Instructional Designer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$75,000
national median salary
$59,000 to $95,000. Last updated August 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $77,440 for Instructional Coordinators (SOC 25-9031) across the United States, based on 227,760 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$47,980
25th percentile
$60,780
Median
$77,440
75th percentile
$98,820
90th percentile
$121,670
Workers surveyed
227,760
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$74,720
May 2025 release
$77,440
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Instructional Coordinators (SOC 25-9031) rather than Instructional Designerspecifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 25-9031Highest Paying
$105,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$78,000
Washington DC, DC
Lowest Paying
$57,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 25-9031. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Instructional Designer salary in the United States at $75,000 in 2026, within a range of $59,000 to $95,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $105,000, while Washington DC offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Expertise in learning management systems, proficiency with authoring tools like Articulate or Adobe Captivate, and experience designing for corporate or healthcare training create the largest pay gaps.
Instructional Designer salary by city.
Skills that increase Instructional Designer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Instructional Designers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $7,500 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$7,500 per year
≈ +$5,250 per year
≈ +$3,750 per year
≈ +$3,750 per year
≈ +$3,000 per year
≈ +$3,000 per year
≈ +$3,000 per year
What you should know.
Expertise in learning management systems, proficiency with authoring tools like Articulate or Adobe Captivate, and experience designing for corporate or healthcare training create the largest pay gaps. Designers at tech companies earn 20 to 30% more than those in higher education.
Junior Instructional Designers earn $60,000 to $68,000. Mid-level designers managing full course development reach $75,000 to $90,000. Senior Instructional Designers and Learning Architects command $92,000 to $115,000, while Directors of Learning Design exceed $125,000.
Corporate instructional designers often receive bonuses of 5 to 15% tied to training effectiveness metrics. Tech companies add RSUs worth $8,000 to $25,000. Remote work is widely available, reducing geographic salary pressure.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Instructional Designers typically earn $66,000 (12% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Instructional Designer pay.
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