Commercial and Industrial Designers
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Sketches, drawings, or computer-aided plans come first for a product that will be manufactured, then models and samples to test whether the idea can be built. Designs get revised to match what the customer asked for, production limits, and cost. Meetings with engineering, marketing, production, sales, or the client are common, as are presentations to a design committee. The same person often estimates materials and methods, then checks safety, handling, and how easy the item is to make and maintain. It suits people who like balancing how something looks with how it will be produced, and turning feedback into a tighter drawing.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$83'910
Median Wage Market Position
$83'910
What you might do
- Sketch product ideas and detailed drawings
- Check designs for safety, cost, and function
- Refine models to match what customers want
- Talk with engineers, marketing, and customers
- Research materials and estimate production costs
- Guide the making of samples and models
Skills that matter
- Sketching products and drafting blueprints
- Judging appearance, safety, and function
- Revising designs against working models
- Presenting concepts to customers and committees
- Researching materials and manufacturing methods
- Directing model-making from early sketches
AI & the future of this role
Concept sketches, surface options, and early CAD iterations are areas where design software and AI may take on more of the load. User research, manufacturing constraints, and liability around real products still require human judgment, but fewer pure concept roles may remain.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details