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Industrial Designer Salary & Career Insights
What is the average salary for an industrial designer in the United States?
Our salary data comes from BLS.gov. Salary data above is the median annual wage.
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
Industry | Average 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 |
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.
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.
City | Average 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 |
Look at the average industrial designer salaries from top-paying states according to Bls.gov data.
State | Average Salary |
---|---|
District of Columbia | $120,570 |
Washington | $110,400 |
Kansas | $106,760 |
California | $94,350 |
Arizona | $93,950 |
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