Materials Engineers vs Commercial and Industrial Designers: AI exposure, pay and openings

AI use is higher in commercial and industrial designers work: 4% of tasks (little observed) against 0% for materials engineers (little observed). Materials Engineers has the higher median pay, $112,860 a year against $83,910, a gap of $28,950.

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet.

Side by side

MeasureMaterials EngineersCommercial and Industrial Designers
Tasks that already see AI use0% (Little observed)4% (Little observed)
Median pay a year$112,860$83,910

Exposure: Anthropic Economic Index, March 2026. Pay, growth and openings: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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