Industrial Designer Salary & Career Insights

What is the average salary for an industrial designer in the United States?

$76,250 per year

According to BLS.gov, the average salary for an industrial designer in the United States is $76,250 annually. The lowest salary is $46,530 annually, and the highest is $126,010 annually.

Job Outlook & Work Environment

Job Outlook

🚀 34,000; estimated number of industrial design jobs. It is estimated that 1,100 new jobs will be added by 2033.

☀️ The projected job outlook is expected to grow at a rate of 3%, which is as fast as average.

Work Environment

💼 Most industrial designers work in offices, but some travel to client sites.

🏢 30% of industrial designers work in manufacturing, while 17% work in wholesale trade.

Industrial Designer Salary in Comparison to Patent Law Salaries

How Does an Industrial Designer Salary Stack Up?

The average industrial design salary is $76K annually. While we don’t have an average salary for design patent practitioners yet since this is a new class of practitioner, patent agents typically earn $130K annually. This is nearly twice what the average industrial designer earns.

Patent attorneys typically earn $185K annually, which is over $100K more than what the typical industrial designer earns. It will likely pay for an industrial designer to sit for the patent bar exam and start a patent law career.

Top Industrial Designer Salaries by Industry

IndustryAverage Salary
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing$128,920
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$125,000
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$123,140
Accounting and Payroll Services$118,740
Software Publishers$117,970
Annual mean wages.

Salary by Industrial Designer Industry

In the U.S., the average industrial designer salary is $76,250.

Industrial designers in the computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing industry earn the highest average salary among the industries listed, at $128,920. Those in motor vehicle manufacturing receive an average salary of $125,000, while those in semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing earn $123,140.

Industrial designers earn average salaries of $118,740 and $117,970 in accounting and payroll services and software publishing, respectively.

Experience & Education

Here are some typical daily activities of an industrial designer:

  • Drafting and Laying Out: Create documentation, instructions, drawings, and specifications to guide how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or utilized.
  • Decision Making and Problem Solving: Examine information and assess results to select the best solution and resolve issues.
  • Computer Use: Operate computers and systems to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communication: Share information with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates through phone calls, writing, email, or in-person conversations.
  • Information Gathering: Collect and obtain information from all relevant sources through observation and reception.

Here are the typical skills you need to work as an industrial designer:

  • Active Listening: Focus completely on others, grasp their points, ask relevant questions, and avoid inappropriate interruptions.
  • Reading Comprehension: Understand written sentences and paragraphs in job-related documents.
  • Complex Problem Solving: Identify complex issues, review related information, and develop, assess, and implement solutions.
  • Critical Thinking: Apply logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different solutions and conclusions.
  • Speaking: Communicate information effectively to others.

Knowledge required to work as an industrial designer:

  • Design: Understand design techniques and tools to create precise technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Engineering and Technology: Apply engineering principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to design and produce goods and services.
  • Mechanical: Know the design, use, repair, and maintenance of machines and tools.
  • Production and Processing: Understand raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and techniques for efficient manufacturing and distribution.
  • Computers and Electronics: Familiar with circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic devices, and both hardware and software, including programming and applications.

Average Education

According to onetonline.org, 68% of industrial designers have a Bachelor’s degree, 15% have some college, and 12% have an Associate’s degree.

Top Industrial Designer Salaries by Location

Factors that Impact Pay

Industrial designers in San Jose, CA, earn the highest average salary among the cities listed, at $137,210. In Santa Cruz, CA, industrial designers receive an average salary of $117,160, followed by those in San Francisco, CA, with $114,670. Seattle, WA, and Baton Rouge, LA, offer average salaries of $113,540 and $111,420, respectively, for industrial designers.

Industrial designers in the District of Columbia earn the highest average salary among the states listed, at $120,570. In Washington, industrial designers receive an average salary of $110,400, while those in Kansas earn $106,760. California and Arizona offer average salaries of $94,350 and $93,950, respectively, for industrial designers.

Take a look at the average industrial designer salaries from top-paying cities according to Bls.gov data.

CityAverage Salary
San Jose, CA$137,210
Santa Cruz, CA$117,160
San Francisco, CA$114,670
Seattle, WA$113,540
Baton Rouge, LA$111,420
Annual mean wages.

Look at the average industrial designer salaries from top-paying states according to Bls.gov data.

StateAverage Salary
District of Columbia$120,570
Washington$110,400
Kansas$106,760
California$94,350
Arizona$93,950
Annual mean wages.

Related Careers

Patent Agent

Patent agents practice patent law before the USPTO.

Average of $130,168/year

Patent Attorney

Patent attorneys can practice patent law in addition to practicing law in jurisdictions where they are currently admitted.

Average of $185,351/year

Industrial Designer

Design and develop manufactured products by creating functional and appealing designs.

Average of $76,250/year

Job Openings in the United States


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