Industrial Design Concentration

Industrial designers combine art, business, and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products. Industrial designers typically focus on the physical appearance, functionality, and manufacturability of a product, though they are often involved in far more during a development cycle. All of this ultimately extends to the overall lasting value and experience a product or service provides for end-users. The Industrial Design Concentration focuses on exposing students to 3D modeling, CNC machines and advanced materials from an industrial design perspective.

Entry‑Level Industrial Designer

Typical Colorado Salary Range: $69,536 to $78,979

What you do:

• Concept sketching, CAD modeling, prototyping
• Supporting senior designers
• Basic user research and design refinement

Time in role: 1–2 years

Mid‑Level Industrial Designer

Typical Colorado Salary Range: $79,187 to $87,146

What you do:

• Own product features or full product lines
• Work cross‑functionally with engineering & manufacturing
• Lead prototyping, usability testing, and design-for-manufacturing (DFM)

Time in role: 3–6 years

Senior Industrial Designer

Typical Colorado Salary Range: $90,000–$101,830+

What you do:

• Lead major product programs
• Guide design strategy, CMF, and user experience
• Mentor junior designers
• Work closely with manufacturing engineering on production readiness

Time in role: 6–10 years

Lead / Principal Industrial Designer

Typical Colorado Salary Range: $100,000 to $120,000+

What you do:

• Set design direction for product families
• Oversee design language systems
• Work directly with executives, marketing, and engineering leadership

Time in role: 8–12+ years

Design Manager / Director of Industrial Design

Typical Colorado Salary Range: $120,000 to $155,000+

What you do:

• Manage design teams and cross‑functional initiatives
• Own product strategy, brand alignment, and innovation pipelines
• Oversee budgets, hiring, and long‑term design vision

Time in role: 10–15+ years

What This Means for Students and Early‑Career Designers

• Colorado offers steady salary growth from entry‑level through senior roles.
• Designers who build skills in CAD, prototyping, UX, DFM, and cross‑functional collaboration advance fastest.
• Moving into leadership roles (Lead → Manager → Director) can double or even triple early‑career earnings.

Salary Data: Salary.com, Indeed, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter