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Industrial Designer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an industrial designer is $77,000 per annum, before tax, up $15,900 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay moves most with experience and portfolio rather than years served, and the sector matters: in-house roles at manufacturers tend to be steadier, while consultancy work rises and falls with project flow.
- Contract and freelance rates vary widely, since a designer billed by the day is paid differently from one on a salary.
- Location plays a smaller part than the industry you work in.
The median salary rose by $15,900 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than industrial designer
The largest typical pay rise is $58,900 a year, moving into Mechanical Engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer+$58,900/yr
- Project Manager+$33,800/yr
- Graphic Designer+$19,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher industrial designer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time industrial designer salary is $77,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like UX and interaction design and CAD and technical drawing tend to command a premium over general industrial designer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $58,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Industrial Designer salary questions
How much do industrial designers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an industrial designer is $77,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is industrial designer pay rising or falling?
The median industrial designer salary is up $15,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than industrial designer?
Mechanical Engineer pays a typical $58,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to industrial designer.
Related salaries
- Mechanical Engineer salary
- Graphic Designer salary
- Interior Designer salary
- Project Manager salary
- UX Designer salary
- Mechanical Drafter salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.