How Much Do UX Designers Make? UX/UI Salary Report (2024 Update)

salary Mar 29, 2024

UX Design Salary Overview

Exploring a new career path requires considering both passion and practicality. You'll naturally ask, 'Will I enjoy this work?' and 'Do my skills fit this industry?' But eventually, students and career changers must face the crucial question: will this job pay me well?

If you are thinking about a career in user experience (UX) or user interface (UI) design, you’re in luck. As of 2024, workers in UX design tend to be well compensated, even at the entry level.

Here is a quick overview of typical UX design salaries at different levels of experience from Payscale, updated for 2024:

Entry Level (<1 year of experience) $65,000/year

Junior Level (1-4 years of experience) $82,000/year

Mid-Level (5-9 years of experience) $97,000/year

Senior Level (10+ years of experience) $100,000+ /year

Average Base Salary $84,000/year

Avocademy Graduate Salaries

Many Avocademy alumni have found exciting roles in a wide range of work environments, from Fortune-100 megacorporations to smaller startups and nonprofits. Our graduates have seen a similarly wide array of offers, ranging from about $50K to $210K.

Despite this wide range, Avocademy graduates enjoy an average starting salary of $89,000 a year (which is $24K higher than the entry-level average!) Here’s a snapshot of what Avocademy graduates are earning as 2024 begins:

Average Salary

$89,000

Range

$51,000 - $210,000

Average Time Needed to Find a Job

100 days

Range of Time Needed to Find a Job

6 days - 180 days

As you can see, Avocademy graduates are also finding new roles quite quickly, with a typical job search of fewer than three months. Considering that most Avocados are new to UX design, these stats are very impressive indeed!

Why Do UX Designer Salaries Vary So Much?

It is important to note that UX/UI design and related fields are relatively new, changing all the time, and not clearly defined. As such, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report UX designer income information and instead groups them with salary data for web developers and other digital designers.

To add to the confusion, different sources provide different salary estimates for UX designers. Some sources, such as Payscale, report entry-level UX designer salaries at around $60,000 a year. However, DICE writes that some lucky UX designers can start out making over $105,000 a year. Different companies also use different pay thresholds when hiring UX designers.

Despite these disparities, one trend remains clear: with experience, UX professionals have the potential to generate six-figure incomes.

So how can newcomers to the world of UX/UI tap into this potential? Learning what to expect is the first step toward a rewarding (and) career. Keep reading to take a closer look at UX design salary statistics and trends.

Let’s get this guac!

UX Design Salary by Location

UX/UI salaries vary based on your location. According to Indeed’s analysis, UX designers in Maryland were the best paid last year, with an impressive average salary of around $146,000.

Other large cities around the US reported similarly high salaries. Here is a compiled list of the top states and cities that pay UX designers well. These places are not listed in any order; rather, they represent a collection of locations that consistently rank highly for base UX/UI salaries:

Top-Paying States and Cities for UX Designers

California

Johnstonville ($143,073, ZipRecruiter)
San Bruno ($138,768, ZipRecruiter)
Maricopa ($138,429, ZipRecruiter)
Palo Alto ($136,547, ZipRecruiter)
Stanford ($133,822, ZipRecruiter)
Campbell ($133,722, ZipRecruiter)
Millbrae ($132,447, ZipRecruiter)

Maryland

Annapolis junction ($146,306, Indeed)

Washington

Summitview ($132,161, ZipRecruiter)
Seattle ($129,688, ZipRecruiter)

Texas

Austin ($110,830, Indeed)
Houston ($105,728, Indeed)

Other Good Cities for UX/UI Designers

Groveton, New Hampshire ($132,908, ZipRecruiter)
Orlando, Florida ($113,047, Indeed)
Huntsville, Alabama ($106,513, Indeed)
Denver, Colorado ($100,047, Indeed)

The best-paying cities vary slightly by data source, but overall these numbers are quite similar across the country. A designer looking to earn the big bucks can choose from many different metropolises.

A word of caution: while these salaries might be similar, cities can have vastly different numbers of opportunities available. Before moving 2,000 miles to chase your UX dreams, be sure to scope out the job market and consider local living expenses. Better yet, have an offer in hand before you board a plane!

If none of these cities appeal to you, remember that you don’t have to relocate to start a UX career. Many UX/UI roles are completely remote, allowing professionals to earn tech field incomes without living in expensive urban neighborhoods.

UX Design Salaries in Other Countries

In the United States, UX base salaries range between $75,000 and $110,000 annually. Our friends in Europe, Asia, and South America can generally expect lower salaries, except for Australia, Canada and Switzerland. According to salaryexpert.com, Australia outranked the U.S. with an average annual salary of $126,697.

Country Survey Submissions Average Salary

Australia $126,697

Switzerland $105,472.2

Canada $103,927

United States $97,319

United Kingdom $67,982

Germany $71,541

Sweden $60,743

China $47,794

UX/UI Design Career Outlook— Why is UX in Demand?

While there have been some recent tech industry layoffs, the overall UX job market is projected to grow. UX-related skills are in high demand. According to a recent LinkedIn report, companies ranked UX design fifth among their top-ten most desired hard skills.

While no one can predict the future, industry trends suggest that demand for UX/UI professionals will not wane anytime soon. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for web developers and digital designers—which includes UX designers—is expected to grow 23% from 2021-2031, much faster than average.

At the time of writing, there were over 30,000 open UX roles in the United States posted on Indeed and Glassdoor combined. In 2024 and beyond, employers will continue to post fresh UX/UI openings for job seekers.

Unlike some careers, UX/UI work is not limited to a specific type of company or even a specific industry. Startups and established companies alike value these talents, which helps create a strong UX job market. Companies of all sizes currently seek UX/UI designers, from those with fewer than 50 employees to tech giants with over 10,000 workers.

So why are UX/UI designers in demand? Put simply, there are over a billion websites and millions of mobile applications in existence. Someone has to make sure they all work! If a user can’t navigate a digital interface, they won’t return, and they definitely won’t make a purchase. UX/UI professionals keep users, and customers, coming back for more.

Savvy businesses know that customer loyalty is essential for success. That’s why they hire UX/UI professionals.

UX Design Salary by Job Title

One of the best parts of working in UX/UI is the sheer variety of career paths you can pursue. Those who are interested in this field can find a niche role that plays to their unique strengths. From strategy to writing to research, the different types of UX/UI career paths are nearly endless.

With many unique UX/UI specializations come many different starting wages. Some roles are in more demand than others, and specialized UX/UI skills, such as voice UX design, can bump up a candidate’s compensation package.

Before deciding your preferred flavor of UX/UI, consider the pay differences among these roles. You may be only one or two skills away from a higher salary!

UX Designer

What does a UX Designer Do?

Perhaps the best-known user experience role is the UX designer. User experience designers work iteratively to identify and address product users’ pain points following a cyclic design process. Their work can include wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

UX Designer Salary:

According to Indeed, the average UX base pay is about $127,170 a year.

UI Designer

What does a UI Designer Do?

While UX designers conceptualize pathways and frameworks for users to interact with a product, user interface (UI) designers bring those ideas to life. UI designers focus specifically on refining digital interactions, optimizing and beautifying each touchpoint to make effective and delightful digital products.

UI Designer Salary:

Indeed reports that the average UI designer base salary is $89,795 a year.

Product Designer

What Does a Product Designer Do?

Product design is the broader, older cousin of UX/UI design. Product design is related to industrial design, and rather than focusing purely on the user’s needs, it considers other factors related to a product’s success, such as cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

Product Designer Salary:

According to Indeed, the average Product designer base salary is $112,315 per year.

UX Researcher

What does a UX Researcher Do?

UX researchers work to better understand user needs through testing, interviews, and other investigations. They define the pain points of end-users, then synthesize and report their findings to the team. By understanding and advocating for user needs throughout the design process, UX researchers keep projects grounded, resulting in a more effective final product.

UX Researcher Salary:

According to Indeed, the average UX researchers base salary is $78,811 per year.

UI Architect

What does a UI Architect Do?

UI architects organize the way digital interfaces present information to make them more logical and useful. They work alongside UX/UI designers to help bring structure and flow to a complex product.

UI Architect Salary:

According to Indeed, the average UI architect base salary is $124,258 per year.

UX Copywriter

What does a UX Copywriter Do?

UX copywriters oversee the textual elements of a digital product and work to optimize them throughout the design process. They ensure that all written content (such as microcopy, instructions, emails, and more) provides clear navigation and a pleasant experience for users.

UX Copywriter Salary:

According to Glassdoor, the average UX writer base salary is $97,000 per year.

UX Strategist

What does a UX Strategist Do?

This role embraces a big-picture mindset. Rather than considering the user’s needs alone, the UX strategist makes design decisions based on the market. They work to determine how improving user experience can help a product, and a business, succeed. UX researchers often work across many teams to synthesize goals, collaborating with designers and stakeholders alike.

UX Strategist Salary:

According to ZipRecruiter, the average UX strategist's base salary is $139,867 per year.

Beyond Salary: Other Perks of a UX/UI Career

Many individuals pivot their careers to UX/UI simply because it pays well. Obviously, salary matters. Still, it’s worth noting the non-salary upsides of starting a career in UX design.

Low Barrier to Entry

The first major perk of a UX/UI career is the relatively low barrier to entry. This path does not demand nearly a decade of formal education, unlike other high-paying careers.

Job Satisfaction

UX careers also provide job satisfaction. A 2022 analysis from MeasuringU found that UX professionals had a 74% job satisfaction score, placing them among some of the happiest workers around. While plenty of stress exists in any career, UX professionals get to enjoy creative, meaningful work surrounded by like-minded teammates.

Remote Flexibility

Another UX career perk is flexibility. Like many tech jobs, much of the UX/UI design process is computer-based work that can be done individually. The forward-thinking and tech-savvy culture of the UX field means that many UXers can work from home.

Dynamic Career Path

A final, oft-forgotten UX career perk: the chance to learn and grow! UX/UI careers are always changing. With new UX tools, trends, and strategies emerging every year, UX professionals get to evolve with the field. Boredom is rare in such a creative and dynamic line of work.

Breaking Into UX Design

How Long Does it Take to Become a UX/UI Designer?

At this point, UX/UI may sound too good to be true. A great salary and enjoyable work? Surely there must be a catch!

We’re happy to say there is no catch. UX/UI jobs are really out there waiting to be filled by talented people like you.

However, major career changes don’t happen overnight. Employers in any industry can be hesitant to extend offers, even to extremely qualified entry-level candidates. As such, landing your first UX/UI position can be tricky. But tricky does not mean impossible!

There are many different ways to break into UX design. At Avocademy, we’ve found that consistent, focused effort works. With the help of a UX mentorship program or UX bootcamp, students land an entry-level UX job within eight months to a year. Our Avocademy students often go on to earn salaries between $51,000 - $210,000, doubling their income in a short timeframe.

Ready to Make the Leap? Schedule a Free Mentorship Call!

We love UX/UI, and we love helping people find their place in this field. If you’re ready to set up your free UX mentoring appointment, schedule a call!