CreativeUpdated Q1 2026No state income tax

Interior Designer Salary
in Nashville, TN

Plan and design indoor spaces for functionality, aesthetics, and safety. Median salary in Nashville: $61K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.

Median salary
$61K
per year
Take-home: $43K

Salary range in Nashville

Entry level (25th)$44,000
Median (50th)$61,000
Senior (75th)$84,000
Top earner (90th)$113,000
Data freshness

Figures represent annual base salary in Nashville, Tennessee. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial Β· How we calculate this β†’

Help build this dataset. Add your own Interior Designer salary so other workers in Nashville have better numbers to work with.
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What the numbers say for Nashville

Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above β€” specific to this role and city.

5% premium vs national median

Interior Designers in Nashville earn approximately 5% higher than the US national median for this role β€” a $3,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Nashville's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.

No state income tax β€” $6K effective edge

Tennessee has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $5,673 per year at this salary level compared to a California Interior Designer on the same gross pay. A Nashville Interior Designer would need to earn $67,255 in California to net the same take-home.

Rent eats 48% of take-home

Average 1-bedroom rent in Nashville ($1,700/mo) consumes approximately 48% of an after-tax median Interior Designer salary. Financial planners typically recommend keeping housing under 30% of take-home β€” a salary at the 75th percentile ($84K) brings that ratio into a more comfortable range here.

Key facts for Nashville

Median salary
$61K
annual
Take-home pay
$43K
after fed/state tax
COL index
102
100 = US avg
State income tax
None
no-tax state
Avg 1BR rent
$1,700
per month
YoY growth
+3.2%
salary trend

Salary forecast: Nashville Interior Designer to 2030

Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $61K by 2030.

Salary trend & forecast β€” Nashville

Historical (2019–2025) + projected to 2030 based on BLS growth rates

HistoricalProjected
Interior Designer salary trend 2019–2030PROJECTED β†’$51K$56K$60K$65K$69K201920212023202520272029
2026
$63K
projected
2027
$64K
projected
2028
$66K
projected
2029
$67K
projected
2030
$69K
projected

Projections based on BLS Employment Projections 2022–2032 CAGR and WEF Jobs Report 2025. Not financial advice.

YearProjected median salaryvs today
2027 projected$61,000+$0
2028 projected$61,000+$0
2029 projected$61,000+$0
2030 projected$61,000+$0

Projections use compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from BLS occupational outlook data. Actual salaries may vary.

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Interior Designer Salary in Nashville, Tennessee: Complete Guide (2026)

The median Interior Designer salary in Nashville, TN is $61,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Nashville–TN metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.

Salary range for Interior Designer in Nashville

Entry-level Interior Designers in Nashville with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $44,000 and $61,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $61,000 to $84,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $84,000 to $113,000 or more.

Cost of living in Nashville for Interior Designers

Nashville has a cost of living index of 102 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Nashville are close to the national average. Crucially, Tennessee has no state income tax β€” giving Nashville-based Interior Designers an immediate 3–5% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).

Education requirements for Interior Designer

Bachelor's in Interior Design; NCIDQ certification. 38% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.

Interior Designer salary in nearby cities

CityMedian salaryCOL index
Nashville (current)$61K102
Memphis$49K82
Knoxville$49K85
Chattanooga$51K88
Clarksville$48K82