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Job outlook for lead mechanical designers in the United States
Lead mechanical designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead mechanical designer job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 6,400 new jobs for lead mechanical designers are projected over the next decade.
Lead mechanical designer salaries have increased 7% for lead mechanical designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 11,243 lead mechanical designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 62,573 active lead mechanical designer job openings in the US.
The average lead mechanical designer salary is $96,084.
Are lead mechanical designer jobs in demand?
Lead mechanical designer job and salary trends over time
Lead mechanical designer jobs over time
Lead mechanical designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,243 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 11,879 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 12,405 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 12,262 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 11,771 | 0.00% |
Average lead mechanical designer salary over time
Lead mechanical designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $96,084 | $46.19 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $94,241 | $45.31 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $93,111 | $44.76 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $91,523 | $44.00 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $89,722 | $43.14 | +0.7% |
Lead mechanical designer jobs by state
Most common states for lead mechanical designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 223 | 32% |
| 2 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 789 | 25% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 202 | 19% |
| 4 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 526 | 18% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 351 | 18% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 135 | 18% |
| 7 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 298 | 17% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 137 | 16% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 315 | 15% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 943 | 14% |
| 11 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 405 | 14% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 185 | 14% |
| 13 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 379 | 13% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 897 | 12% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 474 | 11% |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 426 | 11% |
| 17 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,865 | 10% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 560 | 10% |
| 19 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 795 | 9% |
| 20 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 493 | 9% |
Lead Mechanical Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of lead mechanical designer experts
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
University of Hawaii at Manoa
York College of Pennsylvania
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
ADDA
Ohio University
Jiayue Shen
Mechanical Engineering Technology Program CoordinatorWhat general advice would you give to a Lead Mechanical Designer?
Jiayue Shen: To maximize your salary potential when starting your career in Mechanical Engineering Technology, contemplate acquiring certifications like the FE or PE license, or additional training in high-demand specialized areas such as semiconductors. Moreover, gaining practical experience through academic clubs, undergraduate research, internships, or co-op programs can increase your appeal to employers, potentially resulting in higher salary offers.
What general advice would you give to a Lead Mechanical Designer?
Mohammed Daqaq: This is a difficult question to answer and is very much dependent on how satisfied an individual is about their job. I can comment on what I hear from students with regards to their ME education. Most engineers choose ME because of its breadth and that it allows them more freedom to maneuver the job market once they graduate. They can clearly see that, despite being one of the most traditional engineering disciplines, it is still very trendy with employers. They also like the hands-on nature of the discipline where they get to design, optimize, and build physical components that work and move together to achieve a desired task. As for the dislikes, some students complain about the fact that ME requires an in-depth understanding of many mathematical concepts which many students find to be challenging.
Uises Gonzalez-Valle
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
What will help Lead Mechanical Designers increase their earning potential?
Uises Gonzalez-Valle: The beginning of professional life is not simple independent of the career path that you follow and ME and MET can have their own complications. However, some good advice would be to develop independence and adaptability which are key traits of an engineer, and always keep yourself updated with the most recent technological developments. If you are independent and adaptable, you have all the skills to learn and further your professional development. In addition, I would say it is essential to start building a network, including peers and mentors. Having a strong network of peers and mentors helps you significantly to progress in your professional line. From day-to-day to daily changing decisions, having a strong network to support would significantly help in building your professional path. Lastly, I would say that having a good Work-life balance is vital too, since our personal life is as important as our professional life. Remember, we should work to live instead of live to work.
Song Choi Ph.D.
Assistant DeanUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
What soft skills should all Lead Mechanical Designers possess?
Song Choi Ph.D.: Critical thinking - logical, problem-solving methodology... I'm not quite sure to categorize this as soft/professional skills or hard/technical skills, but probably one of the most necessary assets.
Communication - written, verbal, and overall listening (helps focus on the problem statement and requirements). Most, if not all, projects/tasks are worked in large groups; thus, listening and expressing correctly is important.
Time management - scheduling of tasks and deadlines are important in all levels of engineering, from small fabrication projects/tasks to medium-sized manufacturing projects/tasks to large development/research endeavors. In Hawaii, one of the most important has been the transportation of materials, parts, components, etc., as most items are flown or shipped to us, and the overall project schedule is dependent on the availability of sub-units.
Collaboration - as most if not all engineering projects are dependent on multiple sub-categories. Due to the collaborative nature of engineering, communication is of importance again.
Creativity, innovation, and initiative - it's really about making our future better, more convenient, safer, cleaner, etc. Think outside of the box or live outside of your comfort zone.
Detail-oriented - it is about replicating results. Everything an engineer performs should be documented and clear.
Honesty and integrity as there have been too many fabricated claims and fraud as well as engineering espionage.
Stephen Kuchnicki Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Civil and Mechanical EngineeringYork College of Pennsylvania
Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
What skills will help Lead Mechanical Designers earn the most?
Stephen Kuchnicki Ph.D.: I'd have to say that students set themselves apart by having some of those soft skills. They show adaptability and make themselves valuable in multiple roles. They don't stop learning and so are better prepared to adapt. They communicate well and work well as a part of the team, whether in a lead role or a team member role. They do the things that make the team around them better. And they blend that with a sharp analytical mind and the ability to apply logical thinking grounded in basic engineering principles.
Mike DeVore Ph.D.
Professor & Program ChairCincinnati State Technical & Community College
Mechanical Engineering Technology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Lead Mechanical Designers?
Mike DeVore Ph.D.: -Computer-Aided Design
-Knowledge of manufacturing processes
-A good mathematics foundation
-Technical communication
-Problem solving
What general advice would you give to a Lead Mechanical Designer?
Abby Guido: We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.
Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.
What experience really stands out on Lead Mechanical Designer resumes?
Dr. Mingshao Zhang: Internship and Co-op (Cooperative Education) experiences that related to the industry.
Charles Jenckes
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mechanical Engineering
What skills stand out on Lead Mechanical Designer 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
How would you rate the starting salaries for Lead Mechanical Designers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang: Above average, but you won't be a millionaire easily (you can with some effort, saving, and investing well). It is very unlikely you'll ever be *super* wealthy, but it's also very unlikely you'll ever not find employment in your field. You'll have a solid ticket to a modestly comfortable life, with some luxuries, too.
What experience really stands out on Lead Mechanical Designer resumes?
Dr. Richard Onyancha: Besides having a good GPA, a student's application is tremendously enhanced by internships and any other extra curricula experiences, such as being a member of a competition team, leadership experience and any other specific experiences, such as appropriate independent study experiences that the student can speak about. Sometimes all these other experiences can compensate for a below average GPA. For some companies, demonstrating that you have participated in meaningful international experiences can be that thing that puts you over the competition.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Lead Mechanical Designer job market given the pandemic?
Dan Rodenbaugh: Random thoughts regarding the future workforce in engineering related occupations:
This pandemic has shown that certain occupations lend themselves to telecommuting (working from home). I would think that many aspects of CAD/Engineering Tech work could be done from home - assuming the technology available to the teleworker lends itself to that: high-speed internet, computer equipment at home capable of running those software programs, etc.
One drawback re: working from home would be IT security. I would think that engineering firms would be concerned about theft of intellectual property, industrial espionage, etc. When someone is working from home, their IT security would not be comparable to working in an office.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Lead Mechanical Designers in the next 3-5 years?
Dan Rodenbaugh: Personal computers and internet, better off-site interaction.
How do you envision technology impacting Lead Mechanical Designers in the next 5 years?
Neil Littell: As digital engineering and automated manufacturing technologies mature, you will see a shift in the manufacturing workforce to what we call a new-collar workforce, somewhere between the traditional blue and white-collar workforce. The future workforce is more technical and able to troubleshoot vs. perform monotonous tasks. The new-collar workforce is empowered to make critical decisions on the line to support production in real-time. Many years ago, manufacturing evolved past the dirty, dangerous facilities of the 1800's. Today, manufacturing is a safe, clean, and rewarding career choice for many people who want to be a part of something bigger. Ohio University is at the forefront of this 4th Industrial Revolution, where we develop engineers who create for good.