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Job outlook for computer aided design designers in the United States
Computer aided design designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected computer aided design designer job growth rate is -3% from 2018-2028.
About -6,700 new jobs for computer aided design designers are projected over the next decade.
Computer aided design designer salaries have increased 7% for computer aided design designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 55,888 computer aided design designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 92,503 active computer aided design designer job openings in the US.
The average computer aided design designer salary is $60,150.
Are computer aided design designer jobs in demand?
Computer Aided Design Designer job and salary trends over time
Computer Aided Design Designer jobs over time
Computer Aided Design Designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 55,888 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 57,648 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 59,773 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 59,984 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 60,780 | 0.02% |
Average computer aided design designer salary over time
Computer Aided Design Designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,150 | $28.92 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $58,901 | $28.32 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $57,724 | $27.75 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $56,908 | $27.36 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | $56,237 | $27.04 | +1.8% |
Computer Aided Design Designer jobs by state
Most common states for computer aided design designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 320 | 46% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,294 | 19% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 774 | 19% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,222 | 17% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 198 | 15% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 92 | 15% |
| 7 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,588 | 14% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,194 | 14% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 849 | 14% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 105 | 14% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 752 | 13% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 727 | 13% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 391 | 13% |
| 14 | Delaware | 961,939 | 124 | 13% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 95 | 13% |
| 16 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 73 | 13% |
| 17 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,268 | 12% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 124 | 12% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 121 | 12% |
| 20 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 743 | 11% |
Most common cities for computer aided design designers
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $57,318 |
| 2 | Fort Myers | 2 | 3% | $51,458 |
| 3 | Tampa | 6 | 2% | $51,488 |
| 4 | Orlando | 5 | 2% | $51,258 |
| 5 | Davenport | 2 | 2% | $58,091 |
| 6 | Farmington Hills | 2 | 2% | $65,232 |
| 7 | Denver | 8 | 1% | $55,932 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $48,490 |
| 9 | Irvine | 3 | 1% | $71,208 |
| 10 | Santa Ana | 3 | 1% | $71,484 |
| 11 | Grand Rapids | 2 | 1% | $63,682 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $62,128 |
| 13 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $65,405 |
| 14 | Charlotte | 2 | 0% | $54,803 |
| 15 | Fort Worth | 2 | 0% | $51,616 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | 2 | 0% | $51,427 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $72,881 |
Computer Aided Design Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of computer aided design designer experts
Murray State University
Arizona State University
Syracuse University
Bryant Harrison
InstructorMurray State University
Design Engineering Technology
What skills stand out on Computer Aided Design Designer resumes?
Bryant Harrison: Design Engineers should be able to think creatively and be prepared to use software to solve problems. Students who have acquired certifications in design software have shown some level of aptitude toward using that software to create and design engineering solutions.
What soft skills should all Computer Aided Design Designers possess?
Bryant Harrison: Engineers are constantly working with a variety of people on a project. These people could be other engineers in the same department or other departments, managers, stakeholders, and customers. The ability to communicate both on a technical and non-technical level with these people is likely the most important soft skill for a design engineer.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Computer Aided Design Designers?
Bryant Harrison: Designing, prototyping, testing, and iterating are likely the most important skills for a design engineer. This is what we strive to teach at Murray State in our Design Engineering Technology program. Many sub-skills would fall into these categories, such as CAD, design for manufacturing, 3D printing, and destructive/non-destructive testing.
Philip Horton
Interim School Director, Clinical Assistant ProfessorArizona State University
The Design School, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
How have salaries changed over time for Computer Aided Design Designers?
Philip Horton: Like a lot of fields, salaries in architecture had been stagnant for years following the 2008 Great Recession. But like a lot of fields, salaries were rising remarkably in the years running up to the pandemic. And in spite of some of the economic uncertainty of the past year, it appears that salaries will continue to steadily rise as we move forward from this pandemic.
What technical skills for a Computer Aided Design Designer stand out to employers?
Kristen DeWolf: This is certainly highly dependent upon the industry the employer is in/type of work being done; however, MSExcel is one of the key skills that I hear over and over again from employers across many industries. Researching the employer/industry and understanding the technologies most used (and learning those programs if you don't already) is a great way for a candidate to stand out. There are plenty of opportunities to learn technical skills on sites such as LinkedIn Learning. When a candidate can show they're paying attention and have learned the skills to hit the ground running, the more valuable they will be as a candidate.