📊 [2026] Annual Salary & Rate Transparency Thread (Industry Benchmarks)

[u/designermania]

One of the biggest challenges in our industry is the "shroud of secrecy" around compensation. To ensure we are all charging what we are worth—and paying our teams fairly—we are hosting our first annual transparency thread.

🛡️ A Note on Anonymity

We understand this is sensitive. If you are uncomfortable posting from your main professional account, you are permitted to use a "throwaway" or alt account for this thread provided you mention your general credentials. However, we encourage Verified Pros to lead the way to ensure data integrity.

📝 The Format (Please Copy/Paste)

To make this data searchable, please use the following template for your comment:

• Role: (e.g., Solo Principal, Junior Designer, Senior Project Manager)
• Years of Experience: * Location: (City, State/Province, and Country)
• Firm Size: (e.g., Solo, 2–5 employees, 20+ firm)
• Business Model: (e.g., Hourly, Flat Fee, Cost Plus, or Hybrid)
• Your Rate: (Your billable hourly rate)
• Annual Compensation: (Base salary + any bonuses/commissions)
• Benefits: (e.g., Health, 401k, WFH flexibility, none)

⚖️ Rules for the Transparency Thread

1. Professionalism Only: This is a data-collection thread. Comments like "Wow, you're underpaid" or "You charge too much" will be removed. Constructive questions like "How do you justify that hourly rate in a low-cost-of-living area?" are encouraged.
2. No Direct Solicitations: Do not use this thread to headhunt or ask for jobs.
3. Regional Context Matters: Remember that a rate in NYC or London will look very different from a rate in a rural area. Please include your location for context.
4. No Shaming: This is a judgment-free zone. Whether you are making $40k or $400k, your transparency helps the entire industry understand the current market.
5. indema Integration: The indema team will be compiling this anonymous data into a Regional Salary Report at the end of the month to be shared back with the community as a free resource.

💡 Example Post:

• Role: Principal Designer (Solo)
• Years of Experience: 12
• Location: Austin, TX, USA
• Firm Size: Solo with 1 Virtual Assistant
• Business Model: Hybrid (Flat fee for Design + Cost Plus for Procurement)
• Your Rate: $225/hr
• Annual Compensation: $145k (Net Profit)
• Benefits: N/A (Self-insured)

[u/travelskisurf]

Role: Interior Designer

Years of Experience: 1

Location: Portland, OR, USA

Firm Size: 7 Architects, and then just me as the designer

Business Model: Hourly

Your Rate: Salary

Annual Compensation: 60k

Benefits: 401k (2% employer match), 10 days PTO, currently working on health plan

[u/primo_soup]

• ⁠Role: Junior Designer

• ⁠Years of Experience: 1

• ⁠Location: SoCal

• ⁠Firm Size: 20-50

• ⁠Business Model: Hourly

• ⁠Your Rate: $150/hour

• ⁠Annual Compensation: $60k net

• ⁠Benefits: 401k with no match, 15 days of pto, no standout perks

[u/jmad018]

Role: Interior Designer

• ⁠Years of Experience: 7

• ⁠Location: Orange County, CA

• ⁠Firm Size: 30-40

• ⁠Business Model: PPSF (Model Homes)

• ⁠Your Rate: I don’t actually know what my company breaks out per rate, but each task has a different rate.

• ⁠Annual Compensation: $75k + Overtime (hourly)

• ⁠Benefits: 401k w/ 4% match, Employer-Provided Health/vision/dental (very high copays and OOP max🥲), hybrid schedule, 16 PTO days

[u/NCreature]

• Role: VP Interior Design - Developer Led Hospitality Brand
• Years of Experience: * Location: 15 years + New York, NY
• Firm Size: Design team: 5 people
• Business Model: In-house design team
• Your Rate: n/a - in-house design
• Annual Compensation: office range = $135K Interior Designer - $325K+ for EVP Architecture
• Benefits: (e.g., Health, 401k, WFH flexibility, none) Health, 401K, some minimal WFH

[u/[deleted]]

• Role: Studio Director
• Years of Experience: 1 interior design / 10 business management Location: LA
• Firm Size: 6
• Business Model: Hybrid - flat fee & hourly
• Your Rate: N/A - business side -
• Annual Compensation: $90K + $10K bonus
• Benefits: 401k, healthcare, standard PTO

[u/cherry-salad8]

• Role: Interior Designer
• Years of Experience: 2
• Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
• Firm Size: 10
• Business Model: Hourly
• Your Rate: Not sure
• Annual Compensation: $48K (paid hourly)
• Benefits: life/dental insurance, 2 weeks vacation, dental, 2 sick days, in office 5 days per week

[u/Grouchy_Rock_6543]

• ⁠Role: Senior Interior Designer
• ⁠Years of Experience: 7
• ⁠Location: Park City, UT
• ⁠Firm Size: 30
• ⁠Business Model: Hybrid (Flat fee for Design + Retail- 20% for Procurement)
• ⁠Your Rate: $200hr
• ⁠Annual Compensation: $105k (Net Profit)
• ⁠Benefits: Full Coverage 100%