How Much Does an Industrial Designer Earn?
Combining both art and engineering, industrial designers design everyday products such as can openers, tables, toys, cars and backhoes. They typically work in comfortable, climate controlled offices. Jobs can range from one-project designs for freelancers to permanent full-time work at a manufacturing organization. Industrial designers can specialize in such fields as furniture, construction equipment or electronics.
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Basics
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Full-time designers make a median of $58,000 per year, with highs of $95,910 and lows of $58,060. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2009. Those that work part-time or freelance are often paid an hourly rate of $27.92, with the highest-paid 10 percent earning $46.11 and the lowest-paid 10 percent making $15.29.
Concentration
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The BLS uses employment concentration, rather than absolute numbers, to gauge the employment opportunities in an area. Those places with higher numbers of jobs per capita offer better chances of landing a job. For industrial designers, the greatest job opportunities are in Michigan, which is known for its factories, particularly automobiles. With 1.1 positions per thousand workers, the state boasts mean wages of $34.45 or $71,660, which is above average. Warren, Troy and Farmington Hills contain the most jobs at 1.9 per thousand. Their wages are also above average at $37.70 or $78,410.
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Income
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The highest-income locations for a job typically offer significantly more pay but far fewer opportunities. That is only partially true for industrial designers. The state with the best compensation is Louisiana with pay at $35.15 or $73,100. These amounts are only slightly more than Michigan, the state with the most opportunities. However, the job concentration is a miniscule 0.1 per thousand. As for cities, San Jose, California, boasts the best pay at $39.05 or $81,220. Again, this is only slightly more than the salaries in Warren, Michigan. Opportunities are far fewer with a concentration of 0.5.
Opportunities
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Jobs for designers are extremely competitive, primarily because many individuals with talent in art and engineering are attracted to the field. The BLS sees the best opportunities in specialized design firms. In an effort to save costs, large manufacturers have increasingly turned to these firms for design, rather than budgeting for in-house design departments. The BLS shows nearly 20 percent of the 29,170 total jobs going to architectural, engineering and specialized design services. Compensation here runs from $30.02 to $32.46 per hour, or $62,540 to $67,510 per year.
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References
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