Industrial design companies are those that oversee the creation of designs for manufacturing. These companies develop innovative products according to consumer insights and the client’s manufacturing capabilities. These professionals develop products that will revolutionize the future in a wide range of industries.
This article discusses the best companies for industrial designers and provides several company reviews from current or former employees. We will also delve deeper into the industrial design industry by highlighting the highest-paying companies for industrial designers, along with company reviews and salaries.
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What Is an Industrial Designer?
An industrial designer produces designs for industrial products, like consumer goods or capital goods. The objective of this practice is to create a product idea that satisfies the product’s functionality, physical appearance, and manufacturing requirements.
Industrial designers are involved in both the initial product design stage and the concept development process. Their goal is to provide end-users with innovative concepts and quality products. All of this is achieved through the proper execution of decisions made by the design team.
How to Get an Industrial Designer Job
If you want to become an industrial designer and land your dream job, read the steps below to find what you must do.
- Earn a degree. A bachelor’s or associate’s degree is required to work as an industrial designer. However, if you want to have access to higher salaries, a master’s degree should also be considered. Among the majors related to industrial design that you can pursue are a Bachelor of Architecture or a degree in engineering.
- Get additional training. Once you have your industrial design degree, the next step is to continue learning, either by pursuing a master’s degree to expand your qualifications or by taking courses and training to keep up to date with advancements in the field.
- Develop technical skills. A multidisciplinary designer needs to develop a wide range of talents, such as digital and analytical skills, that are very useful in this profession. These will help you stand out from other professionals when applying for a position in a product development company as you will be able to offer an extensive range of services.
- Prepare a portfolio. You can start building your portfolio while you’re still studying. You can add the designs you develop during your course and prepare a special portfolio for each job you apply for. In your project portfolio, you can demonstrate your extensive experience and level of creativity required for an industrial designer job post.
- Build a network. Connecting with industry professionals is always one of the best ways to meet potential clients. Since industrial design is very broad, you could benefit from networking with professionals in your field who work in different industries.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Industrial Designer Companies
| Company | Salary for Industrial Designers |
|---|---|
| Motorola Mobility | $100,721 |
| Fuseproject | $98,263 |
| TEAGUE | $90,552 |
| IDEO | $86,528 |
| LifestyleDesign | $79,872 |
| Whipsaw | $78,480 |
| Garmin | $76,264 |
| Aruliden | $72,276 |
| Smart Design | $71,751 |
| Karten Design | $68,142 |
Motorola Mobility
Motorola Mobility is an American company that is a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate Lenovo. It is a technology company that produces and markets smartphones, among other mobile devices. The company hires designers, engineers, and marketing specialists.
What Does Motorola Mobility Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Motorola pays its industrial designers an average annual salary of $100,721, according to Glassdoor. It also pays an average of $2,200 in additional cash bonuses.
Motorola Mobility Reviews
Motorola Mobility has an average rating of four stars on Glassdoor. According to what is reported in the reviews section of the site, the company offers great job opportunities, a good work environment, and a healthy work-life balance.
Fuseproject
Fuseproject is an award-winning industrial design firm founded in 1999. The firm’s goal is to improve the product experience and help brands evolve. Fuseproject has offices in New York and San Francisco and hires design strategy specialists and industrial designers, among other professionals.
What Does Fuseproject Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Glassdoor reports that Fuseproject pays an average salary of $98,263 per year to its industrial design professionals. It also gives them an additional payment of $3,299 per year as a cash bonus.
Fuseproject Reviews
Fuseproject has an average rating of 3.7 on Glassdoor. The reviews point out that this is a very important industrial design company that provides its workers with the experience of collaborating with important clients. This gives them the opportunity to enhance their skills and create compelling products. However, some employees mention that this type of work may not be for everyone because of the demanding nature of the projects.
TEAGUE
TEAGUE is a design firm based in Seattle. It is a company focused on technological innovation that seeks to build products, services, and experiences for the digital world. Among its clients are Google, Amazon, Toyota, and Starbucks. Project managers, mechanical engineering professionals in the design field, and industrial designers work together in this company to develop innovative design ideas.
What Does TEAGUE Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Glassdoor reports that an industrial designer at TEAGUE earns an average annual salary of $90,552. This amount is an estimate of 26 reported salaries. The wage at this company usually ranges between $75,000 – $163,000 per year.
TEAGUE Reviews
Employees have given TEAGUE an average rating of 3.8 stars, and according to the available reviews, the teams in the firm are made up of industry professionals who support each other to create integrated design systems.
IDEO
IDEO is a global design company founded in 1978, with offices around the world. It is an award-winning design and innovation firm that helps its clients thrive by bringing creative ideas from a humanistic perspective. Data scientists, product designers, and industrial designers work in this company’s design team.
What Does IDEO Pay Its Industrial Designers?
IDEO pays an average salary of $86,528 per year to its industrial designers, with an average additional payment of $2,999 per year, which is divided into cash bonuses and profit sharing. The total annual salary is $89,463.
IDEO Reviews
IDEO has a 3.9-star rating on Glassdoor. The reviews report that this is a company where the employees are very good at their jobs and many talented professionals are willing to help their team members. The company also offers flexible work schedules, so the work-life balance is good.
LifestyleDesign
LifestyleDesign is an industrial design agency located in Santa Barbara, CA, offering complete brand and product development. It promotes excellence in design through creative thinking and a broad range of services. This industrial design firm has worked with clients such as the BMW Group, Nokia, and Siemens, among others.
What Does LifestyleDesign Pay Its Industrial Designers?
LifestyleDesign pays an average salary of $79,872 per year to its industrial designers, according to Glassdoor’s salary reports. It includes an additional average pay of $12,538 each year as a cash bonus.
LifestyleDesign Reviews
According to Glassdoor, LifestyleDesign has an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars. Employees mention that they faced new and difficult challenges while the company was experiencing growth, thus gaining a broader work experience. While the pandemic posed a significant problem because of remote work, the firm has managed to maintain a good work-life balance.
Whipsaw
Whipsaw is a company that specializes in creating successful products and experiences through creative designs for electronic, medical, and computer products. The company has offices in San Francisco and San Jose, California, and hires product development strategists, mechanical engineers, and designers.
What Does Whipsaw Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Whipsaw pays an average annual salary of $78,480 to its industrial designers. It also provides them with an additional payment of $6,659 each year as a cash bonus.
Whipsaw Reviews
Employees have given Whipsaw a 4.4-star rating on Glassdoor. The reviews point out that this company offers many opportunities for growth and allows you to gain a lot of experience by working on a large number of projects. However, they also indicate that the company structure is not well-organized and that they are short-staffed when working on some projects.
Garmin
Garmin is a company that produces GPS devices for land, sea, and air transit. Its goal is to create superior quality products for its customers to use. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Olathe, Kansas. Engineers, designers, and business specialists work together there.
What Does Garmin Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Garmin pays an average salary of $76,264 per year as estimated from salary reports on Glassdoor. The salary for industrial designers ranges from $66,000 to $140,000 per year.
Garmin Reviews
Garmin has an average rating of 4.1 out of five stars. Reviews mention that this company offers good benefits, is employee-friendly, and has a healthy work-life balance. However, it is also reported that the base salary is not competitive and that employees cannot work from home.
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Aruliden
Aruliden is an industrial design and branding agency located in Manhattan, New York. This company uses consumer product design thinking for its service offerings. In its product creation studio, industrial designers work together with strategists and graphic designers to create successful graphic design projects.
What Does Aruliden Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Aruliden pays an average salary of $72,276 per year to industrial designers. This salary is an estimation from 11 salary reports on Glassdoor, which range from around $51,000 to $90,000 per year.
Aruliden Reviews
Aruliden employees have given the company a rating of 3.9 stars out of five stars. The reviews highlight that this firm has a wide client base, knowledgeable professionals, and a mutually supportive team. The company has a fast-paced working environment as it is in the process of expanding.
Smart Design
Smart Design is a product design firm located in New York. It was founded in 1980 and has clients around the world, to whom it offers development strategy and design solutions services. The company hires design engineers, program managers, and visual designers.
What Does Smart Design Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Industrial designers working at Smart Design earn annual wages of $71,751. They also receive an additional annual payment of $1,173 on average in cash bonuses.
Smart Design Reviews
Smart design has an average rating of 3.6 out of five stars on Glassdoor. The reviews highlight that this company offers opportunities for professional growth, a good work culture, and comfortable offices. However, a good work-life balance is difficult to achieve, and employees have many responsibilities.
Karten Design
Karten Design is an award-winning innovation and design consultancy based in Los Angeles, California. This company has been working in the medical devices market for over 30 years. Its professionals develop medical device product designs to achieve health solutions and meet the needs of patients and medical professionals.
What Does Karten Design Pay Its Industrial Designers?
Karten Designs pays a salary of $68,142 per year to its industrial designers, according to Glassdoor.
Karten Design Reviews
Reviews of Karten Design indicate that this company has a good work environment, its employees are highly motivated, and there is a wide variety of clients and projects. However, they also note that there is a lack of growth and mentorship. Glassdoor reports an average rating of 3.8 out of five stars for this firm.
Why You Should Become an Industrial Designer in 2023
You should become an industrial designer because you can work in different areas of design. As an industrial designer, you can develop a design concept for innovative companies and create a successful product for any industry. These professionals are always looking to benefit society with the products they have created.
In the United States, this is a well-paid profession, with a job outlook of six percent for the 2020-2030 period. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, on average, an industrial designer earns $71,640 per year. Furthermore, there are several options to consider when learning industrial design.
Best Companies for Industrial Designers FAQ
What industries are the top employers of industrial designers?
Among the top employers of industrial designers are the manufacturing industry, followed by wholesale trade and specialized design services. Industrial design firms tend to hire a large number of industrial designers to work on their client’s projects in various industries.
What states pay industrial designers the highest wages?
Arizona, California, New York, North Carolina, and Massachusetts pay the highest salaries to industrial designers, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. These professionals can earn mean annual wages ranging from $82,410 to $91,690 in these states.
Is industrial design popular?
Yes, industrial design is popular. It has always been used to help companies develop successful products, and in recent years the design process has evolved thanks to technology. In addition, its job outlook indicates that this is a promising career path.
Do industrial designers earn a good salary?
Yes, industrial designers earn a good salary. On average, they make $71,640 per year. However, depending on the industry and type of company, this amount can vary.
