Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for piping/mechanical designers in the United States
Piping/mechanical designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected piping/mechanical designer job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 6,400 new jobs for piping/mechanical designers are projected over the next decade.
Piping/mechanical designer salaries have increased 7% for piping/mechanical designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 6,584 piping/mechanical designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 60,742 active piping/mechanical designer job openings in the US.
The average piping/mechanical designer salary is $53,445.
Are piping/mechanical designer jobs in demand?
Piping/mechanical designer job and salary trends over time
Piping/mechanical designer jobs over time
Piping/mechanical designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,584 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,956 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 7,264 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,180 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,893 | 0.00% |
Average piping/mechanical designer salary over time
Piping/mechanical designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,445 | $25.69 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $52,420 | $25.20 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $51,791 | $24.90 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $50,908 | $24.48 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $49,906 | $23.99 | +0.7% |
Piping/mechanical designer jobs by state
Most common states for piping/mechanical designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 215 | 31% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 925 | 13% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 178 | 13% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 923 | 12% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 487 | 12% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 337 | 11% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 867 | 10% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 550 | 10% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,702 | 9% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 933 | 9% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 520 | 9% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 493 | 9% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 491 | 9% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 56 | 9% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 231 | 8% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 83 | 8% |
| 17 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,412 | 7% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 895 | 7% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 847 | 7% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 238 | 7% |
Most common cities for piping/mechanical designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | De Pere | 2 | 8% | $58,071 |
| 2 | Marion | 1 | 3% | $58,110 |
| 3 | Aurora | 2 | 1% | $54,736 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $56,551 |
| 5 | Concord | 1 | 1% | $90,996 |
| 6 | Dearborn | 1 | 1% | $51,724 |
| 7 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $50,343 |
| 8 | Huntsville | 1 | 1% | $51,700 |
| 9 | Mobile | 1 | 1% | $57,163 |
| 10 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $53,722 |
| 11 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $66,293 |
| 12 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $60,740 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $56,567 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $66,851 |
| 15 | Rochester | 1 | 0% | $55,522 |
| 16 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $55,019 |
Piping/Mechanical Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of piping/mechanical designer experts
Oregon State University
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
New Mexico Tech
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Alaska Fairbanks
What Piping/Mechanical Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Devin Roach PhD: Apart from a strong knowledge of mechanical engineering fundamentals, students should focus on developing proficiency in emerging technologies such as machine learning (ML) applied to mechanical systems. Additionally, skills in computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation software will continue to be essential, especially as these tools evolve to incorporate advanced features like generative design and optimization algorithms. Moreover, expertise in sustainable design principles and renewable energy systems will likely become increasingly important as industries prioritize environmental sustainability. Finally, strong communication and collaboration skills will remain crucial, especially as mechanical engineers work in interdisciplinary teams and interact with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
Uises Gonzalez-Valle
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
What will help Piping/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.
Mike DeVore Ph.D.
Professor & Program ChairCincinnati State Technical & Community College
Mechanical Engineering Technology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Piping/Mechanical Designers?
Mike DeVore Ph.D.: -Computer-Aided Design
-Knowledge of manufacturing processes
-A good mathematics foundation
-Technical communication
-Problem solving
What experience really stands out on Piping/Mechanical Designer resumes?
Dr. Seokbin Lim Ph.D.: The education curriculum in the New Mexico Tech Mechanical Engineering department is routinely evaluated by both the faculty and an advisory board that consists of external members from nearby national laboratories, alumni, and regional universities. Our department takes this process seriously because this process provides real-world feedback and improves our program by applying their feedback into our curriculum.
Time and time again, comments from those reviewers directly relate to hands-on training and communication skills, and we have applied this feedback in our program for many years. This element in our program has brought significantly positive responses from various sectors outside the university where our students eventually will spend their time in their careers.
From this example, we believe the hand-on and communication skills would stand out among other pools of students, and the addition of these components in their resume would be beneficial.
Charles Jenckes
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mechanical Engineering
What skills stand out on Piping/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 Piping/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.