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Job outlook for water systems designers in the United States
Are water systems designer jobs in demand?
Water systems designer job and salary trends over time
Water systems designer jobs over time
Water systems designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 82 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 97 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 103 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 103 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 102 | 0.00% |
Average water systems designer salary over time
Water systems designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $76,935 | $36.99 | +3.7% |
| 2025 | $74,213 | $35.68 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $73,177 | $35.18 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $72,492 | $34.85 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $70,897 | $34.09 | +0.4% |
Water systems designer jobs by state
Most common states for water systems designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 190 | 27% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 158 | 21% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,478 | 20% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 821 | 20% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 273 | 20% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 124 | 20% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 954 | 17% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 183 | 17% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 161 | 17% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 146 | 17% |
| 11 | Alaska | 739,795 | 123 | 17% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 92 | 16% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 316 | 15% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 290 | 15% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,495 | 14% |
| 16 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 956 | 14% |
| 17 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 447 | 14% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 142 | 14% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 228 | 13% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 169 | 13% |
Most common cities for water systems designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $87,605 |
Water Systems Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of water systems designer experts
Marywood University
University of Dubuque
AIGA, the professional association for design
Sue Jenkins
Associate ProfessorMarywood University
Art Department
What experience really stands out on Water Systems Designer resumes?
Sue Jenkins: Before saying what stands out most, there's one thing to avoid; those skill self-assessment bar graphs that take up too much real estate and don't provide the reader with valid, useful data. A better solution is to list skills and proficiency in years, such as Adobe Photoshop, three years.
Now, what stands out most on a resume is evidence of creative engagement beyond the classroom. Has the student been a member of any clubs? Won any awards? Have you participated in any solo or group exhibitions and completed any internships, pro bono, or freelance work? Have you worked on any side projects? Run an Etsy, Society6, or RedBubble account? Sold any commissioned work? Definitely include all these types of activities along with any tangible outcomes and achievements, like "Designed a series of digital documents that downsized paper waste and reduced the client's carbon footprint by 13%." Results-oriented statements provide a better sense of the designer's understanding of their role and their value to an organization.
Alan Garfield
Chair and Professor of Digital Art and Design, Director, Bisignano Art GalleryUniversity of Dubuque
Digital Art and Design Faculty
What type of skills will young Water Systems Designers need?
Alan Garfield: Technology and creativity have always been important for graduates, but in 2020 this has become even more pressing. Creative solutions to problems involve creative use of technology but not a reliance on technology. Graduates have recently learned this thru frustration via university-level coursework during this pandemic time. Second, communication, always critical, takes on an added focus because of the technology's strengths/weaknesses. Excellent listening skills can be demonstrated easily. When an employer talks about a position, there are many ways to acknowledge what is heard. There are also ways to show that one hasn't listened to what was said. Third, demonstrating networking skills - connecting with others who do similar work - will assure the completion of tasks. Solutions via teamwork should now be a significant push by graduates.
What type of skills will young Water Systems Designers need?
Bennie F. Johnson: Our Design Futures research from 2018 covered this topic in some detail. Some highlights of needed skills include an understanding of business models, complex systems, and data. One of the seven Design Futures trends is "Bridging Physical and Digital Experiences," which has become even more important in a COVID world. Of course, mastering craft and specific tools remain important, especially for entry-level work, but so is a general ability to "learn how to learn," as the rate of technical change (and obsolescence) is only getting faster.
In May of 2020, AIGA conducted an industry pulse check survey around the impact of COVID-19 on the design community and found, not surprisingly, that adaptability skills continue to be the most critical for design professionals, and collaboration made the list of top five skills for the first time.