UI & UX Designer Salaries: How Much Can I Earn in 2024?

Here’s a little nugget of truth about today’s reality that eludes many people because it’s so close to their lives and they might only notice it if they traveled back in time: with more users and customers than ever before pivoting towards digital solutions and all but living on their smartphones, companies are doing everything possible to ensure positive digital experiences.

What does this mean for you?

More UI/UX jobs? Yes!

Better UI/UX designer salaries? Let’s find out!

A report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has it that jobs for UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) designers are on the rise and going to keep on growing 8% from 2023 to 2033—a far faster rate than many other occupations can expect to enjoy—and what that translates to is more opportunities in the UI/UX domain. Still, before you decide on which job role you think you want to apply for, you’ll need to understand the differences between UX and UI—and clearly.

“UI” and “UX” can seem more than a little close as terms, especially for many people who might have only come across the terms once or twice—and they’re terms that maybe aren’t so deeply embedded in the popular psyche. It’s true that people often use “UI” and “UX” interchangeably—and it’s a point that can spill over into the fact that some job descriptions can fuse the two roles into one when they advertise for a “UI-UX designer” or “smuggle” a UI designer’s tasks into a “UX designer” position, or vice versa. There’s a difference, though—and it’s that UI design refers to a digital product’s digital elements, like buttons and icons, while UX design relates to the overall interaction and usability that a digital product can offer its users.

Watch our video to understand the difference between UX and UI design:

With that said, there’s a more burning question than what the difference is—or differences are—and it’s this: Do UI and UX design pay well?

The truth is there are many factors that affect a designer’s salary—things like company, size, location, experience, and position—and, to give you a range, the average UI UX design starting salary in the US is $75,057 /yr; so, if you’re willing to build a career as a UI or UX designer, then read on!

What Does the Job Market Look Like for UI & UX Designers in 2024?

The UI and UX design industry segments in the U.S. have an average of 21,800 employment opportunities come up every year—expected, as we reported earlier, to grow at 8% between 2023 and 2033.

If that looks like a massive hike, you’re right, but it’s certainly not sudden and nor did it happen overnight!

Here, it’s important to cast an eye over the history of UI/UX design—and, to be sure, it has come a long, long way since those more basic-looking days of the 1990s. In fact, things have accelerated to the point that both UX and UI design are evolving daily and setting trends extremely quickly, so fundamental is the craft of digital design.

In the mid-2020s, the advancements and innovations that UI and UX designers are making are rapid and shaping everyday expectations of what you can find on screens everywhere. Naturally, then, there’s a huge demand for designers to help power and steer this juggernaut of modern digital design—especially designers who are familiar with a list of industry trends and standards and can work according to them:

• Dark mode: This soaring trend isn’t showing any signs of letting up—and it will continue to gain in popularity this year, too.

• Animation: This immersive way to enhance the user experience is gaining more and more momentum, providing more engaging and entertaining bridges between users and brands.

• Hover effects: Hover effects are here to stay for product imagery, so it’s another popular choice that’s growing steadily in the design industry, even if it presents some challenges for mobile devices—and so needing innovative design minds to step up to the plate.

• Neumorphism: This one’s already a staple in the design industry, and with its distinctive looks, it’s becoming an aesthetic choice for contemporary digital products.

There’s a great deal of changes going on in the industry, to be sure, and it calls for you to evolve with trends while you keep a firm grasp of things like design principles. With that said, you’ve got a remarkable trajectory to follow with UX and UI design—and trailblaze at the edges of each one—while you get to grow your soft skills, too. Exciting times aren’t just ahead; they’re already here!

Average UI & UX Designer Salaries Across the World

Since the pandemic scourged the planet so mercilessly at the start of this decade, one positive outcome of its year-plus grind has been that many companies have shifted to go completely remote or they’ve adopted a hybrid work culture where the professionals they hire go into the office sometimes but do a lot of their work at home.

How that’s affected how these companies pay their employees is something we can pour into two “buckets” now. Some companies pay remote employees the same as the ones who work—or worked, past tense—in-office, and that’s regardless of where they live. However, others make adjustments based on a cost-of-living variable, and that can work out nice and conveniently—and pay handsomely—for you as a designer working for one of them.

To give you an idea of what the rewards are like from location to location around the world, here’s what salaries for UI UX designers look like in some of the biggest cities:

USA 

With the increasing need for seamless digital experiences in the US—a happy little reality that is pretty much guaranteed to keep on growing—the demand for UI UX specialists to accompany and expand with that need is on the rise, too. What that translates to for you when you’re a UX/UI candidate is that, having such a plethora of opportunities flowing all around you, you’re going to have a healthy number of choices of where you can put your skills to work.

The average salary of a UX designer in the United States is $110,392 per year.

If that sounds like good news, keep smiling—a freelance UX designer can earn around $128,549 per year in the United States.

On the UI side of things, the average salary of a UI designer in the United States is $98,795 per year.

And a freelance UI designer can earn around $93,044 per year in the United States.

United Kingdom

Great news—the job market in the UK for UI / UX designers is a wonderfully competitive one, too! For that, you’ll need to manage a spectrum of user impressions and interactions for a variety of brands—and so build and flex your UI or UX muscles in ways that can find your growing strong in the field—and the best part is that you’ll get an assured salary increment every year!

The average salary of a UX designer in the UK is £53,356 per year.

A freelance UX designer can earn around £58,003 per year in the United Kingdom.

The average salary of a UI designer in the UK is £51,716 /yr.

A freelance UI designer can earn around £58,003 per year in the United Kingdom.

China

At first glance, China might seem a little more like the land of opportunity for other industries, and—sure—its UI/UX market isn’t as fancy and flourishing as those in many other lands, but things are looking good and China’s demand for UX and UI is certainly on the rise, slow and steady.

The average salary of a UX designer in China is CN¥20,000 per year.

And the average salary of a UI designer in China is CN¥12,839 year.

Australia

As with much of the West, the demand for UI UX designers is high in Australia—and expected to keep on growing in the coming years. In 2022, around 1,500 roles were advertised online via Seek.com.au—within some of the popular states of Australia like New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland—so it’s no wonder UX and UI are more than a going concern Down Under.

The average salary of a UX designer in Australia is A$90,000 per year.

And the average salary of a UI designer in Australia is A$80,559 year.

What Is the Average Salary for Each Experience Level?

The level of experience in the specific UI & UX role in different industries is a factor that’s got a massive bearing on what a UI-UX designer’s salary amounts to, and—as it is in many careers—the more experience you’ve got (and so the longer you’ve stayed on the same path), the higher the salary you can expect to command. With that said, you’ll want to get relevant experience, which is something you can get when you master the skills you need to help you and learn effective UX management, and from there you can grow, flourish, and glow at more senior levels as your influence expands.

The really great news attached to this is that, if you’re patient and passionate, a steady progression in the salary every year is something that’s pretty much guaranteed—for instance, the yearly base pay for UI and UX directors in the US was $140,020 in March 2023, according to Glassdoor.

Check out this quick and handy overview of the salary of entry-level UX designers and their experienced counterparts.

Now check out the table below, which represents the salary of UI designers and shows how it goes up with experience.

Moving on from there, a UI and UX designer can pivot to the role of a product designer, and for that, you’ll get to take care of the organization of the UI UX design process and other related tasks from the business development perspective—more responsibility, sure, but more rewards to make the growth commensurately attractive. So, without further ado, here’s an overview of the career path and salaries across different experience levels in product designing:

How to Negotiate Your UI or UX Design Salary

As many professionals know, interviews can be a stressathon—or they can shine as a platinum opportunity to sell your skills well and grab that awesome job title for all it’s worth and really make it your own. One thing that can be tempting—or perhaps where it’s only natural to feel the pressure on—is to give a specific number for your expected salary during the interview, but it’s best not to rush into it just yet! Too low a number from you and you may get lower than what they’re willing to pay—and, almost to add insult to injury, you might end up doing much more for much less without ever even knowing what you could have secured for yourself. However, go too high figures-wise and you could price yourself out of a job, and that can lead to more time—in some cases, like if you’re between roles—with no pay, never mind low pay.

Here we’ve got a few UI UX FAQs that can help you prepare for salary negotiations:

1. Will disclosing my previous salary information help with the negotiations?

There’s ongoing debate about salary disclosure all around the world, and it’s hard to second-guess what’s the better way when you’re facing a potential employer. Some believe that you can weaken your negotiating position if you mention salary, but others think it can actually help you seize better salaries—maybe especially so if you’re so much of a shining star that the new employer would be scared to let you go to a competitor. Still, there’s a law in various states, like California, that prohibits companies from requesting previous compensation and benefits—to help you get fairly compensated based on your talent and skills—but, in any case, it’s best not to voluntarily disclose your previous salary if it’s low.

2. What should I tell the employer when they ask for my salary expectations?

Now let’s look at things from the other side of the hiring desk—and it’s perfectly understandable to feel anxious or uncertain when the employer asks about your salary expectations during an interview, but this is a common question—hence the “when” rather than “if”—and you should consider this a chance to discuss what you feel your skills are truly worth.

First up, relax—and rest assured you can prepare yourself for this question when you research the average UX designer salary and UI designer salary per industry standards through Glassdoor or Indeed. Once you’ve got a fair idea of the range, you can answer that question confidently—and honestly—without feeling any need well up inside you to panic or worry.

When you should start negotiating is if you’ve had an interview for an entry-level or junior designer position, cleared the final stage of the selection process, and haven’t received the offer letter yet. Just try it at this stage—if they’re ready to extend an offer, it’s a decent sign that they want you on their team, and before anything gets set in writing, you still have a chance to negotiate for a better salary, and better pay will pave a better way for your efforts there.

3. How to develop the skills required to match the job description

If you’ve heard of The Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF), SkillShare, or Udemy—and we assume you have!—then you’ve pretty much got a surefire way to equip yourself and fill out your skillset to meet what the job may call for.

These reputable educational institutions provide a wide range of UI/UX design courses—and they’re ones that typically last between five and nine weeks. From mobile UX to UX management and practical guides to usability, you can go for the course that’s relevant to the required skill set for the role you’re looking to fill.

Salaries for Other Roles Under the UX Umbrella

Now, if you're wondering how much do UX designers make when they work in different roles—because UX splinters into a variety of careers and job descriptions—this overview of some of the popular roles that come under the UX umbrella will show you what’s what:

1. UX Researcher Salary

A UX researcher needs to understand the users’ needs before ideas about a solution can even begin to start entering the picture through creative means, and this job finds them conducting thorough research to get valuable insights into the user’s—or the customer’s—mindset. It means they collaborate with the designers to actually incorporate those insights into the design, too, but it’s worth noting that while large organizations usually hire in-house dedicated UX researchers, a UX designer wears multiple hats in smaller businesses—including a UX researcher’s.

A UX researcher's average salary is $140,736/yr in the United States.

Watch as UX Strategist and Consultant, William Hudson explains exactly what user research is, where it fits in the design process, and why you should do it.

2. UX Writer Salary

A UX writer has got to create written content for digital products to enhance the user experience for target audiences—everything from website landing page copy to microcopy, or the text for buttons and links and the like. For other strings to the UX writing bow, the job may involve conducting user research occasionally, developing content strategies, and revising content for clarity and accessibility, too.

The average salary of a UX writer is $119,336 per year, and if you go in as a freelance UX writer, you could make $200,000 working the same hours in the United States.

3. UX Strategist Salary

A UX strategist understands how to use—and implement—business strategies, and they often need to define business goals, while they’re collaborating with clients and stakeholders, and improve content design strategy in a product that balances user needs with business requirements and gets the best results all around.

The average salary of a UX Strategist is $107,491 in the United States.

Freelance UX and UI Designer Salaries

It can be more of a lure for many UX and UI designers to just go freelance and maneuver above the constraints that can come with being on the payroll as a direct employee—and a main one is the point that “salaried” can mean unpaid overtime from time to time, depending on the company. If you’re after extra income and flexibility—understandably—then freelancing is the best way to go about it, not least since you get to work from anywhere, anytime, on as many projects as you can choose to handle, and with selective clients through freelancing. Still, these aren’t the only plus sides, and there are several other perks of freelancing that will lure you toward learning how to become a freelance designer and break away from the 9-to-5 grind.

But the real question here, of course, is how much can freelance UX and UI designers earn?

Usually—and as with the direct-payroll UX and UI professionals on salaries—the pay ranges for freelance UX and UI designers do vary based on skills and experience in the industry, and most freelance UX UI designers charge their clients on a project basis, while some charge hourly and weekly. So, check out this overview of the pay brackets for freelance UX and UI designers:

Other Benefits and Compensation for UI & UX Designers

1. Paid Leave

The majority of UI/UX designers get paid time off—time they can use for sick days, vacation, or personal days—so you can give your best when you’re working, while feeling more in balance.

2. Bonus

UI/UX designers are eligible to receive bonuses based on different parameters, and the most common one is a bonus for—of course—your exceptional performance.

3. Gym Memberships

If you’re someone who takes fitness seriously, then climbing on board to earn a gym membership sounds like a perfect way to stay fit while you work—a nifty little benefit where you can feel your best after you’ve given your best, or before; the choice is yours!

4. Health Insurance

Health insurance helps cover significant medical expenses—and private insurance, let’s just say, is more than a big deal in countries where socialized medicine doesn’t exist or is inadequate with strained services—so it’s far, far more than just a nice-to-have if you get injured or fall ill.

5. Retirement Plan

Many organizations in the United States offer UI UX designers a retirement plan that allows them to invest for the future—when they’ll want to step away to better things—and enjoy tax benefits.

How to become a UI or UX Designer? 

Now that you’ve got a fair idea of what the UI/UX job market is like in various countries, plus what some of the benefits and perks looks like, you’ll have noticed how upskilling and continuously refining your skills is nothing short of essential to stay competitive. Happily, you can apply for multiple UI/UX courses offered by the IxDF to learn and upgrade your UI/UX design skills.

Watch UX Consultant and Author of The UX Careers Handbook, Cory Lebson, and learn important career path insights.

And the best part of upskilling is that the return on investment is unparalleled: if you learn a single skill or technique that increases your salary by even just a small percentage, the return on your investment will be thousands of percent.