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Automotive Designers


Overview

Automotive Designers

Introduction

Automotive designers, also known as automotive stylists, are specialized industrial designers who combine their technical knowledge of mechanics, production, and materials with artistic talent to improve the style, appearance, and ergonomic and aerodynamic design of automobiles. They work full time at automobile manufacturers, or may work as consultants. Approximately 39,700 industrial designers, including automotive designers, are employed in the United States.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$72,367

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Employment Prospects

Fair

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Internship, volunteering, and part-time experience


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Skills

Computer
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Personality Traits

Artistic
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Earnings

Salaries for automotive designers vary depending on the company, geographic location, state of the industry, and level of professional experience. Overall, industrial designers earned a median wage of $66,590 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $38,630 or less, while the highest 10 percent earned $108,040 or more. In August 2019, ZipRecruiter rep...

Work Environment

Workplaces for automotive designers vary depending on the stage of their current project. They work in comfortable offices when doing preliminary sketches, when using computerized design programs, or when brainstorming with other industry professionals. However, they may shift to different areas for other design processes, such as studios when building or modifying prototypes. Some travel may b...

Outlook

Employment of industrial designers is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The outlook for industrial designers who work in the manufacturing industry is even grimmer, with a slight decline in employment predicted in the years to come. Despite this outlook, there will continue to be a need for automotive desig...