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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

27-1021 Commercial and Industrial Designers

Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children’s toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.


National estimates for Commercial and Industrial Designers
Industry profile for Commercial and Industrial Designers
Geographic profile for Commercial and Industrial Designers

National estimates for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
27,940 3.2 % $ 38.31 $ 79,680 3.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 21.56 $ 27.44 $ 37.03 $ 47.44 $ 61.64
Annual Wage (2) $ 44,840 $ 57,070 $ 77,030 $ 98,680 $ 128,210


Industry profile for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Commercial and Industrial Designers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Commercial and Industrial Designers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialized Design Services 3,600 2.66 $ 43.21 $ 89,870
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 3,030 0.20 $ 42.91 $ 89,260
Management of Companies and Enterprises 2,190 0.09 $ 44.27 $ 92,090
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) 1,890 0.14 $ 33.19 $ 69,040
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) 1,640 0.49 $ 28.91 $ 60,120

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialized Design Services 3,600 2.66 $ 43.21 $ 89,870
Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing 240 0.61 $ 29.46 $ 61,290
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) 1,640 0.49 $ 28.91 $ 60,120
Fabric Mills 200 0.45 $ 36.47 $ 75,850
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 1,180 0.43 $ 33.96 $ 70,650

Top paying industries for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Information Services (8) (8) $ 64.19 $ 133,520
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 260 0.07 $ 59.92 $ 124,630
Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 110 0.29 $ 59.14 $ 123,010
Communications Equipment Manufacturing (8) (8) $ 57.76 $ 120,140
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 300 0.19 $ 54.90 $ 114,190


Geographic profile for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Commercial and Industrial Designers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Commercial and Industrial Designers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of commercial and industrial designers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,200 0.31 1.59 $ 44.79 $ 93,170
Michigan 3,610 0.89 4.49 $ 39.05 $ 81,220
New York 1,870 0.22 1.09 $ 39.50 $ 82,160
Massachusetts 1,330 0.39 1.98 $ 39.00 $ 81,110
Ohio 1,300 0.25 1.26 $ 35.22 $ 73,260


Map of location quotient of commercial and industrial designers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 3,610 0.89 4.49 $ 39.05 $ 81,220
Rhode Island 330 0.73 3.66 $ 44.53 $ 92,620
Mississippi 620 0.56 2.82 (8) (8)
Vermont 150 0.54 2.70 $ 38.91 $ 80,940
Massachusetts 1,330 0.39 1.98 $ 39.00 $ 81,110


Map of annual mean wages of commercial and industrial designers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Virginia 490 0.13 0.66 $ 50.96 $ 106,000
Arizona 350 0.12 0.61 $ 50.76 $ 105,580
Kansas 90 0.07 0.33 $ 45.35 $ 94,320
California 5,200 0.31 1.59 $ 44.79 $ 93,170
Rhode Island 330 0.73 3.66 $ 44.53 $ 92,620



Map of employment of commercial and industrial designers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,500 1.39 7.01 $ 41.26 $ 85,820
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,480 0.43 2.19 $ 45.74 $ 95,140
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,050 0.24 1.19 $ 41.27 $ 85,840
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,000 0.39 1.95 $ 40.14 $ 83,480
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 720 0.40 2.00 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 710 0.32 1.59 $ 50.02 $ 104,050
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 460 0.43 2.18 $ 53.54 $ 111,370
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 450 0.17 0.88 $ 33.14 $ 68,940
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 400 0.29 1.46 $ 44.44 $ 92,440
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 390 0.73 3.68 $ 43.05 $ 89,530


Map of location quotient of commercial and industrial designers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,500 1.39 7.01 $ 41.26 $ 85,820
Dalton, GA 60 0.96 4.84 $ 39.29 $ 81,720
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 100 0.90 4.53 $ 39.45 $ 82,060
Logan, UT-ID 50 0.80 4.05 $ 29.85 $ 62,090
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 390 0.73 3.68 $ 43.05 $ 89,530
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 260 0.72 3.61 $ 45.51 $ 94,650
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 360 0.70 3.54 $ 35.01 $ 72,830
Ocala, FL 70 0.65 3.29 $ 26.78 $ 55,700
Glens Falls, NY 30 0.64 3.23 $ 31.41 $ 65,340
Muskegon, MI 30 0.60 3.01 $ 24.52 $ 50,990


Map of annual mean wages of commercial and industrial designers by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 120 0.39 1.98 $ 63.53 $ 132,150
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 460 0.43 2.18 $ 53.54 $ 111,370
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 310 0.15 0.75 $ 52.29 $ 108,760
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 710 0.32 1.59 $ 50.02 $ 104,050
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 110 0.21 1.04 $ 49.47 $ 102,890
Raleigh, NC 50 0.09 0.44 $ 48.27 $ 100,400
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,480 0.43 2.19 $ 45.74 $ 95,140
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 260 0.72 3.61 $ 45.51 $ 94,650
Ann Arbor, MI 70 0.34 1.70 $ 44.53 $ 92,610
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 400 0.29 1.46 $ 44.44 $ 92,440

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 190 0.73 3.69 $ 32.64 $ 67,890
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 90 0.41 2.09 $ 23.30 $ 48,460
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.38 1.90 $ 34.88 $ 72,550
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 70 0.23 1.17 $ 30.44 $ 63,310
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 70 0.53 2.68 $ 22.14 $ 46,040

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 190 0.73 3.69 $ 32.64 $ 67,890
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 70 0.53 2.68 $ 22.14 $ 46,040
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 90 0.41 2.09 $ 23.30 $ 48,460
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 2.00 $ 32.52 $ 67,640
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 1.95 $ 42.05 $ 87,460

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Commercial and Industrial Designers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 44.76 $ 93,100
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 1.95 $ 42.05 $ 87,460
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 30 0.33 1.65 $ 40.38 $ 83,980
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 50 0.27 1.34 $ 39.15 $ 81,440
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.38 1.90 $ 34.88 $ 72,550


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022