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Industrial Designer

$79,450
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Design the look, feel, and usability of manufactured products, from concept sketches to prototypes.

Where you work

Design studios and manufacturing offices.

The hours

Regular full-time weekday schedule

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$79,450
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+3%
About average
Working in the U.S.
30,600
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

Product designCAD softwarePrototypingProblem solving

The honest take

Blends art and engineering to shape everyday products, with pay above most design roles.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-1021. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.