AUTHOR

PUBLISHED ON

28 Feb 2024

The Ultimate UX Designer Salary Guide for 2025

AUTHOR

PUBLISHED ON

28 Feb 2024

Want to know what you can earn as a UX designer in 2025? Then keep reading for this year’s complete guide to UX designer salaries.

Would you like to know what you can expect to earn as a UX designer? Then look no further. In this complete guide to UX designer salaries in 2025, we’ve got all of the information you need.

In this article, we’ll be covering the salaries of UX designers in all major economies around the world as well as outlining the specific industries that are currently paying the highest salaries to UX design professionals. We’ll also take a look at some other job roles in UX design that you might wish to consider, provide expert advice on negotiating your salary, and give you a step-by-step guide to landing your first UX design position.

Contents:

UX design job market and demand
What is the current demand for UX designers in India?
UX designer salaries around the world, from junior to senior
Industries with the highest UX designer salaries
Related roles within the UX design space
Factors that can impact a UX designer’s salary
How to land a job in UX design
How to handle your UX designer salary negotiation
Conclusion

Ready to learn more? Then, let’s get started.

Team of UX designers working on a mobile application

1. UX design job market and demand

On the surface, employees in the tech industry have had a rough couple of years. With large layoffs at some of the Big Tech firms, the explosion of AI, and a reduction in job postings, it would be natural to think that now might not be the best time to launch a tech career. However, this view would be short-sighted. For UX designers with the right skills and expertise, there is still plenty of good news and importantly still many new job openings.

In 2025, there is a high demand for UX designers across the board. The job posting frenzy that occurred during the pandemic–which saw companies advertise for more positions than they were able to maintain–has calmed down, the UX market has matured, and over the last year or so the majority of companies have adopted more long term, sustainable hiring policies that focus on retaining and nurturing talent; a policy that benefits UX designers and teams considerably. Despite the recent spate of Big Tech layoffs, research shows that the global tech industry is actually expanding, with forecasts estimating an increase in global tech spending of 5.3% in 2024—up from 3.5% in 2023. For those looking for a new position, there is more good news. Experts are predicting a projected growth rate for jobs in tech over the next decade to be almost 2x the national growth rate for all other positions and industries. This includes UX design jobs which are forecast to grow by 4.7% during that time.

The advances in AI technology should also be viewed as an opportunity for UX designers rather than a threat to their livelihoods. Many UX designers are already reporting the benefits of using AI as a tool, citing efficiency savings and more streamlined processes as just two examples of how AI can support a team’s workload. As a human-centric field that requires human empathy and emotional intelligence, UX design can certainly benefit from the support of artificial intelligence technology but is unlikely to ever be replaced by it.

In short, the future for UX designers remains very positive. With the industry stabilizing again after a few turbulent years and businesses continuing to invest in digital transformation, we’ll start to see a steady–and more sustainable–increase in UX design job listings. In addition, UX design job opportunities in industries outside of technology such as healthcare, finance, and government are likely to grow as these industries become increasingly aware of the advantages of investing in user-centered design.

2. What is the current demand for UX designers in India?

Thanks to expanding internet penetration and rising affluence, India’s digital economy is expected to reach $800 billion by 2030, with some analysts predicting it could generate $1 trillion in economic value by 2025 alone in the country. With more than 658.0 million internet users in India, it’s unsurprising that UX designers are more in demand than ever before.

A closer look at the UX design market in India indicates an expectation of considerable growth over the next few years, with current forecasts predicting the industry in the country to be worth a staggering USD 1346 million by 2028. What this indicates is both significant investment and growth in the field and an assurance that, as an empathy-based profession, UX design skills are unlikely to wane in the face of AI technology or automation. For individuals in India thinking of entering the field of UX design, now is a great time to pursue this goal and take advantage of the range of job opportunities opening up in the field.

3. UX designer salaries around the world, from junior to senior

In this table, we’ve broken down UX designer salaries for all major economies across the world and all levels of expertise.

Country	Entry-level UX designer	Mid-level UX designer	Senior UX designer
Brazil	R$3,000 - R$7,000 /mo	R$8,000 - R$21,000 /mo	R$155,000 - R$165,000 /mo
Canada	$60,000 /yr	$75,000 /yr	$118,835 /yr
China	¥255,491 /yr	¥360,880 /yr	¥438,341 /yr
France	€35,000 /yr	€44,686 /yr	€57,414 /yr
Germany	€42,000 /yr	€56,000 /yr	€66,129/yr
India	₹5,32,650 /yr	₹9,45,172 /yr	₹13,93852
South Africa	R403,567 /yr	R570,843 /yr	R714,589 /yr
United Kingdom	£29,036 /yr	£40,000 /yr	£60,586 /yr
United States	$98,859 /yr	$100,000 /yr	$120,760 /yr

Sources: Glassdoor, UK.talent, Salary Expert, Uxcel, Google, PayScale, CA.talent, and Joberty

4. Industries with the highest UX designer salaries

Let’s take a look at some of the industries that command the highest UX designer salaries and what the roles and responsibilities of the UX designer consist of in each.

Technology and software development

Unsurprisingly UX designers are in high demand in the technology and software development industry. From tech startups to corporate software development companies, UX designers in tech fields are needed to craft intuitive and user-centered interfaces with the goal of creating delightful and seamless experiences for users on apps, websites, and other digital interfaces. Research, design iteration, and extensive testing are key components of the role to ensure that the product or service is able to meet users’ needs. Location, education, and experience will impact a UX designer’s salary, but average mid-level UX designers in this sector earn an average of $70,000 to $100,000 per year, while the largest tech companies like Meta, Google, and Microsoft offer leading UX designers salaries of between $150,000 and $250,000 per year.

Finance and banking

With the increasing digitization of financial products and services, the demand for UX designers in finance and banking has soared. In this field, the UX designer is primarily responsible for the creation of digital applications, platforms, and tools that optimize the user’s experiences and interactions with financial products and services. The UX designer seeks to intimately understand the needs of users within this sector and design interfaces that prioritize security, ease of use, and efficiency while stringently adhering to industry laws and regulations.

Salaries vary across the sector, but on average, a UX designer with at least three years’ experience in the field can earn an average salary of almost $92,000 in the US.

E-commerce

Online shopping’s boom in the last ten years has led to an increased importance placed upon the experience of users as they navigate e-commerce websites and apps, leading to high value for the skills of the UX designer who is tasked with creating these experiences. In this sector, the UX designer seeks to create a visually engaging, easy-to-navigate, and user-centered online shopping environment which promotes engagement, builds trust, encourages purchases, and leads to repeat customers. By minimizing friction, creating delightful interactions, enabling seamless navigation, and refining checkout processes, a UX designer is able to optimize the user experience across all devices and boost company sales. UX designers in the e-commerce sector in the US can expect to earn between $85,000 and $105,000 per year.

Healthcare and biotech

With a focus on aiding the comprehension of and access to complex medical information for healthcare professionals and patients, the UX designer in this field seeks to craft intuitive and seamless user experiences on digital medical equipment as well as websites, apps, and tools. This UX design professional is responsible for ensuring patient privacy and data protection as well as supporting patients as they seek to understand personal health information and assess healthcare options and available services. The average annual salary for UX designers in healthcare is $99,932

Gaming and entertainment

In the gaming and entertainment sector, the UX designer seeks to enhance the gaming experience by creating immersive and realistic experiences. This involves crafting smooth navigation between different worlds as well as seamless interactions between characters and between the user and the game itself, further contributing to the game’s storytelling and aesthetic. Due to the rapid expansion of the field and the need to create compelling and high-end experiences, UX designers in the gaming and entertainment industry in the US can command salaries of between $64,343 and $90,503 per year.

As you consider which industry you might like to go into as a UX designer, it can be helpful to know more about related roles in the space that those with UX design skills are eligible to apply for. Broadening your job search by including roles such as these presents you with a larger range of high-salaried and relevant opportunities.

Let's dive into some UX design-related roles and the tasks and responsibilities of each.

UI designer

Often working closely with the UX designer, the UI designer crafts the visual components of a digital interface to ensure that each element communicates its intended message or functionality effectively. The UI designer aims to help users find what they are looking for with ease and ensure that the overall user experience is enjoyable, seamless, and aesthetically pleasing. Elements of the design that UI designers are most commonly associated with include design layouts, colors, fonts, and interactive elements.

Interaction designer

The interaction designer focuses on touchpoints and interaction opportunities on a digital interface that users engage with as they seek to meet their goals. The interaction designer therefore designs–together with the UI and UX designers–meaningful elements and experiences that are highly responsive and intuitive to facilitate the user during their journey through the digital interface, app, or website.

UX researcher

Conducting in-depth research and analysis of user behavior, preferences, challenges, and desires, the UX researcher’s role is to better understand the target user, inform the design process, and support the creation of products that users really want and need. Research methods employed by the UX researcher include surveys, interviews, usability testing, and card sorting, which facilitate the gathering of valuable qualitative and quantitative data that is then handed over to the UX design team.

UX writer

The UX writer produces text for digital products or services such as landing pages and app menus which enable users to find what they need with ease. The role requires the creation of text that is clear, concise, and informative, in addition to being fully aligned with the overall goals of the user experience team and the company’s branding. Working closely with both designers and researchers, the UX writer will seek to guide users through an interface, communicate valuable messaging, and support users in achieving their goals.

6. Factors that can impact a UX designer’s salary

Wondering what are the key factors that can influence an employer or recruiter when determining a UX designer’s salary? Experience, location, and qualifications are the three big ones you’ll need to be aware of.

Experience level

Like with any job, the amount of hands-on experience you have under your belt will impact the salary you can expect to be offered by a potential employer. If you're new to UX design, it will therefore be important to undertake personal projects and UX design activities to demonstrate your skills and showcase your abilities. Whether the projects you’ve taken on have been paid or voluntary, the broader the range of UX design experience you can discuss in a job interview situation, the more senior the position you are eligible to apply for.

Location

As we have seen in the previous section, your location will significantly impact the salary you can expect to earn as a UX designer. When applying for a position in a new area or even a new country, be sure to look into the cost of living and how that stacks up against the salary the position is offering. Factors to consider include housing and rental prices, the cost of food, transportation, taxes, healthcare, utility bills, recreational activities, and education. Estimate how much money you will need to live on in the average month and see if the salary you are being offered enables you to maintain (or exceed) the lifestyle you currently enjoy. You’ll be in a much better position to select the right position for you and negotiate your salary when you are well-informed on how far your salary will go in your new location.

Qualifications and training

While employers will be looking at your portfolio for evidence of your hands-on experience in the field, UX qualifications and training will confirm your industry-specific knowledge, any specializations, and your skill level, helping an employer determine your suitability for a role and the salary range you are entitled to. There are numerous other benefits to completing formal training in UX design, too. Employers will be impressed to see evidence of your commitment to your chosen career and your desire to learn and improve. In addition, a certificate from a recognized educational institution will help to differentiate your application from others hoping to land the position.

A senior UX designer and a web developer collaborating to create a prototype

7. How to land a job in UX design

Let’s dive into how you can find the right position in this creative and rewarding field!

Do your research

Research will play a key role in helping you better understand the field of UX design. By reading UX design blogs on processes and skills, listening to industry-focused podcasts covering trends and technologies, and reading books by UX design experts for a more in-depth understanding of the field’s history, you’ll get a real feel for the industry and learn some of the key principles and practices, too.

Here are our recommended blogs, podcasts, and books on UX design.

Blogs

Podcasts

Books

Below you’ll find our top picks of UX design books. Check out the complete collection here.

Take a course

While books, podcasts, and blogs will certainly help you learn about the industry and some of its key facets, taking a UX design course is the most effective way of learning the necessary skills and gaining the hands-on experience necessary to work in the field. Many courses are taught by industry professionals who bring their own wealth of experience to the table and can guide students in both the practical implementation of UX design skills and navigating the employment market. When looking into UX design courses, it’s worth noting if they offer the following components:

Job guarantee
Career advice and support
Teaching by UX design experts
Portfolio creation assistance
Student community
Alumni support
Specializations
Project-based curriculum
UX design theory and principles
Certification

Create a portfolio

As we’ve already discussed, your portfolio is what employers will want to see when you are called in for your first UX designer job interviews. It’s a visual demonstration of your skills, UX design projects, range of experience, insights, and passion for UX design, and should be a persuasive document of why you’re the best person for the job. While many UX design courses will support you in the creation of a professional UX design portfolio, here’s a list of what you should include if you choose to build your portfolio without professional assistance:

Introductory page/homepage that includes career highlights, major clients, and milestone projects
A menu of contents
Examples of your favorite projects including challenges, insights, process, and learnings
A contact page including social media handles, email address, and mobile number
An About Me page detailing working style and process, your resume and education

Finally, check out the following portfolio website builders: Squarespace, Foleon, UXfolio, Notion, Webflow, Wix, and Wordpress.

Gain some experience

Putting your learning into practice by gaining some hands-on, real-world experience will help you cement your skills, gain professional insights, understand how to work with clients, and gain a deeper understanding of the day-to-day work of a UX designer. It will support your job application and impress potential employers, too. There are numerous ways you can gain experience before you start your job search. Consider some of the following:

Volunteering your UX design skills to improve the website or app of a local charity or non-profit organization
Improving the UX of a friend or family member’s website or app
Redesigning the website or app of a well-known brand to improve its user experience
Designing your own user-centered portfolio website
Advertising yourself as a freelancer

Start your job search

Now that you’ve researched the industry, taken a UX design course, created a professional portfolio, and got some hands-on experience with clients, you’re in a great position to start applying for jobs as a junior UX designer. Here’s our list of UX designer (and general) job boards for you to take a look at.

8. How to handle your UX designer salary negotiation

No one enjoys talking about money. But when entering a salary negotiation you’ll need to be prepared to be direct, informed, and specific with your employer in order to obtain the salary you deserve. Here are some tips to help you crack this slightly difficult conversation.

Align your salary request with the market

In order to be in with a realistic chance of landing the salary you desire, it’s important to undertake some serious research into UX designer salaries in your location. Be sure to specifically look into the salaries that individuals with your level of experience are commanding in similar industries. You can use websites such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Monster to get an idea, or respectfully approach your network of contacts for the information, where appropriate. Armed with this information to support your request, you are in a much stronger position to persuade your employer that you are eligible for your salary increase or promotion.

Be specific

Research shows that the more specific your salary request is, the more likely it is that it will be seriously considered by your employer. The reason for this is that it shows that you have performed research and know exactly what you’re worth. If your employer is curious to know why you have chosen that amount, you can point to your research to demonstrate that you have aligned your request with the market.

9. Conclusion

In this article, we’ve taken an in-depth look at the UX design market both globally and in India, the salaries of UX designers across the world, the industries paying UX designers the highest salaries, and the different roles available to those with UX design skills. We’ve also provided you with the steps you need to take to land your first job in UX design, from researching the industry and taking a UX design course, to gaining hands-on experience in the field. By following our guide and tips, you’re better informed of your worth as a UX designer and in a stronger position to negotiate your salary with employers and recruiters.

If you’d like to find out more about UX design, check out AND Academy’s blog, for more useful UX design resources and insights. Alternatively, you can take a look at the following resources:

Watch this session by Shiva Viswanathan, Design Head of Ogilvy Pennywise, and Naman Singh, Product Experience Designer at RED.
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