Salary of a Kitchen & Bath Designer
Kitchen and bath designers who are looking for opportunities to increase their income may not want to focus on building their careers at traditional design firms. Kitchen and bath dealerships tend to offer higher wages to managers and other employees. Furthermore, certified designers usually receive higher wages than designers who haven't earned kitchen and bath certifications.
Other People Are Reading
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Dealerships vs. Design Firms
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"Kitchen and Bath Design News" magazine notes the differences in designers' salaries based on joint surveys the magazine conducted with the National Kitchen and Bath Association. According to a 2008 article by the magazine titled "The Wages of Design," kitchen and bath dealerships are among the best places for designers to work to get higher wages. A 2007 survey showed managers who worked at dealerships earned average annual salaries of $68,462, and other positions paid $54,067. In contrast, the magazine says the average annual salary for managers who worked at design firms in 2007 was $62,460, and other employees at firms earned an average salary of $48,520.
Design Firm Owners
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"Kitchen and Bath Design News" notes a wide range of salaries among design firm owners. They can earn an average salary of just over $114,000 per year, which is about 3 percent less than dealership owners. Yet the magazine says about 10 percent of the 1,700 survey participants who own design firms reported making less than $25,000 in 2007, and about 25 percent made less than $50,000.
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Certifications
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The surveys also show certified designers may be able to significantly boost their earning potential. Certified kitchen designers' and certified bath designers' average salaries were $87,470 in 2007, while designers without certifications earned average salaries of $75,526. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in its 2009 occupational outlook for all interior designers that people with little or no formal design training may have a difficult time establishing careers in the industry. The National Kitchen and Bath Association offers certifications in residential kitchen and bath design.
Outlook
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The BLS also reports employment for interior designers is expected to grow 19 percent through 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The BLS links the expected job growth to an increasing interest in interior design and people's acknowledgment of its benefits. The demand for kitchen and bath design is expected to increase with a growing demand in the home-remodeling sector. Yet the BLS warns that design services are seen as a luxury expense, so the sector can be hampered by economic downturns that cause consumers and businesses to cut back on expenditures.
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