Industrial designer demographics and statistics in the US
Industrial designer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates industrial designer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our industrial designer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about industrial designers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 15,702 industrial designers currently employed in the United States.
- 18.6% of all industrial designers are women, while 81.4% are men.
- The average industrial designer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of industrial designers is White (76.7%), followed by Asian (10.1%), Hispanic or Latino (7.3%) and Unknown (4.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 8% of all industrial designers are LGBT.
- Industrial designers are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Industrial designer demographics by:
Industrial designer gender statistics
18.6% of industrial designers are women and 81.4% of industrial designers are men.
- Male, 81.4%
- Female, 18.6%
Industrial designer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.4% |
| Female | 18.6% |
Industrial designer gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,959
Female income
$60,362
Industrial designer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in industrial designer positions over time. Currently, 18.6% of industrial designers are female.
Industrial designer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.23% | 30.77% |
| 2011 | 69.45% | 30.55% |
| 2012 | 68.75% | 31.25% |
| 2013 | 70.84% | 29.16% |
| 2014 | 68.98% | 31.02% |
| 2015 | 69.62% | 30.38% |
| 2016 | 68.67% | 31.33% |
| 2017 | 67.82% | 32.18% |
| 2018 | 74.22% | 25.78% |
| 2019 | 82.81% | 17.19% |
| 2020 | 81.86% | 18.14% |
| 2021 | 81.40% | 18.60% |
Industrial designer related jobs gender ratio
We compared industrial designers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, exhibit builder and senior industrial designer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Decorating Consultant | 9% | 91% |
| Floral Designer | 11% | 89% |
| Floral Manager | 11% | 89% |
| Industrial Designer | 81% | 19% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Industrial designer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among industrial designers is White, which makes up 76.7% of all industrial designers. Comparatively, 10.1% of industrial designers are Asian and 7.3% of industrial designers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 76.7%
- Asian, 10.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.3%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Black or African American, 1.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Industrial designer race
| Industrial designer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.7% |
| Asian | 10.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Industrial designer race and ethnicity over time
See how industrial designer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Industrial designer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.32% | 3.37% | 6.45% | 8.15% |
| 2011 | 79.15% | 3.38% | 7.00% | 8.33% |
| 2012 | 78.60% | 3.42% | 6.69% | 9.26% |
| 2013 | 79.01% | 3.39% | 7.37% | 8.05% |
| 2014 | 78.43% | 3.15% | 7.37% | 8.85% |
| 2015 | 77.58% | 3.31% | 7.11% | 9.89% |
| 2016 | 77.09% | 3.54% | 7.72% | 9.34% |
| 2017 | 77.04% | 3.17% | 8.01% | 9.29% |
| 2018 | 68.47% | 1.48% | 13.79% | 11.82% |
| 2019 | 73.68% | 1.56% | 12.45% | 10.90% |
| 2020 | 73.69% | 2.05% | 8.19% | 10.92% |
| 2021 | 76.67% | 1.12% | 10.07% | 7.28% |
Industrial designer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian industrial designers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino industrial designers have the lowest average salary at $64,063.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $64,959 |
| White | $65,612 |
| Black or African American | $64,895 |
| Asian | $70,456 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $64,063 |
Industrial designer age breakdown
The average age of industrial designers is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the industrial designer population.
Industrial designer age breakdown
| Industrial Designer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Industrial designer educational attainment
The most common degree for industrial designers is bachelor's degree, with 83% of industrial designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 7% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 83%
- Master's, 7%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Industrial designers by degree level
| Industrial designer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 83% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Associate | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Industrial designer jobs you might like
Industrial designer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, industrial designers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $81,010 annually. With a Master's degree, industrial designers earn a median annual income of $74,413 compared to $68,931 for industrial designers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $74,413 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $68,931 |
| Doctorate Degree | $81,010 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $63,256 |
Industrial designer employment statistics
Most industrial designers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where industrial designers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where industrial designers work.
Industrial designer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Industrial designer jobs by company type
Employees with the industrial designer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most industrial designers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Industrial designer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 27% |
| Private | 71% |
Industrial designer jobs by industry
The most common industries for industrial designers are manufacturing, technology and professional.
Industrial designer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21% |
| Professional | 16% |
| Technology | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Industrial designer turnover and employment statistics
Industrial designer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for industrial designers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Industrial designer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Industrial designer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.84% |
| 2011 | 7.82% |
| 2012 | 7.12% |
| 2013 | 5.32% |
| 2014 | 4.78% |
| 2015 | 4.60% |
| 2016 | 4.15% |
| 2017 | 3.61% |
| 2018 | 3.35% |
| 2019 | 0.61% |
| 2020 | 4.03% |
| 2021 | 8.44% |
Average industrial designer tenure
The average industrial designer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,384 industrial designers resumes in Zippia's database.
Industrial designer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Industrial designer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of industrial designers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Designer | 7.73% | - |
| 3D Artist | 11.32% | 3,978 |
| Theater Set Production Designer | 12.35% | 97,246 |
| Founder And Designer | 13.05% | 44,148 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Display Specialist | 16.91% | 20,915 |
| Costume Designer | 17.98% | 47,323 |
Similar industrial designer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Artist | 11.32% | 3,978 |
| Theater Set Production Designer | 12.35% | 97,246 |
| Founder And Designer | 13.05% | 44,148 |
| Florist | 14.26% | 1,381 |
| Display Specialist | 16.91% | 20,915 |
| Costume Designer | 17.98% | 47,323 |
Foreign languages spoken by industrial designers
The most common foreign language among industrial designers is Spanish at 34.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Mandarin at 11.7% and French is the third-most popular at 8.7%.
- Spanish, 34.0%
- Mandarin, 11.7%
- French, 8.7%
- Korean, 8.7%
- Chinese, 7.8%
- Other, 29.1%
Industrial designer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 34.0% |
| Mandarin | 11.7% |
| French | 8.7% |
| Korean | 8.7% |
| Chinese | 7.8% |
| Other | 29.1% |
