. Salaried roles may include bonuses of 5 to 10% and trade account access for personal projects. And on the tax side: missouri's top income tax rate is about 4.8%, and St. Louis City adds a 1% earnings tax. The low base cost of living means your after tax salary still stretches further than in most metros. When someone quotes you $55,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work in person at Cortex or the BJC campus. St. Louis employers offer higher packages for candidates who commit to the local innovation hubs. The range for Interior Designers in St. Louis runs from $42,000 to $73,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Sales Development Representative in St. Louis earns $54,000 (2% less)
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Common questions.
Interior Designer salary in other cities
Other salaries in St. Louis
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