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Interior Designer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an interior designer is $88,000 per annum, before tax, up $18,100 since 2018.
Where you work moves pay more than the title does: commercial, workplace and hospitality studios generally pay above small residential practices, and a specialism such as kitchen and bathroom design or heritage work can add to that. Salaried roles usually sit on an individual contract or an enterprise agreement, which is why two people with the same job title can be paid quite differently. Freelance and studio-owner work is common, and there income depends on the projects you win rather than a set rate.
Roles that pay more than interior designer
The largest typical pay rise is $32,000 a year, moving into Architect.
- Architect+$32,000/yr
- Landscape Architect+$32,000/yr
- Graphic Designer+$8,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher interior designer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time interior designer salary is $88,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Spatial and interior design and Visual design tend to command a premium over general interior designer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Architect pays a typical $32,000 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Interior Designer salary questions
How much do interior designers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an interior designer is $88,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is interior designer pay rising or falling?
The median interior designer salary is up $18,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than interior designer?
Architect pays a typical $32,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to interior designer.