Commercial and industrial designers
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Commercial and Industrial Designers: Develop and design 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.
Commercial and industrial designers held about 49,000 jobs in 2004. About 1 out of 3 were self-employed. About 13 percent of designers were employed in either engineering or specialized design services firms. Manufacturing companies employed the rest of commercial and industrial designers, with the largest number employed in aerospace products and parts manufacturing.
Median annual earnings for commercial and industrial designers were $52,310 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $39,130 and $68,980. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,080, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $86,250.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Commercial and Industrial Designers)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Commercial and industrial designers | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Utilities employment: 50 mean earnings: $46,600 (EC) (def) (IG) | $37,000 | $39,150 | $42,690 | $50,400 | $67,290 |
| Utilities employment: 50 mean earnings: $46,600 | $37,000 | $39,150 | $42,690 | $50,400 | $67,290 |
| Construction employment: 1,090 mean earnings: $47,980 (EC) (def) (IG) | $25,960 | $35,940 | $42,460 | $57,560 | $77,650 |
| Construction of Buildings employment: 730 mean earnings: $47,060 | $25,570 | $35,880 | $41,200 | $53,090 | $81,250 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction employment: 40 mean earnings: $54,230 | $33,520 | $39,960 | $50,630 | $64,410 | $71,780 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors employment: 320 mean earnings: $49,300 | $26,540 | $35,500 | $48,280 | $62,180 | $72,860 |
| Manufacturing employment: 13,000 mean earnings: $53,660 (EC) (def) (IG) | $29,590 | $37,820 | $50,560 | $66,250 | $83,030 |
| Food Manufacturing employment: 50 mean earnings: $54,490 | $25,110 | $37,250 | $52,330 | $72,520 | $89,370 |
| Textile Mills employment: 250 mean earnings: $50,930 | $27,220 | $37,540 | $47,260 | $61,320 | $76,000 |
| Textile Product Mills employment: 130 mean earnings: $46,410 | $24,960 | $31,150 | $43,330 | $56,570 | $69,840 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing employment: 280 mean earnings: $39,820 | $25,960 | $30,610 | $36,370 | $48,980 | $57,340 |
| Paper Manufacturing employment: 210 mean earnings: $50,930 | $31,340 | $39,750 | $50,370 | $61,560 | $71,680 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities employment: 300 mean earnings: $46,430 | $30,150 | $33,970 | $41,240 | $60,030 | $68,650 |
| Chemical Manufacturing employment: 150 mean earnings: $51,710 | $26,290 | $38,110 | $50,180 | $65,230 | $82,850 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing employment: 780 mean earnings: $50,280 | $26,870 | $37,070 | $48,590 | $62,300 | $76,800 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing employment: 220 mean earnings: $37,600 | $20,740 | $28,700 | $34,780 | $45,910 | $55,510 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing employment: n.a. mean earnings: $59,110 | $41,030 | $50,420 | $60,270 | $69,440 | $75,680 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing employment: 690 mean earnings: $53,240 | $32,720 | $40,500 | $53,460 | $65,100 | $71,610 |
| Machinery Manufacturing employment: 1,750 mean earnings: $52,960 | $34,080 | $41,280 | $50,850 | $62,930 | $75,420 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing employment: 980 mean earnings: $67,850 | $38,500 | $51,800 | $63,600 | $75,060 | $99,920 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing employment: 660 mean earnings: $50,690 | $29,690 | $36,580 | $47,900 | $59,590 | $77,830 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing employment: 2,610 mean earnings: $61,640 | $34,210 | $45,140 | $61,210 | $78,360 | $90,130 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing employment: 730 mean earnings: $47,220 | $25,600 | $32,350 | $43,780 | $56,320 | $72,700 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing employment: 2,820 mean earnings: $48,140 | $26,170 | $33,330 | $43,560 | $57,030 | $74,500 |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 2,390 mean earnings: $53,640 (EC) (def) (IG) | $26,370 | $36,400 | $47,860 | $66,530 | $91,300 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 1,600 mean earnings: $55,080 | $28,730 | $36,310 | $48,930 | $69,540 | $93,300 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods employment: 590 mean earnings: $50,060 | $20,920 | $33,160 | $47,580 | $60,430 | $84,880 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers employment: 200 mean earnings: $52,670 | $34,250 | $39,590 | $44,750 | $56,140 | $74,620 |
| Retail Trade employment: 1,540 mean earnings: $45,540 (EC) (def) (IG) | $20,850 | $32,080 | $46,270 | $54,040 | $67,530 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores employment: 480 mean earnings: $47,400 | $28,790 | $37,250 | $48,010 | $54,150 | $62,830 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers employment: n.a. mean earnings: $44,270 | $24,460 | $35,750 | $48,280 | $52,890 | $55,650 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores employment: 50 mean earnings: $73,310 | $32,140 | $42,950 | $79,500 | $103,230 | $112,780 |
| General Merchandise Stores employment: 30 mean earnings: $53,530 | $25,970 | $35,190 | $56,480 | $69,560 | $81,430 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers employment: 100 mean earnings: $41,980 | $22,420 | $26,650 | $35,260 | $54,990 | $68,790 |
| Nonstore Retailers employment: 300 mean earnings: $50,600 | $30,330 | $37,740 | $44,130 | $57,740 | $81,360 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 60 mean earnings: $45,750 (EC) (def) (IG) | $24,910 | $29,230 | $40,100 | $52,940 | $77,300 |
| Information employment: 550 mean earnings: $57,300 (EC) (def) (IG) | $27,820 | $37,600 | $51,910 | $66,190 | $92,840 |
| Publishing Industries (except Internet) employment: 390 mean earnings: $57,780 | $28,310 | $36,670 | $51,030 | $68,510 | $95,430 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries employment: n.a. mean earnings: $53,970 | $20,200 | $30,730 | $52,780 | $78,600 | $87,010 |
| Internet Service Providers, Web Search Portals, and Data Processing Service employment: n.a. mean earnings: $58,280 | $41,390 | $49,610 | $53,770 | $57,940 | $81,420 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 100 mean earnings: $60,340 (EC) (def) (IG) | $30,800 | $38,730 | $50,350 | $73,400 | $104,650 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities employment: 90 mean earnings: $60,580 | $30,520 | $38,510 | $49,940 | $73,160 | $106,600 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 9,780 mean earnings: $63,050 (EC) (def) (IG) | $32,050 | $43,450 | $57,220 | $79,030 | $94,890 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 9,780 mean earnings: $63,050 | $32,050 | $43,450 | $57,220 | $79,030 | $94,890 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 1,480 mean earnings: $63,820 (EC) (def) (IG) | $37,370 | $43,990 | $59,010 | $79,150 | $97,400 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 1,480 mean earnings: $63,820 | $37,370 | $43,990 | $59,010 | $79,150 | $97,400 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 1,010 mean earnings: $66,790 (EC) (def) (IG) | $40,560 | $50,240 | $65,350 | $82,900 | $94,420 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 1,000 mean earnings: $66,870 | $40,640 | $50,310 | $65,450 | $82,970 | $94,460 |
| Educational Services employment: 150 mean earnings: $48,580 (EC) (def) (IG) | $30,730 | $37,140 | $43,240 | $53,790 | $72,840 |
| Educational Services employment: 150 mean earnings: $48,580 | $30,730 | $37,140 | $43,240 | $53,790 | $72,840 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: n.a. mean earnings: $42,730 (EC) (def) (IG) | $29,450 | $31,450 | $34,860 | $43,610 | $60,750 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation employment: 50 mean earnings: $57,600 (EC) (def) (IG) | $26,710 | $34,280 | $48,290 | $66,310 | $91,860 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries employment: 30 mean earnings: $59,530 | $23,890 | $31,790 | $49,400 | $67,680 | $93,910 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 290 mean earnings: $43,340 (def) (IG) | $28,370 | $34,460 | $40,840 | $46,380 | $57,700 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 290 mean earnings: $43,340 | $28,370 | $34,460 | $40,840 | $46,380 | $57,700 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.