All careers › Commercial and Industrial Designers
Product designer: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $53,460lowest 10% earn less
- $66,45025th percentile
- $83,910median
- $109,05075th percentile
- $139,770top 10% earn more
Commercial and industrial designers, the official category for a product designer, had a median pay of $83,910 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, a bit slower than the rate for all occupations[2][3].
How much do product designers make?
The median wage for commercial and industrial designers was $83,910 a year, or $40.34 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $93,260 a year, or $44.84 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[5].
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $53,460, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $66,450[4]. At the top, the highest-paid 25% earned more than $109,050 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $139,770[4]. BLS explains that a percentile is a boundary, and it does not publish a starting salary[9].
By the hour, the 10th percentile was $25.70, the 25th was $31.95, the 75th was $52.43 and the 90th was $67.20[10].
These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits[11].
Pay by state and city
Among the 41 states with published data, Kansas had the highest median at $104,870, followed by Michigan at $102,160, Massachusetts at $101,720, Rhode Island at $101,140 and California at $100,770[12]. South Dakota had the lowest listed median at $60,110[12].
California had the most jobs (5,300), then Michigan (2,930), New York (2,400), Texas (2,350) and Florida (1,990)[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $141,310[14]. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN came next at $112,950, then Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI at $108,180[14]. The metro with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ with 2,560, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA with 2,080[15].
Show median pay in 41 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas[12] | $104,870 | 260 |
| Michigan | $102,160 | 2,930 |
| Massachusetts | $101,720 | 1,240 |
| Rhode Island | $101,140 | 190 |
| California | $100,770 | 5,300 |
| Louisiana | $98,040 | 130 |
| Minnesota | $94,370 | 590 |
| Washington | $94,280 | 340 |
| Arkansas | $92,540 | 230 |
| Georgia | $91,360 | 360 |
| Colorado | $90,590 | 400 |
| New Jersey | $90,310 | 1,230 |
| New York | $89,640 | 2,400 |
| Indiana | $88,040 | 1,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,610 | 770 |
| Virginia | $82,230 | 1,480 |
| Connecticut | $81,300 | 160 |
| Idaho | $80,730 | 180 |
| Vermont | $80,690 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $80,620 | 1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $80,590 | 820 |
| Ohio | $79,470 | 1,190 |
| Florida | $78,720 | 1,990 |
| South Carolina | $77,300 | 810 |
| Oregon | $76,970 | 480 |
| Nevada | $76,680 | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $76,640 | 240 |
| Arizona | $76,420 | 170 |
| Kentucky | $76,100 | 420 |
| Missouri | $75,440 | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $74,050 | 110 |
| West Virginia | $73,030 | 110 |
| Montana | $72,990 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $71,570 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $71,230 | 750 |
| Maryland | $70,870 | 490 |
| Iowa | $70,420 | 440 |
| Alabama | $63,640 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $62,710 | 110 |
| Utah | $62,620 | 480 |
| South Dakota | $60,110 | 190 |
How to become a product designer
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no work experience in a related occupation and no on-the-job training as typical[7].
- First: earn a bachelor's degree. The handbook says common degree fields include fine arts, engineering and architecture[16].
- Next: take the courses that most programs include, such as drawing, computer-aided design and drafting, and three-dimensional modeling, plus business, materials and manufacturing methods[16].
- Then: build a portfolio. The handbook says designers need an electronic portfolio of their design projects, and students can build one from class projects and internships[17][18].
Some art and design programs ask applicants for sketches or other samples of their artistic ability[19]. In an O*NET survey of 16 workers, 68% said a bachelor's degree is required, 15% said some college courses and 12% said an associate's degree[20].
The handbook profile covers industrial designers, a narrower group than the full BLS category[17]. It names these useful skills: analytical, artistic, computer, creative, interpersonal, mechanical and problem-solving[21][22][23][24][25][26][27].
What product designers do
O*NET describes the work as designing and developing manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances and toys, by mixing artistic talent with research on use, marketing and materials[28]. Common tasks include:
- Sketching ideas and preparing detailed drawings, using computer-aided design or traditional tools[29].
- Refining designs with working models to meet customer needs and production limits[29].
- Judging whether an idea is feasible given looks, safety, function, budget and production methods[29].
- Meeting with engineering, marketing, production or sales teams, or with customers[29].
- Presenting designs for approval and discussing changes[29].
- Researching materials, manufacturing methods and costs[29].
- Overseeing models and working drawings, and watching production in the factory[29].
Workers report job titles such as industrial designer, product designer, mechanical designer and design engineer[30].
Where they work
Industrial designers work mostly in offices, with tables for sketching, meeting rooms and computers. They may travel to testing sites, design centers, client sites, users' homes or factories[31]. In 2025, 33% of industrial designers worked in manufacturing, the largest employer group listed[32]. About 6.5% of commercial and industrial designers were self-employed[33].
Self-employed designers, and those at firms that hire them out, may need to change their workdays to meet clients in the evenings or on weekends. They may also spend time finding new projects and competing for contracts[34].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,400 to 36,300 jobs, a gain of 900[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include the self-employed, so they differ from the 33,490 wage and salary jobs counted in the wage survey[35][2].
About 2,800 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings come from workers who leave or switch occupations as well as from new jobs[6]. Each year 3% of workers leave the labor force and 4.6% move to a different occupation[36].
Is it a good fit?
The pay is well above the all-occupation median, and the range from the 10th to the 90th percentile is wide[1][4][5]. The usual entry route is a bachelor's degree and a portfolio, and no related work experience is typical[7][17]. Growth is slower than for all occupations, but steady openings are projected[2][3][6]. The facts here do not cover tuition, program length or school quality.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a product designer make an hour?
- The median was $40.34 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $44.84[1][8].
- What degree do you need to be a product designer?
- BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. Designers also need a portfolio of their projects[17].
- Is product design in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 2,800 openings a year[2][3][6].
- What is the highest paying state for product designers?
- Kansas had the highest state median at $104,870, followed by Michigan at $102,160[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Commercial and Industrial Designers in the US was $83,910 per year and $40.34 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Commercial and Industrial Designers is projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,400 to 36,300 jobs (a change of +900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Commercial and Industrial Designers: 10th percentile $53,460, 25th percentile $66,450, 75th percentile $109,050, 90th percentile $139,770. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 2,800 openings for Commercial and Industrial Designers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Commercial and Industrial Designers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Commercial and Industrial Designers was $93,260 per year and $44.84 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Commercial and Industrial Designers: 10th percentile $25.70, 25th percentile $31.95, 75th percentile $52.43, 90th percentile $67.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Commercial and Industrial Designers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Commercial and Industrial Designers jobs: California 5,300; Michigan 2,930; New York 2,400; Texas 2,350; Florida 1,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Commercial and Industrial Designers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $141,310; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $112,950; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $108,180; Wichita, KS $105,180; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $104,980; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $104,000; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $102,530; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $100,520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Commercial and Industrial Designers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,560 (median $94,890); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,080 (median $96,260); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,760 (median $108,180); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,250 (median $104,000); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,020 (median $102,530); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 700 (median $80,690). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 27-1021.00 survey of workers (16 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 68%, Some College Courses 15%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 12% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Commercial and Industrial Designers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Commercial and Industrial Designers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 27-1021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Design Engineer, Designer, Industrial Designer, Mechanical Designer, Mold Designer, Product Design Engineer, Product Designer, Product Development Engineer. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of industrial designers in 2025: Manufacturing 33%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: 6.5% of Commercial and Industrial Designers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 33,490 people were employed as Commercial and Industrial Designers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Commercial and Industrial Designers: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.