Product, Design, Media and Content Salaries by State
Compare product management, UX, design, creative, technical writing, media, and editorial salary ranges by U.S. state and metro. Choose a role and market to see employer-posted base salary ranges. See methodology.
Role Salaries by State
Each cell shows the mid listed salary for a selected role in a state or metro when enough postings include salary ranges.
Role Salary Range
Bars show lower to higher listed salary ranges. The marker shows the mid listed salary.
Top Salary Markets
States by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $164K |
| Indiana | $162K |
| Washington | $153K |
| Michigan | $150K |
| Pennsylvania | $145K |
| North Carolina | $143K |
| New York | $141K |
| Massachusetts | $141K |
States after cost of living adjustment
| Market | Adjusted |
|---|---|
| Indiana | $174K |
| Michigan | $156K |
| North Carolina | $152K |
| Pennsylvania | $149K |
| California | $148K |
| Missouri | $148K |
| Washington | $143K |
| Georgia | $140K |
Metros by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $195K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $190K |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $189K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $161K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $158K |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $156K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $155K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $155K |
Role Salary Highlights
| Role | Lower | Mid | Higher | Top state shown | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Management Salaries | $137K | $170K | $205K | California ($196K) | 5,358 |
| UI/UX Designer Salaries Ui Ux Designer |
$104K | $147K | $189K | California ($175K) | 1,395 |
| Product Owner Salaries A professional responsible for defining and prioritizing product features and requirements to maximize value and ensure successful product delivery. |
$118K | $137K | $162K | California ($171K) | 383 |
| Graphic Design Salaries Roles focused on visual design, branding, and creative leadership in various industries. |
$76K | $105K | $150K | Indiana ($146K) | 1,808 |
| Technical Writing Salaries Professionals who create, manage, and refine technical content to facilitate user understanding and support product use. |
$80K | $98K | $125K | New York ($135K) | 255 |
| Journalism Salaries A category encompassing roles related to writing, editing, and reporting across various media and topics. |
$68K | $88K | $117K | District of Columbia ($113K) | 426 |
| Media Production Salaries Roles focused on producing, editing, and reporting news and media content across various platforms. |
$63K | $83K | $112K | District of Columbia ($110K) | 1,031 |
| Fashion Design Salaries Jobs related to designing, developing, and creating fashion and textile products, including tailoring, pattern making, and material development. |
$56K | $80K | $105K | California ($99K) | 364 |
| Localization Salaries Localization And Translation |
$47K | $57K | $78K | Limited state coverage | 341 |
How to Read Salary Ranges
Salary ranges show what employers are currently advertising for a role. Start with the exact role or closest role group, compare pay across states and metros, and treat lower, mid, and higher values as market anchors rather than a strict experience ladder. Role scope, location, seniority, contract type, travel work, industry demand, and sample size can all move the numbers.
Using Salary Ranges in a Salary Conversation
- Lower salary range
- Useful for early-career roles, narrower scope, or stretch opportunities.
- Mid listed salary
- A practical anchor when your background closely matches the posting.
- Higher salary range
- Stronger anchor for scarce skills, senior experience, management responsibility, specialized expertise, or competing offers.
- Location salary gap
- Useful for discussing local market pay, relocation, remote compensation, or cost-of-living adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should I use this salary tool?
- Compare pay across states and cities, then set a realistic target before applying or negotiating. State views show broad regional differences; metro views compare specific cities.
- What do lower, mid, and higher salaries mean?
- They show how advertised pay is distributed for a role. Lower is near the bottom of listed ranges, mid is around the middle, and higher is toward the top.
- Where does the salary data come from?
- Current U.S. job postings where employers list pay. The data is grouped by job type, state, metro area, and pay level; it does not use Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
- Does the salary data include bonuses, equity, or benefits?
- No. It reflects listed base pay. Tips, bonuses, commissions, equity, benefits, and other compensation are excluded when listed separately.
- Why do salaries differ by state and city?
- Markets differ by employer mix, industry, labor demand, competition, and cost of living. Higher pay in one city may not mean higher purchasing power.
How the Salary Numbers Are Calculated
Figures reflect base pay listed in job postings, not guaranteed pay, actual total earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates, or official wage statistics. Salaries are converted to yearly U.S. dollars where possible and grouped by role, location, and pay level. Lower is the lower listed range, mid is the middle listed salary, and higher is the higher listed range. Hourly wages are annualized using a 2,080-hour work year; cost-of-living adjustment uses Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, or BEA RPP. Tips, bonuses, equity, commissions, and benefits are excluded when listed separately from base pay.
Important Notes About the Data
Only postings that list salary information are included, so coverage is stronger in some states than others. Current role mix can affect results, including contract work, travel work, senior roles, junior roles, specialized jobs, and industry-specific demand. On mobile, regional charts may default to areas with the most available data so the view stays readable.