SOC 27-1021 · May 2025 · United States
Commercial and Industrial Designers
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Commercial and Industrial Designers across the United States is $83,910 per year, measured over 33,490 jobs. The highest state median is in Kansas, at $104,870.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.2%
- Openings per year
- 2,500
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Commercial and Industrial Designers
Pay for this occupation varies by 74.5% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Kansas pays $104,870 and South Dakota pays $60,110.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | $104,870 | 260 | |
| 2 | Michigan | $102,160 | 2,930 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $101,720 | 1,240 | |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $101,140 | 190 | |
| 5 | California | $100,770 | 5,300 | |
| 6 | Louisiana | $98,040 | 130 | |
| 7 | Minnesota | $94,370 | 590 | |
| 8 | Washington | $94,280 | 340 | |
| 9 | Arkansas | $92,540 | 230 | |
| 10 | Georgia | $91,360 | 360 |
States with the most Commercial and Industrial Designers jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,300 | $100,770 | |
| 2 | Michigan | 2,930 | $102,160 | |
| 3 | New York | 2,400 | $89,640 | |
| 4 | Florida | 1,990 | $78,720 | |
| 5 | Virginia | 1,480 | $82,230 | |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 1,240 | $101,720 | |
| 7 | New Jersey | 1,230 | $90,310 | |
| 8 | Ohio | 1,190 | $79,470 | |
| 9 | Indiana | 1,110 | $88,040 | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 1,000 | $80,620 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $141,310 | 410 |
| 2 | Kiryas Joel | $119,490 | 80 |
| 3 | Chicago | $112,950 | 420 |
| 4 | Detroit | $108,180 | 1,760 |
| 5 | Boulder | $107,990 | 80 |
| 6 | Wichita | $105,180 | 170 |
| 7 | Seattle | $104,980 | 270 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge | $104,210 | 30 |
| 9 | San Francisco | $104,000 | 1,250 |
| 10 | Boston | $102,530 | 1,020 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.