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Job outlook for head design engineers in the United States
Are head design engineer jobs in demand?
Head design engineer job and salary trends over time
Head design engineer jobs over time
Head design engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 332 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 351 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 367 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 363 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 348 | 0.00% |
Average head design engineer salary over time
Head design engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $74,729 | $35.93 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $73,295 | $35.24 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $72,416 | $34.82 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $71,181 | $34.22 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $69,781 | $33.55 | +0.7% |
Head design engineer jobs by state
Most common states for head design engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 381 | 55% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,835 | 27% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,057 | 26% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,703 | 23% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 207 | 22% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 8,381 | 21% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,713 | 20% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,137 | 20% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 249 | 19% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 550 | 18% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 188 | 18% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 959 | 17% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 126 | 17% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 107 | 17% |
| 15 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 955 | 16% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 119 | 16% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,057 | 15% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 549 | 15% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 161 | 15% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 89 | 15% |
Most common cities for head design engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | 1 | 3% | $99,756 |
| 2 | Manhattan Beach | 1 | 3% | $86,814 |
| 3 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $71,613 |
Head Design Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of head design engineer experts
San Jose State University
Seattle University
University of Minnesota - Duluth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Weber State University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Wilkes University
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Duke University
Xavier University
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
Murray State University
Weber State University
Arizona State University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Kambiz Farahmand Ph.D., P.E.: After you proved yourself to your peers and supervisors, you can always ask your price. Otherwise, there are a lot of other companies that will meet your ask and value your abilities.
What Head Design Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kambiz Farahmand Ph.D., P.E.: Hit the ground running. If you are asked to put in 40 hours work 50 hours. Prove yourself and always take on new challenges since that is how you grow.
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
Professor Winncy Du
Professor, PhD, PE, ASME FellowSan Jose State University
Mechanical Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Professor Winncy Du: Keep Engineering Ethics in mind -- protect the public and the engineers themselves. Make sure that they know and understand the core concepts of their field. No matter what they design, they need to follow the industrial standards or grades, and safety measurements closely. Check, check, and double check, especially when they design biomedical devices, mobile robots, autonomous vehicles or drones, and automated material handling systems. I saw increasing engineers' designs or products challenged by the prospect of being deposed in the courtroom.
What Head Design Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What Head Design Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jhon Smith: Expand your network, join professional organizations and committees, become valuable in whatever company you work for, never stop learning, seek for opportunities for professional work, get your PE license. After these you will become more valuable naturally and could comfortably ask for a promotion or a salary increase because you’d know you deserve it.
What will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Richard Davis: Engineering offers career opportunities across various industries, from technology and healthcare to infrastructure and environmental sustainability. With technological advancements and the increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, food and clean water, and urbanization, engineers are in high demand to develop innovative solutions. For example, environmental engineers are crucial in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Engineering provides opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, making it a rewarding career choice for those who enjoy tackling complex problems. The global focus on sustainability and renewable energy presents exciting prospects for engineers to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact society and the environment.
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: An underappreciated skill that I think will become more sought-after is the ability to validate computer-made decisions and their shortcomings. With the growing prominence of AI use in design, problem solving, and decision making, the engineering field will need experts to error-check decisions made using these technologies. Sometimes there are unexplored gaps that these technologies overlook, and sometimes there are biases or inappropriate assumptions baked into AI-based results. Humans are inherently imaginative and creative. We excel at picking up on things that computer algorithms may miss. Talented experts that recognize and address these issues will remain invaluable in the workforce. Another indispensable skill that is often overlooked in engineering is effective interpersonal communication. Whether in a teamwork context, a leadership role, or a client interaction, competent communication is crucial. This can take the form of conversation, live presentations, written correspondence, and beyond. People that hone their communication skills are often recognized, and tend to be the individuals that are promoted to more senior roles.
What Head Design Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Concurrent with building technical skills, they must build soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These skills are often the differentiators between good and great engineers.
What will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Megumi Usui: Even after obtaining a degree, it is crucial to recognize that continuous learning is a fundamental aspect of professional development in the workplace. One must cultivate an open-minded attitude and demonstrate a willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills at any time and in any context. Effective communication with colleagues and clients is essential for successful collaboration and project execution. It is important to understand that the professional environment is significantly different from the academic setting. In a company, the focus is delivering work that meets the expectations and standards set by the employer and satisfies the needs of clients, rather than merely fulfilling personal criteria. Furthermore, it is imperative to produce high-quality work consistently. Mediocre performance is unacceptable, and organizations will not hesitate to seek replacements if the work delivered does not meet their standards. Ensuring that your work is thorough, precise, and aligns with the company's objectives is critical for maintaining the position and advancing their career.
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Michael Denn: 1. Become the expert in whatever you do. 2. Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture and keep that in mind when you do your work. 3. Keep learning! Your engineering degree is not the end of your education! 4. Take stretch assignments and opportunities whenever you can.
What will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Michael Denn: The answers to this question are largely the same as the answer to question 1. However, here are some additional points: 1. Excel in your job. Become the person everyone goes to for whatever type of work you do. 2. Develop and maintain a career plan. Make sure your assignments and tasks align with your plan. When you have the opportunity to change positions, keep you plan in mind.
What general advice would you give to a Head Design Engineer?
Marleen Troy Ph.D., P.E., BCEE: Plan to get your PE license. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and become proficient with a new skill or a new area of expertise. Continue to develop both your technical and leadership skills.
What will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Elizabeth Adams PhD, PE: My personal recommendation for maximizing your salary potential is to play the long game. Focus on learning and becoming an expert in your field – find the area you enjoy working in and get really good at it. Maybe it’s bridge construction, maybe it’s electrical infrastructure, maybe it’s project management. Internships and co-op experiences during your college years are invaluable as they are excellent resume boosters and networking opportunities, and they can help you differentiate between areas you are more and less interested in.
What will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kelvin Erickson: a. Artificial Intelligence - The use of artificial intelligence as a tool in engineering has been around for awhile, but there have not been many successes. There is a lot more interest now, which I expect will eventually find some uses. Programming - The programming may not be in the “traditional” language sense. But, one will be faced with an occasional programming task like writing an Excel macro, or a JavaScript or Python script.
What Head Design Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jimmie Lenz D.B.A.: Engineering encompasses so many areas of modern life that it’s impossible to provide a comprehensive answer here. The training that engineers receive, both the technical and the applied nature, make these individuals quite attractive to all types of industries. Perhaps the most surprising to many people are the significant number of engineers employed in financial services.
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer
Professor and ChairXavier University
Department Of Physics
What skills stand out on Head Design Engineer resumes?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Programming languages, numerical design and simulation tools, knowledge of various measurement equipment.
What soft skills should all Head Design Engineers possess?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Communication, teamwork.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Head Design Engineers?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Depends on the engineering career, but in general, an ability to know how to use design software, measurement/testing, and analysis equipment, in addition to prototyping and fabrication tools
What skills will help Head Design Engineers earn the most?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Problem-solving, troubleshooting, independent learner.
Mike DeVore Ph.D.
Professor & Program ChairCincinnati State Technical & Community College
Mechanical Engineering Technology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Head Design Engineers?
Mike DeVore Ph.D.: -Computer-Aided Design
-Knowledge of manufacturing processes
-A good mathematics foundation
-Technical communication
-Problem solving
Bryant Harrison
InstructorMurray State University
Design Engineering Technology
What soft skills should all Head Design Engineers 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 Head Design Engineers?
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.
What skills will help Head Design Engineers earn the most?
Bryant Harrison: We constantly tell students that they must have the full package of hard and soft skills to succeed. Those students who master their soft skills and are constantly expanding hard skills will be the most capable of getting the pay they seek.
What skills stand out on Head Design Engineer 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 will help Head Design Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. A. Tye Gardner Ph.D.: Getting a master's degree goes a long way to making candidates stand out and improving earnings. My recommendation is to tailor your MS degree to the specific field you're interested in working in, because employers really want to see candidates that are passionate about the field, and very few people survive a graduate degree without at least a little passion. Available salary data indicates that if you choose an affordable program (let's just say Weber State University), it takes only a few years to pay off the added cost, increases starting salaries, and dramatically improves long-term earning potential. Moreover, you can find electrical engineers with MBAs at C-level positions all over the country. It turns out being an EE makes you a good candidate for business leadership.
Philip Horton
Interim School Director, Clinical Assistant ProfessorArizona State University
The Design School, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Head Design Engineers?
Philip Horton: I think there will be a few enduring impacts.
One impact is that there has been a bit of a slow down in the market for a number of firms, due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. But an imminent stimulus package will hopefully provide a fairly quick course correction there.
More enduring is that much of the professional world has learned to work remotely -- at-scale -- over the last year. So how we work and collaborate on projects will continue to transform beyond the pandemic.
Also, public spaces, offices, restaurants, and retail have all been impacted by the pandemic. Many have made tactical changes to the designs of their physical environments and to their services. These responses, and uncertainty about future public health concerns, will change the way we design spaces and services going forward.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Head Design Engineers?
Philip Horton: Interdisciplinarity is key. Here at ASU, we are focusing on "architecture plus..." An emerging professional who wants to better understand financing and development should consider getting their professionally accredited architecture degree, plus a degree or certificate in real estate development. The same could be said for architecture plus construction management, public health, sustainability, urban planning, and more. We believe this will not only help position an emerging professional for a job, but position them to advance and transform the future of professional practice.
How have salaries changed over time for Head Design Engineers?
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.
Charles Jenckes
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mechanical Engineering
What skills stand out on Head Design Engineer resumes?
Charles Jenckes: For new graduates
1.Where the candidate went to school and what was studied
2.GPA
3.Any successful internships
4.Projects completed by the student