How To Become A Machine Designer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a machine designer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Abby Guido

The job of a machine designer is exactly what it sounds like--they are professionals who create designs of different pieces of machinery. Often working with engineers, manufacturers, and fabrication teams, the machine designer is a vital role in various industries, including manufacturing, architecture, and engineering.

The typical tasks of a machine designer involve designing products using CAD, developing prototypes for testing, recording and evaluating testing data, calculating the final costs of the machine, and managing documentation of the design and development processes. Considering these responsibilities, a successful machine designer should have a strong background in machinery and the industry they are working in, as well as outstanding technical skills to create technical devices and work with design software.

If this career seems appealing to you, the best way to start is by acquiring at least a bachelor's degree in engineering, drafting and design, mechanical engineering technology, or a related major. Learning how to use software such as AutoCAD and Solidworks is also a basic requirement.

The path to becoming a machine designer may seem daunting, but think of the compensation! On average, machine designers earn around $77,000 a year--some may even earn as much as $96,000 a year.

What general advice would you give to a machine designer?

Abby Guido

Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

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.

ScoreMachine DesignerUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $69,937

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.11%

Asian 10.16%

Black or African American 3.52%

Hispanic or Latino 9.86%

Unknown 4.63%

White 71.71%

Gender

female 5.39%

male 94.61%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a machine designer

Explore machine designer education requirements

Most common machine designer degrees

Associate

44.7 %

Bachelor's

38.4 %

Diploma

6.9 %

Start to develop specific machine designer skills

Skills	Percentages
Solidworks	15.56%
Machine Design	9.80%
Autocad	9.32%
Assembly Drawings	7.97%
Provide Engineering Support	5.95%

Complete relevant machine designer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New machine designers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a machine designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real machine designer resumes.

Research machine designer duties and responsibilities

Manage documentation of existing projects, perform ECN resolutions.
Create assembly and layout drawings using AutoCAD and SolidWorks modeling software.
Programme CNC turret punch/plasma punching machine.
Perform various reverse engineering jobs using CMM machines.

Prepare your machine designer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your machine designer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a machine designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable machine designer resume templates

Build a professional machine designer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your machine designer resume.

Apply for machine designer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a machine designer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do machine designers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Machine designer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

I liked working in oil and gas at Chevron in Pascagoula, MS. I worked there right after finishing college. I drew flow sheets in isometric inserting valves. I'm wanting another pipe draftsman/designer job.