Product Design
About the Major
The Product Design major is about creating the future in the form of new objects, systems and services. It is inherently creative and interdisciplinary blending design, engineering, business, art, and humanities. Students in this major will gain experience generating, visualizing, and prototyping innovative concepts.
Career Outcomes
Where do students work after graduation?
Where do students work after graduation?
| Job Title | Organization | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Surfacing CAD Designer | Trek Bicycle | Sun Prairie, WI |
| Assistant | Lucien Pages Communication | New York, NY |
| Associate Designer Intern | The Bernard Group | Chanhassen, MN |
| Bartender | Saloon of Mt. Lebanon | Mount Lebanon, PA |
| Community Experience Assistant | City of Saint Paul | St. Paul, MN |
| Customer Service Representative | Build-A-Bear Workshop | Bloomington, MN |
| Design Engineer | RAVE Sports | Eagan, MN |
| Designer | Shark | Ninja | Needham, MA |
| Digital Designer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota | Eagan, MN |
| Engineer | Vitatek | Woodbury, MN |
| Engineer/CAD Designer | Nevers Industries Inc | Maple Grove, MN |
| Fire Protection Designer | J.F. Ahern | Minneapolis, MN |
| Human Factors design Engineer Contingent | Medtronic | Mounds View, MN |
| Industrial Engineer | Vitatek | Woodbury, MN |
| Industry Process Intern - Footwear | Dassault Systems Americas Corperation | Waltham, MA |
| Product Designer | Navy Island | St. Paul, MN |
| Staff Industrial Designer - Golf, Racquet, and Sports Games | Dick's Sporting Goods | Coraopolis, PA |
| UX Designer | Russell Herder | Minneapolis, MN |
| UX Designer | U.S. Bancorp | Minneapolis, MN |
Where do students continue education after graduation?
Where do students continue education after graduation?
| Program | School |
|---|---|
| Human Factors & Ergonomics | University of Minnesota |
Where students interned and gained experience during school
Where are alumni 5 years after graduation?
Where are alumni 5 years after graduation?
| Job Title | Employer |
|---|---|
| Designer | Target |
| Digital Product Manager | Optum |
| Editor in Chief | All Things Fashion Tech |
| Industrial Color Designer | Sherwin-Williams |
| RBX Strategy and Design Associate | Target |
| Senior Digital Product Designer | Mayo Clinic |
| Senior Model Designer | The LEGO group |
| Senior User Experience Designer | Grainger |
| Senior User Experience Designer | Surescripts |
| UX Designer | Deloitte |
| UX/UI Designer | PortalMedia |
| Wayfinding Designer | MIJKSENAAR |
| XD Researcher | Mayo Clinic |
Full outcomes report including salary, locations, satisfaction, and more
Common Entry-Level Job Titles
- Design Researcher
- Industrial Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Product Designer
- Product Developer
- Product Engineer
- User Experience Designer
Top Employers
- 3M
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- GEMS
- Medtronic
- Navy Island
- SPS Commerce
- Target Corporation
- The Bernard Group
- U.S. Bank
- Veranex
- Whiteboard Product Solutions
- Worrell
Types of Employers
- Consumer product companies
- Industrial product companies
- Marketing firms
- Medical device companies
- Product design consulting firms
Meet Your Career Consultant
Brian (he/him) can assist you with
- Major and career exploration
- Internship planning
- Job searching
- Interview prep and practice
- Grad school planning and more...
Additional Resources
In addition to these resources we recommend the following strategies to locate more information about careers related to your major:
- O*NET and Careerwise. These tools provide comprehensive information about a wide range of careers including typical duties, salaries, employment outlook, skills and interests.
- Locate professional associations related to your major or career interests by conducting a Google Search on “(Name of major/career area/industry) professional associations.” Try these keywords: product, design, industrial, sustainable, systems, user experience, CAD, drafting
- Get involved in one of the many industry-related student groups on campus. These groups provide links to experiences, guest speakers, and discussion with like-minded students.
- Job Requirements and Job Outlook for Product Design/Industrial Design
- Industrial Design: How They Do It
- Getting an Industrial Design Job