Arts, Design, Media, and Sports · Career brief

Commercial and Industrial Designers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Commercial and Industrial Designers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$83,910

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

2.4%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

2,800

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Creative

Original ideas and creative judgment matter

Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if creative work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

Before choosing, compare:Fashion Designers Set and Exhibit Designers Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Commercial and Industrial Designers with another field Explore rankings in Arts, Design, Media, and Sports Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$83,910

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

2.4%employment growth2,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

35,400

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Commercial and industrial designers (27-1021).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.
Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment4.6
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.4
Working with Computers4.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
Getting Information4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Artistic5.5
Realistic4.6
Investigative4.1
Enterprising3.7
Conventional3.5
Social1.8

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Design Engineering and Technology Mechanical Production and Processing

Software and tools named in job postings

Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Figma

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Complete a creative brief for someone else, meet the deadline, invite blunt criticism, and revise the work once.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Commercial and industrial designers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options