Commercial and Industrial Designers
SOC Code: 27-1021 Job Zone 4: Considerable Preparation Needed
Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Commercial and Industrial Designers. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $125,403 | $146,702 | $167,981 | $189,280 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $62,754 | $92,643 | $122,512 | $152,402 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $71,427 | $97,573 | $123,739 | $149,885 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,134 | $97,947 | $123,760 | $149,573 |
| Salinas, CA | $65,645 | $90,605 | $115,565 | $140,525 |
| Merced, CA | $64,584 | $89,461 | $114,338 | $139,214 |
| Wichita, KS | $77,626 | $97,198 | $116,750 | $136,323 |
| Modesto, CA | $67,142 | $89,211 | $111,280 | $133,349 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $62,816 | $86,258 | $109,720 | $133,162 |
| Reno, NV | $82,243 | $98,280 | $114,338 | $130,374 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LIMITED | 340 | $81,294 |
| Microsoft Corporation | 135 | $169,790 |
| M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. | 86 | $82,150 |
| Hinduja Tech Inc. | 62 | $75,405 |
| NIKE, Inc. | 41 | $137,547 |
| KPIT Technologies, Inc. | 38 | $85,058 |
| Apple Inc. | 35 | $175,424 |
| Tata Technologies, Inc. | 30 | $81,748 |
| Google LLC | 27 | $162,217 |
| PIPING TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTS, INC | 26 | $80,740 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 188 | $86,904 |
| 2021 | 184 | $105,773 |
| 2022 | 119 | $103,738 |
| 2023 | 429 | $106,723 |
| 2024 | 727 | $311,092 |
| 2025 | 869 | $109,056 |
| 2026 | 97 | $116,486 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Operations Analysis | 3.2 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.2 | |
| Time Management | 3.2 | |
| Coordination | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Design | 4.7 |
| Engineering and Technology | 4.7 |
| Production and Processing | 4.0 |
| Mechanical | 4.0 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.7 |
| English Language | 3.6 |
| Physics | 3.1 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 67.9% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 15.2% |
| Associate's degree | 12.3% |
| High school diploma | 4.3% |
Typical Tasks
- Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
- Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.
- Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
- Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
- Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.
- Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
- Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.
- Research production specifications, costs, production materials, and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Adobe After Effects Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Apache Maven Apple iOS Autodesk AutoCAD Autodesk Revit C C# C++ Cascading style sheets CSS Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
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