How much does a designer make in San Jose?
$129,100a year
Median yearly pay for designers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $62.07 an hour or $10,760 a month.
- Hourly
- $62.07
- Vs. national median
- +99%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 36
- Jobs in the area
- 160
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $69,120Median: $129,100Highest 10%: $161,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $69,120 | $33.23 | |
| 25th | $70,310 | $33.80 | |
| Median | $129,100 | $62.07 | |
| 75th | $129,100 | $62.07 | |
| 90th | $161,900 | $77.83 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for designers.
| San Francisco, CA | $103,000 |
| Sacramento, CA | $84,180 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,070 |
| Riverside, CA | $65,370 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $58,930 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Art Director | $170,100 |
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | $157,000 |
| Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner | $143,200 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | $141,300 |
| Technical Writer | $140,700 |
| Writer and Author | $118,800 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $117,600 |
| Editor | $117,600 |
| Musician and Singer | $102,900 |
| Interpreter and Translator | $101,500 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a designer make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $62.07 ($129,100 a year).
Do designers make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $129,100 against $64,950 nationally, 99% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $65,420, so San Jose pays 97% more.
Where does San Jose rank for designer pay?
1 of 36 metro areas with data.
How much does a designer make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $69,120 or less a year; the top 10% make $161,900 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.