What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Commercial and Industrial Designers in the U.S. earn more than $83,910 a year — the middle 80% land between $53,460 and $139,770. About 33,490 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Commercial and Industrial Designers”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$83,910typical pay / year
33,490people in this work
$139,770+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Make4
Design and develop manufactured products
+Design and develop the new kitchen appliance range: produce concept-to-production drawings, confirm supplier…
Design and develop manufactured products
+Design and develop the new kitchen appliance range: produce concept-to-production drawings, confirm supplier capabilities in China, run a DFM review with engineering, and set cost targets to meet the margin agreed with finance.
The tools that do the workAutodesk Revitjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Sketch ideas or create renderings
+Sketch three chassis concepts and one photorealistic rendering for the hand tool line, iterate with the…
Sketch ideas or create renderings
+Sketch three chassis concepts and one photorealistic rendering for the hand tool line, iterate with the ergonomics lead, capture user feedback, and prepare two options for the marketing director by Monday.
The tools that do the workAdobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshopjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Overseeing the development of products
+Oversee development of the new portable heater range: confirm product requirements with engineering, update…
Overseeing the development of products
+Oversee development of the new portable heater range: confirm product requirements with engineering, update the risk register, agree commercial terms with procurement and schedule the next prototype review for Tuesday to keep the launch timeline on track.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADESCOO*NETWikipedia
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Create physical prototypes of designs
+Create the first physical prototype of the compact heater: assemble the revised housing, fit the standard…
Create physical prototypes of designs
+Create the first physical prototype of the compact heater: assemble the revised housing, fit the standard heating module and controls, document fit issues and cycles to failure, then book user bench tests for Friday morning.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Analysing2
Research product use, marketing, and materials
+Research how customers use our outdoor light: compile competitor features, material durability test results,…
Research product use, marketing, and materials
+Research how customers use our outdoor light: compile competitor features, material durability test results, and cost-per-unit estimates, then recommend three positioning angles for the brand team in a short brief by Friday.
The tools that do the workAdobe Acrobatjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Examine materials and manufacturing requirements
+Examine materials and manufacturing requirements for the portable heater: compare supplier datasheets, flag…
Examine materials and manufacturing requirements
+Examine materials and manufacturing requirements for the portable heater: compare supplier datasheets, flag any hazardous materials for compliance, estimate tooling complexity, and send a materials questions list to Alan in sourcing by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Determining product prices
+Calculate component and assembly costs for the new portable blender, apply a 35% margin for distributor and…
Determining product prices
+Calculate component and assembly costs for the new portable blender, apply a 35% margin for distributor and 20% for retailer, include tooling amortised over 24 months, then produce a recommended unit MSRP and a one-page rationale for procurement and sales to review by next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADESCO
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Project management
+Create the project timeline for the portable blender launch, list milestones from prototype freeze to…
Project management
+Create the project timeline for the portable blender launch, list milestones from prototype freeze to production validation, assign Clara in sourcing and Mateo in QA, flag critical risks with mitigation and a go/no-go decision gate on November 15.
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Use computer software to develop virtual models
+Develop detailed virtual models of the new handheld vacuum to validate form, assembly clearances, and…
Use computer software to develop virtual models
+Develop detailed virtual models of the new handheld vacuum to validate form, assembly clearances, and manufacturability, iterate until the motor housing, clips and screw bosses meet strength targets and hand measurement constraints for the June engineering review.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptions
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Selects materials and finishes for products
+Choose exterior plastics, metal finishes and gasketing for the countertop blender, documenting durability,…
Selects materials and finishes for products
+Choose exterior plastics, metal finishes and gasketing for the countertop blender, documenting durability, cost per unit, supplier lead times and regulatory compliance so procurement can price production by Friday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADWikipedia
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Maintains knowledge of current design trends and technologies
+Compile a one‑page trend briefing on current appliance ergonomics, sustainable materials and smart features…
Maintains knowledge of current design trends and technologies
+Compile a one‑page trend briefing on current appliance ergonomics, sustainable materials and smart features with three technology suppliers and two competitor case studies to inform next‑quarter concepts.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatWikipedia
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Setting targets
+Set quarterly design targets for the kitchen appliance range: reduce weight by 10 percent, lower part count…
Setting targets
+Set quarterly design targets for the kitchen appliance range: reduce weight by 10 percent, lower part count by 15 percent, and cut projected unit cost by 8 percent, with milestone reviews on May 1 and August 1.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatESCO
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Planning and developing selling efforts
+Create the go‑to‑market plan for the cordless drill: define key accounts, pricing tiers, launch collateral,…
Planning and developing selling efforts
+Create the go‑to‑market plan for the cordless drill: define key accounts, pricing tiers, launch collateral, and a three‑month sampling schedule aligned with the regional sales director and manufacturing lead.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignESCO
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Managing sales agents
+Organise and document the territories, targets and commission structure for our three external sales agents,…
Managing sales agents
+Organise and document the territories, targets and commission structure for our three external sales agents, include onboarding checklist, performance metrics and monthly reporting cadence to start on April 1.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatESCO
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Ensures designs meet safety and regulatory standards
+Verify the new kettle housing meets CE and UL safety limits, update the risk-file with test evidence, flag…
Ensures designs meet safety and regulatory standards
+Verify the new kettle housing meets CE and UL safety limits, update the risk-file with test evidence, flag any noncompliance for redesign, and send the compliance summary to manufacturing and legal by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADO*NETWikipedia
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Assists in the development of product branding and packaging
+Produce final dielines and a print-ready artwork set for the travel mug, include approved Pantone calls,…
Assists in the development of product branding and packaging
+Produce final dielines and a print-ready artwork set for the travel mug, include approved Pantone calls, material spec and cost notes, then circulate the package to marketing and the packaging supplier for sign-off before Friday.
The tools that do the workAdobe IllustratorO*NETWikipedia
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Consult with clients to determine requirements
+Run a requirements interview with BrightPath Foods to confirm target user, price band, essential features and…
Consult with clients to determine requirements
+Run a requirements interview with BrightPath Foods to confirm target user, price band, essential features and manufacturing constraints, capture decisions in a one-page brief, and email it to their product lead and our engineering head within 24 hours.
The tools that do the workApple iOSjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Work with engineers and manufacturers
+Coordinate a technical review with the chassis engineer and the contract moulder to resolve draft tool…
Work with engineers and manufacturers
+Coordinate a technical review with the chassis engineer and the contract moulder to resolve draft tool clearance and draft angles, attach the latest CAD section views and request confirmed DIM and lead times by Tuesday noon.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Supervise assistants' work throughout the design process.
+Review junior designers' progress on the bench lamp project, comment on three sketches for ergonomics and…
Supervise assistants' work throughout the design process.
+Review junior designers' progress on the bench lamp project, comment on three sketches for ergonomics and manufacturability, update the task list with corrective actions, and call a quick sync if they miss the noon checkpoint.
The tools that do the workAdobe PhotoshopO*NET
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Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.
+Assess DoveTech's brand confusion risk, prepare a short advisory showing three remedial design directions,…
Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.
+Assess DoveTech's brand confusion risk, prepare a short advisory showing three remedial design directions, outline cost and legal exposure, and send it to the CMO and the general counsel by close of business Friday.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignO*NET
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Says who?
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Activities this job lives in
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses