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The differences between package designers and industrial designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a package designer, becoming an industrial designer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an industrial designer has an average salary of $63,384, which is higher than the $52,273 average annual salary of a package designer.
The top three skills for a package designer include graphic design, CAD and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for an industrial designer are industrial design, solidworks, and CAD.
| Package Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,273 | $63,384 |
| Hourly rate | $25.13 | $30.47 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 59,292 | 54,012 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A package designer is responsible for designing and developing safe and attractive packaging for warehouse products and merchandise. Package designers strategize their concepts according to product features, business requirements, and client specifications. They identify cost-effective resources and market demands within quality standards and regulations. A package designer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in utilizing various software tools and applications. Package designers generate designs and adjust design illustrations to meet clients' excellent feedback and consumer satisfaction.
Industrial Designers work with clients to conceptualize product ideas. They collaborate with clients in creating product blueprints, samples, and mock-ups. Industrial Designers create drafts based on the clients' ideas, keeping in mind the different requirements as well as aesthetic qualities that the clients envision. They usually specialize in a specific product category such as toys, furniture, and cars, among others. Industrial Designers also collaborate with other professionals such as manufacturers, materials experts, safety experts, and other product makers to ensure the feasibility and the product safety of the concepts they come up with.
Package designers and industrial designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Package Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Average salary | $52,273 | $63,384 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $75,000 | Between $43,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Leandro, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Home Depot | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a package designer and an industrial designer in terms of educational background:
| Package Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between package designers' and industrial designers' demographics:
| Package Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 10.1% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 8% |