How Much Can I Make as a UX Designer? (2023 Salary Guide)
Learn how much you can expect to make as a UX professional with this 2023 salary guide.
![[Featured image] A UX designer sketches on a tablet while drinking a cup of coffee.](https://d3njjcbhbojbot.cloudfront.net/api/utilities/v1/imageproxy/https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/5NYrb6Wunw9gBvc2nsD4h0/b319ed0966d7ee9ed8f51355a8c7860b/UX_Designer_salary.png?w=1500&h=680&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive&auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=1&w=1000&h=)
Working as a user experience designer typically involves leveraging a wide range of technical and soft skills. And UX designers are often compensated well for their expertise.
In this article, we’ll discuss how much UX designers and other UX professionals earn in the US, as well as what factors can influence salaries in the world of user experience.
Read more: What Does a UX Designer Do?
What is an average UX designer salary?
The average base salary for UX designers in the US is $95,572 per year as of February 2023, according to Glassdoor [1]. The role was also listed as sixth in Glassdoor’s list of 25 Highest Paying Entry Level Jobs [2]. Compare this to $58,260, the mean annual salary across all occupations in the United States [3].
professional certificate
Google UX Design
This is your path to a career in UX design. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than 6 months. No degree or experience required.
4.8
BEGINNER level
Average time: 6 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
User Experience (UX), UX Research, Wireframe, Prototype, User Experience Design (UXD), Usability Testing, mockup, Figma, Adobe XD, UX design jobs
Factors that impact UX salary
How much you make as a UX professional will vary depending on where you work, your experience, your skills, and your specific job title. The next few sections take a closer look at the factors that can influence your salary.
Job title
As technology becomes more user-centric, UX design teams expand to include more specialized roles. These different job titles often require different skill sets and come with different compensation amounts.
| Job title | Glassdoor |
|---|---|
| UX designer | $81,106 |
| UI designer | $82,548 |
| UX researcher | $85,028 |
| Product designer | $78,613 |
| Information architect | $125,788 |
| UX writer | $75,026 |
| UX engineer | $125,552 |
All US base salary data sourced from Glassdoor as of February 2023.
Years of experience
Generally, the longer you’ve been working as a UX designer, the more you can expect to earn. Moving into a management position can often lead to an even bigger salary increase. According to Glassdoor as of February 2023, the average annual base salary for creative and UX directors in the US is $163,297.
If you're a recent graduate or someone transitioning into UX design from a related role, you may not have much experience. Consider enhancing your portfolio to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers. For example, you can enroll in an online guided project to learn how to work with popular industry tools like GitHub and Miro. Here are a couple of options to get you started:
UX skills
Working as a UX designer typically requires a variety of technical and workplace skills. Having proficiency in some of these skills could mean taking home a bigger paycheck. Team leadership, content management, product management, and design skills correlate to the biggest percentage increase in pay for UX designers.
Read more: 9 Essential Skills for UX Designers
UX certifications and qualifications
Some employers may prefer candidates who have credentials in specialized areas of expertise. Certificates can also be a great way to fill gaps in your work experience and demonstrate your skills. The list below compiles a few options from industry leaders in technology. Each course is self-paced, 100 percent online, and awards learners with a shareable certificate for their resume.
User Experience (UX) Research and Design from the University of Michigan
Location
Another big factor that influences salaries across many jobs and industries is location. UX professionals living in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles areas tend to see the highest salaries. Keep in mind that these cities are also among the most expensive to live.
Other benefits and compensation
Salary may be the primary form of compensation in the field of UX, but it’s not the only one. The most common benefits tend to include:
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Paid time off
Stock options
Retirement savings plan
Cash bonus
Are UX designers in demand?
UX professionals typically earn significantly more than the national average. The good news is that skilled UX professionals are also in demand. LinkedIn listed UX design as one of 15 jobs on the rise in 2022 [4]. With user experience set to become a factor in what sites rank well on Google this year, the demand for UX designers could very well continue to grow.
Advance your career in UX design with Coursera
Learn from an industry leader and earn UX credentials for your resume with the Google UX Design Professional Certificate on Coursera. You don’t need a degree or any previous experience, and you can get started for free.
professional certificate
Google UX Design
This is your path to a career in UX design. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than 6 months. No degree or experience required.
4.8
BEGINNER level
Average time: 6 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
User Experience (UX), UX Research, Wireframe, Prototype, User Experience Design (UXD), Usability Testing, mockup, Figma, Adobe XD, UX design jobs
Article sources
Glassdoor. "User Experience Designer Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-user-experience-designer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,27.htm." Accessed February 22, 2023.
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
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