Technical Designer Career Path
Are you thinking of becoming a Technical Designer or already started your career and planning the next step? Learn how to become a Technical Designer, what skills you need to succeed, how to advance your career and get promoted, and what levels of pay to expect at each step on your career path. Explore new Technical Designer job openings and options for career transitions into related roles.
How to Become a technical designer
If you're considering starting your Technical Designer career path, it's important to note the skills, qualifications, and time it takes to become a professional Technical Designer and how to advance your career path. Below are the steps generally required to begin and advance your Technical Designer career.Contents
1
Earn a Degree
To begin your Technical Designer career path, a Bachelor's Degree in information technology or a related field is usually necessary in order to remain a competitive option for employers. Focus on industry-specific skill development during your education in order to be properly equipped when applying for entry-level positions and entering the job force. A Technical Designer internship may be required to earn your Bachelor's Degree and acquire necessary on-the-job skills before entering the workforce.Based on resume data from Glassdoor users who reported working as a Technical Designer in the United States.
What type of degree should you pursue to become a Technical Designer?
100% of people working as a Technical Designer earned a Bachelor's Degree
What skills do you need to be a Technical Designer?
- CAD Software
- Adobe Photoshop
- Security Clearance
- AutoCAD
- Revit
- Indesign
- Cable Routing
- Written Communication
2
Choose a Specialty in Your Field
As an Technical Designer, you may be required to choose a specialty within your field. Determine which part of the Technical Designer field you feel strongest in, and continue taking active steps toward growing in your chosen Technical Designer specialty.
3
Get an Entry-Level Position as a Technical Designer
Once you've acquired a Bachelor's Degree in information technology or a related field, you'll typically begin your career as an entry-level Technical Designer. In general, you can become a Technical Designer after completing your 4 year Bachelor's Degree in a related discipline. Depending on the type of Technical Designer role you’re pursuing, you may want to explore certification in .
4
Advance in Your Technical Designer Career
Following entry-level, there are several Technical Designer career path levels to advance into. It can take 2 years as an entry-level Technical Designer to progress to the senior technical designer position. Each advanced Technical Designer position requires approximately 2 years of experience at each level to advance in your Technical Designer career path. It may be necessary to receive additional education, an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree in a related field, or special certifications in order to advance your Technical Designer career path.
5
Continued Education for Your Technical Designer Career Path
Not all industries and companies require continued education to advance your Technical Designer career path. However, earning this degree may help you advance to higher-earning positions more quickly. Earning a Bachelor's Degree in information technology can take 4 years to complete. People that have earned their Bachelor's Degree typically make $99,089 compared to $45,044 for those without that type of degree.
Seniority Levels
Total Pay Trajectory
Technical Designer Career Path
$130K
$123K
$115K
$108K
$100K
L2
Seniority Levels
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Related Careers in the Arts & Design Industry
Interested in other Arts & Design careers? Below are occupations that have high affinity with Technical Designer skills. Discover some of the most common Technical Designer career transitions, along with skills overlap.