What does a UX Designer salary look like in 2023?

We’ve analysed UX salary data from all over the world to show you how much money you could make as a UX designer.

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UX design is a well-paid profession. Just below, you’ll find out not only what sort of money you can make as a UX designer in several places around the world – you’ll also learn what drives UX salaries up and down.

We’ve analysed UX designer salary data from all over the world, using a variety of sources like Payscale, Glassdoor, and Indeed.

Average UX Designer salaries – At a glance

Ireland UK USA
Junior: 1-3 years €29,000 – €37,000 £27,000-£33,000 $77,000 – $97,000
Mid: 3-5 years €39,000 – €61,000 £32,000 – £54,000 $86,000 – $107,000
Senior: 5-7 years €62,000 – €75,000 £48,000 – £67,000 $106,000 – $121,000

 

For more detail and insight on these UX salary figures, visit our country-specific guides below:

UX Designer Salary in Ireland in 2023

UX Designer Salary in the UK in 2023

UX Designer Salary in the USA in 2023

UX Designer Salary in Canada in 2023

UX Designer Salary in Australia and New Zealand in 2023

How much you make in UX design depends on a variety of factors. These include everything from where you work and what you do, right through to how much experience you have and who you work for.

What affects a UX designer salary?

1. Demand

UX designers have never been in greater demand. More electronic devices, more screens, more connectivity all means there are now more interfaces and software to design. It is one of the world’s fastest growing careers, with no signs of slowing down.

In their Top Jobs of 2022 report, Indeed ranks product designer 9th on their list of 20 in-demand jobs, reporting 128% growth in the number of job postings between 2019 and 2022. At the same time, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts that jobs for UX designers will grow at 8% over the next decade — much faster than average.

2. Experience

Even for people starting out in the industry, UX has a better paid starting salary than many other sectors. Glassdoor reports that the average salary for a junior UX designer in the UK is £32,957. In the US, the average salary for a junior UX designer is $94,560.

Payscale research on Ireland noted that the average starting salary of €29,000 for UX designers there is higher than entry-level positions in traditional professions like accountants, and very similar to engineering and banking.

In Ireland, the average starting salary of €29,334 for UX designers (as reported by Payscale) there is higher than entry-level positions in traditional professions like accountants, and very similar to engineering and banking.

Staying in Ireland, Payscale also shows that for UX designers with 1-43 years of experience, the average salary is €37,153A mid-career UX designer with 53-95 years of experience earns an average salary of €45,470. With more than 7 years of experience, UX designers can earn upwards of €60,000.

3. Location

Big cities pay better and that is no surprise. In a UK survey on Payscale, London comes out on top, reporting 13% more than the national average. Across the Atlantic, UX designers in San Francisco earn around 29% more than the national average. Higher-than-average salaries are also more likely in Seattle (15% more) and New York (8% more).

Research is still emerging on how remote working impacts pay. In their 2022 State of Tech Salaries report, Hired found that remote workers earned more than on-site workers in 15 out of 17 global markets. 

In more specific UX terms, Builtin tells us that in the US, the average salary for a remote UX designer is $117,925, which is higher than the average $92,894 they quote for UX designer salaries in the country as a whole.

4. Employer

The tech and creative industries are where many UX designers work. And when it comes to paying their UX people, it’s worth noting how much they offer and who comes top of the list.

In the US, Payscale reports that salaries are highest at Apple Computer, Inc. where the average pay is $137,569. Cinco Systems Inc and Amazon also offer high salaries for their UX designers who earn around $121,917 and $117,446, respectively. At the lower end of the scale, Capital One Financial Corp pays around $76,596 while UX designers at United Airlines typically earn about $80,000 per annum. Keep in mind that companies that are not in the tech sector often pay less for UX roles and United Airlines is most likely an example of this.

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