The median annual wage of industrial designers was $58,230 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,190, and the top 10 percent earned more than $94,270.
As shown in the tabulation below, median annual wages for industrial designers in the manufacturing industry was $55,520 in May 2010, lower than the median annual wage for the occupation in general.
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | $68,790 |
| Specialized design services | 56,300 |
| Manufacturing | 55,520 |
| Wholesale trade | 55,170 |
| Retail trade | 45,090 |
Most industrial designers work full time, especially if they are employed by manufacturers, large corporations, or design firms.
Many industrial designers are self-employed or work for firms that hire them out to other organizations that need industrial design services. In these cases, industrial designers frequently adjust their workday to meet with clients in the evenings or on weekends. In addition, they may spend some of their time looking for new projects or competing with other designers for contracts.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition