What are the main factors that influence a Design Instructor's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Design Instructor's salary?

A Design Instructor's salary grows with experience: starting around $67,023 for beginners, reaching about $96,263 at mid-level, and approach $147,785 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Design Instructor?

Design Instructor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Design Instructor roles are District of Columbia $93,045, California $92,692, Massachusetts $91,457. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Design Instructor roles make?

Salaries for Design Instructor level roles vary by specialization: Flight Instructor: $118,895; Training Instructor IV: $111,473; Training Instructor III: $86,733; Training Instructor II: $70,493; Adjunct Instructor, Design: $67,626.

Design Instructor Salary in the United States

How much does a Design Instructor make in the United States? As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Design Instructor in the United States is $84,036 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

However, a Design Instructor's salary can vary significantly. Here's a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $98,356
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,536 to $91,532
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $65,886

10% $65,886

50% (Median) $84,036

90% $98,356

Design Instructor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,532	$7,628	$1,760	$44
Average	$84,036	$7,003	$1,616	$40
25th Percentile	$74,536	$6,211	$1,433	$36

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Engineering and Design Instructor

Educational Solutions Company – Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Design Instructor Salaries

A Design Instructor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Design Instructor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Design Instructor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $67,023
Early Career (1-2 years): $82,475
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $96,263
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $111,050
Expert (over 8 years): $147,785

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Curriculum Specialist I	less than 1 year	$67,023
Design Instructor	1-2 years	$82,475
Curriculum Specialist III	2-4 years	$96,263
Curriculum Specialist IV	5-8 years	$111,050
Curriculum Specialist V	over 8 years	$147,785

How Do Design Instructor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Design Instructors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $93,045.
California: $92,692.
Massachusetts: $91,457.

District of Columbia $93,045 California $92,692 Massachusetts $91,457 Washington $91,121 New Jersey $91,087 Alaska $90,969 Connecticut $89,810 New York $89,339

Hawaii $87,835 Rhode Island $87,129 Maryland $86,650 Minnesota $85,994 Colorado $85,742 Illinois $85,658 Oregon $85,339 Delaware $85,104

New Hampshire $84,956 Virginia $84,625 Pennsylvania $83,658 Nevada $83,171 North Dakota $83,011 Michigan $82,759 Wisconsin $82,667 Vermont $82,482

Texas $81,969 Maine $81,935 Arizona $81,885 Ohio $81,826 Georgia $81,053 Indiana $80,666 Wyoming $80,591 Utah $80,473

Iowa $80,423 Kansas $80,019 Louisiana $79,902 North Carolina $79,860 Missouri $79,843 Florida $79,515 Montana $79,339 Nebraska $79,171

Kentucky $79,078 South Carolina $78,742 Tennessee $78,532 Idaho $78,448 New Mexico $77,834 Oklahoma $77,700 Alabama $77,204 South Dakota $76,372

Arkansas $75,918 West Virginia $75,675 Mississippi $74,944

Top Paying Cities for Design Instructor

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $105,995
San Francisco: $104,834
Oakland: $102,625

San Jose, CA $105,995

San Francisco, CA $104,834

Oakland, CA $102,625

New York, NY $96,759

Paramus, NJ $95,582

Queens Village, NY $95,578

Passaic, NJ $95,498

Bergenfield, NJ $95,490

Stamford, CT $95,306

Huntington, NY $95,271

Newark, NJ $94,650

Bridgeport, CT $94,473

Vallejo, CA $94,306

New Brunswick, NJ $94,272

Petaluma, CA $94,221

Middlesex, NJ $94,062

Somerset, NJ $94,003

Santa Cruz, CA $93,894

Boston, MA $93,381

Monterey, CA $93,086

Seattle, WA $92,894

Santa Rosa, CA $92,877

Los Angeles, CA $92,852

Juneau, AK $92,633

Washington, DC $92,541

Orange, CA $92,242

Santa Ana, CA $92,020

Long Beach, CA $91,936

Anaheim, CA $91,919

Anchorage, AK $91,877

Santa Maria, CA $91,625

Everett, WA $91,608

Danbury, CT $91,312

Bremerton, WA $91,196

Tacoma, WA $90,894

New Suffolk, NY $90,892

Sacramento, CA $90,868

Santa Barbara, CA $90,776

San Diego, CA $90,684

Trenton, NJ $90,684

Brockton, MA $90,591

Fairbanks, AK $90,385

Lompoc, CA $90,171

Lowell, MA $90,103

Ventura, CA $90,087

Nashua, NH $90,070

Stockton, CA $90,062

Modesto, CA $89,448

Poughkeepsie, NY $89,263

Olympia, WA $89,104

Kennewick, WA $89,104

New Haven, CT $89,070

Lawrence, MA $88,768

Hartford, CT $88,684

Riverside, CA $88,667

New Bedford, MA $88,583

Richland, WA $88,583

Bakersfield, CA $88,465

San Bernardino, CA $88,431

New Britain, CT $88,423

Atlantic City, NJ $88,423

New London, CT $88,389

Norwich, CT $88,364

Portsmouth, NH $88,347

Boulder, CO $88,169

Portland, OR $88,053

Worcester, MA $88,045

Minneapolis, MN $87,784

Philadelphia, PA $87,667

Honolulu, HI $87,389

Saint Paul, MN $87,349

Vineland, NJ $87,331

Providence, RI $87,087

Chicago, IL $86,843

Bellingham, WA $86,742

Springfield, MA $86,675

Baltimore, MD $86,650

Chico, CA $86,440

Pittsfield, MA $86,213

Manchester, NH $86,053

Spokane, WA $85,683

Denver, CO $85,675

Albany, NY $85,280

Troy, NY $85,246

Nassau, NY $85,157

Schenectady, NY $85,070

Wilmington, DE $85,003

Burlington, VT $84,885

Salem, OR $84,851

Portland, ME $84,591

Yakima, WA $84,507

Rochester, MN $84,246

Reno, NV $84,204

Fresno, CA $84,204

Milwaukee, WI $84,129

Detroit, MI $84,045

Ann Arbor, MI $84,030

Allentown, PA $84,019

Colorado Springs, CO $83,877

Syracuse, NY $83,835

Carson City, NV $83,835

Houston, TX $83,717

Eugene, OR $83,675

Gary, IN $83,574

Springfield, OR $83,507

Bismarck, ND $83,490

Galveston, TX $83,431

Medford, OR $83,305

Fort Collins, CO $83,272

Concord, NH $83,230

Austin, TX $83,204

Mesa, AZ $83,028

Reading, PA $83,019

Phoenix, AZ $83,011

Dallas, TX $82,986

Saint Cloud, MN $82,905

Madison, WI $82,793

Utica, NY $82,566

Rochester, NY $82,431

Des Moines, IA $82,423

Raleigh, NC $82,414

Atlanta, GA $82,288

Battle Creek, MI $82,263

Salt Lake City, UT $82,238

Lancaster, PA $82,112

Harrisburg, PA $81,994

Kansas City, MO $81,910

Kansas City, KS $81,893

Champaign, IL $81,893

Fort Worth, TX $81,885

Columbus, OH $81,871

Boca Raton, FL $81,851

Pittsburgh, PA $81,818

Richmond, VA $81,784

Indianapolis, IN $81,767

Cleveland, OH $81,759

Las Vegas, NV $81,658

Cincinnati, OH $81,658

Petersburg, VA $81,532

Huntsville, AL $81,406

Lansing, MI $81,350

Lebanon, PA $81,339

Pueblo, CO $81,330

Appleton, WI $81,305

Buffalo, NY $81,272

Dayton, OH $81,246

Racine, WI $81,229

Charlotte, NC $81,221

Saint Louis, MO $81,196

York, PA $81,145

Elkhart, IN $81,145

Gastonia, NC $81,129

Billings, MT $81,109

Beaumont, TX $81,087

Lorain, OH $81,070

Benton Harbor, MI $81,053

Toledo, OH $81,036

Binghamton, NY $80,994

Rock Hill, SC $80,986

Rockford, IL $80,944

Springfield, IL $80,910

Elyria, OH $80,902

Fargo, ND $80,902

Flagstaff, AZ $80,843

Fort Lauderdale, FL $80,792

Duluth, MN $80,742

Miami, FL $80,742

Grand Forks, ND $80,683

Cheyenne, WY $80,683

Bangor, ME $80,498

Cedar Rapids, IA $80,406

Durham, NC $80,371

Louisville, KY $80,364

Grand Rapids, MI $80,347

Hialeah, FL $80,339

Casper, WY $80,221

Scranton, PA $80,120

New Orleans, LA $80,095

Virginia Beach, VA $80,087

Akron, OH $80,045

Peoria, IL $79,935

Sarasota, FL $79,919

Nashville, TN $79,860

Omaha, NE $79,860

Green Bay, WI $79,860

Baton Rouge, LA $79,818

Charleston, SC $79,801

Davenport, IA $79,759

Jamestown, NY $79,759

Tucson, AZ $79,717

Saint Petersburg, FL $79,666

Tampa, FL $79,650

Evansville, IN $79,599

Port Arthur, TX $79,599

Bradenton, FL $79,566

Santa Fe, NM $79,414

Orlando, FL $79,263

Clearwater, FL $79,238

La Crosse, WI $79,061

Canton, OH $79,061

Albuquerque, NM $79,011

Newport News, VA $79,003

High Point, NC $78,977

Ogden, UT $78,944

Corpus Christi, TX $78,876

Norfolk, VA $78,826

Laramie, WY $78,826

Rock Island, IL $78,776

Saginaw, MI $78,759

Jacksonville, FL $78,750

Salisbury, NC $78,734

Boise, ID $78,717

Moline, IL $78,675

Fort Myers, FL $78,650

Memphis, TN $78,633

Tulsa, OK $78,591

Waterloo, IA $78,540

Spartanburg, SC $78,456

Lincoln, NE $78,414

Fort Wayne, IN $78,397

Provo, UT $78,389

Cedar Falls, IA $78,288

San Antonio, TX $78,255

Greensboro, NC $78,221

South Bend, IN $78,213

Savannah, GA $78,120

Muskegon, MI $78,087

Birmingham, AL $78,078

Winston Salem, NC $78,037

Lake Charles, LA $77,834

Anderson, IN $77,818

Lexington, KY $77,792

Augusta, GA $77,767

Greenville, SC $77,767

Lima, OH $77,700

Wichita, KS $77,692

Tuscaloosa, AL $77,692

Columbia, SC $77,616

Springfield, OH $77,599

Asheville, NC $77,465

Bloomington, IN $77,406

Knoxville, TN $77,103

Shreveport, LA $77,095

Wilmington, NC $76,986

Roanoke, VA $76,986

Topeka, KS $76,834

Frankfort, KY $76,825

Oklahoma City, OK $76,767

Chillicothe, OH $76,734

Longview, TX $76,725

Melbourne, FL $76,717

Sioux Falls, SD $76,582

Mobile, AL $76,574

Terre Haute, IN $76,540

Altoona, PA $76,490

Amarillo, TX $76,431

Killeen, TX $76,406

Fayetteville, AR $76,339

Chattanooga, TN $76,313

Sioux City, IA $76,238

Idaho Falls, ID $76,221

Lynchburg, VA $76,154

Gainesville, FL $76,044

Portsmouth, OH $76,002

Little Rock, AR $75,986

Lafayette, LA $75,952

Youngstown, OH $75,952

Daytona Beach, FL $75,902

Clarksville, TN $75,893

Pensacola, FL $75,885

Temple, TX $75,879

Hopkinsville, KY $75,633

Erie, PA $75,616

Florence, SC $75,582

Charleston, WV $75,448

Great Falls, MT $75,406

Macon, GA $75,288

Tallahassee, FL $75,280

Fayetteville, NC $75,263

Waco, TX $75,246

Helena, MT $75,187

Pine Bluff, AR $75,155

Vincennes, IN $75,053

Lubbock, TX $75,019

Alamogordo, NM $74,969

Twin Falls, ID $74,893

Rapid City, SD $74,868

Jackson, MS $74,717

Huntington, WV $74,711

Greenville, MS $74,708

Parkersburg, WV $74,623

Montgomery, AL $74,607

Wichita Falls, TX $74,523

Springfield, MO $74,523

Biloxi, MS $74,481

Monroe, LA $74,397

Johnstown, PA $74,339

Sumter, SC $74,305

Columbus, GA $74,296

Pascagoula, MS $74,137

Abilene, TX $74,137

Kingsport, TN $73,918

Albany, GA $73,918

Gulfport, MS $73,893

Alexandria, LA $73,616

Fort Smith, AR $73,406

El Paso, TX $73,179

Las Cruces, NM $72,801

Harlingen, TX $72,587

Pocatello, ID $72,574

Florence, AL $72,465

Brownsville, TX $72,448

Mcallen, TX $72,271

Dothan, AL $72,154

Columbus, MS $71,654

Altus, OK $71,263

Lawton, OK $71,103

Pierre, SD $70,801

Design Instructor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Design Instructor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 47% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Design Instructor positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Design Instructor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Design Instructor

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services	$100,844	$48.0	20%
Internet	$99,163	$48.0	18%
Energy & Utilities	$96,642	$46.0	15%
Healthcare	$92,440	$44.0	10%
Aerospace & Defense	$91,600	$44.0	9%

How Education impacts a Design Instructor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Design Instructor professionals enter the field with a Bachelor's degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Design Instructor with a Bachelor's is between $78,419 and $82,731.

Design Instructor Salaries by Degree Level

$83,600
$82,900
$82,200
$81,400
$80,700
$79,900
$79,200
$78,500

Typical Education for Design Instructor
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Degree	0.5%
High School	5.6%
Associate's Degree	3.2%
Bachelor's Degree	29.7%
Master's Degree or MBA	54.7%
JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent	6.3%

View as Graph

Design Instructor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Design Instructor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$74,536

Average $84,036/year

$91,532

$6,211

Average $7,003/month

$7,628

$1,433

Average $1,616/week

$1,760

$36

Average $40/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,532	$7,628	$1,760	$44
Average	$84,036	$7,003	$1,616	$40
25th Percentile	$74,536	$6,211	$1,433	$36

Salary Trends for Design Instructor

Salaries for a Design Instructor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $69,025 in 2023 to around $68,891 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Design Instructor salary trends, click here.

Average Annual Salary of Design Instructor Over Time

$???
$69,025
$69,081
$68,891
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$69,025
2024	$69,081
2025	$68,891

Most common benefits for Design Instructor

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Design Instructor

Here are companies hiring for Design Instructor and their salaries, click below for more details.

C $128,509/per year

C R Bard Inc Biotechnology United States

H $124,697/per year

Henry Schein Canada Biotechnology United States

N $123,899/per year

Nordex Inc Biotechnology United States

N $120,416/per year

Nipro Corp Biotechnology United States

E $115,870/per year

Enovis Biotechnology United States

A $114,553/per year

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Biotechnology United States

M $112,110/per year

MiniMed Inc Biotechnology United States

L $111,500/per year

Labcorp Drug Development Biotechnology United States

L $110,229/per year

Life Technologies Corp Biotechnology United States

Z $106,224/per year

Zimmer Biomet Biotechnology United States

P $103,077/per year

Promontory Therapeutics Biotechnology United States

S $102,181/per year

Steris PLC Biotechnology United States

G $97,274/per year

Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd Biotechnology United States

E $94,764/per year

Endeavor BioMedicines Biotechnology United States

R $94,402/per year

Replay Holdings LLC Biotechnology United States

P $94,235/per year

Pleno Inc Biotechnology United States

S $93,666/per year

Simulaids Inc Biotechnology United States

N $88,880/per year

NOIRLab/CAS Biotechnology United States

O $86,468/per year

Onward Technology Biotechnology United States

L $84,895/per year

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc Biotechnology United States

E $84,682/per year

Eyeco Ltd Biotechnology United States

P $84,523/per year

Paerosol Biotechnology United States

I $83,525/per year

IONIQ Sciences Inc Biotechnology United States

S $82,815/per year

Stateside PPE Biotechnology United States

D $82,041/per year

Digi Bio Biotechnology United States

Find Your Next Design Instructor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Design Instructor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Design Instructor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Design Instructor?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Design Instructor roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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Design Instructor Salary in the United States

Check out Design Instructor Job Openings in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Design Instructor Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Design Instructor Salaries?

How Do Design Instructor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Design Instructor

Design Instructor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for a Design Instructor

How Education impacts a Design Instructor's Salary?

Design Instructor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Design Instructor

Design Instructor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Salary Trends for Design Instructor

Average Annual Salary of Design Instructor Over Time

Most common benefits for Design Instructor

Common company salaries for Design Instructor

Find Your Next Design Instructor Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Design Instructor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Design Instructor?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Design Instructor Salary in the United States

Check out Design Instructor Job Openings in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Design Instructor Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Design Instructor Salaries?

How Do Design Instructor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Design Instructor

Design Instructor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for a Design Instructor

How Education impacts a Design Instructor's Salary?

Design Instructor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Design Instructor

Design Instructor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Salaries of jobs related to Design Instructor

Salary Trends for Design Instructor

Average Annual Salary of Design Instructor Over Time

Most common benefits for Design Instructor

Common company salaries for Design Instructor

Find Your Next Design Instructor Job

For Employees

For Employers

FAQ about Design Instructor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Design Instructor?

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?