Industrial designers develop the concepts for manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and toys. They combine art, business, and engineering to make products that people use every day. Industrial designers consider the function, aesthetics, production costs, and the usability of products when developing new product concepts.
Industrial designers work in offices in a variety of industries. Although industrial designers work primarily in offices, they may travel to testing facilities, design centers, clients' exhibit sites, users' homes or workplaces, and places where the product is manufactured.
A bachelor's degree is usually required for entry-level industrial design jobs. It is also important for industrial designers to have an electronic portfolio with examples of their best design projects.
The median annual wage for industrial designers was $67,130 in May 2015.
Employment of industrial designers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. Consumer demand for new products and new product styles should sustain the demand for industrial designers.
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