BLS SOC 27-1021 · Technology
UX Designer Salary
UX designers create intuitive, accessible user experiences for digital products. They conduct user research, build wireframes and prototypes, and collaborate with engineers to implement designs.
Data: BLS OEWS · 2026
National Median
$95,667
annual
25th Percentile
$73,664
annual
75th Percentile
$122,454
annual
90th Percentile
$153,067
annual
National Salary Distribution
P25: $73,664Median: $95,667P75: $122,454P90: $153,067
1
Top Paying Cities for UX Designer
Ranked by median annual salary
| # | City | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,000 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $128,000 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $126,000 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $116,000 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $114,000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $113,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $109,000 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $105,000 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $105,000 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $101,000 |
2
Best After Cost of Living
Salary adjusted for cost of living (US avg = $100k)
| # | City | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $92,308 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,222 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | $91,262 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $91,011 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $90,000 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $89,720 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $89,720 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $89,320 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $88,393 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $87,037 |
3
UX Designer Salary — All Cities
All 30 metro areas, sorted by median salary
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $100,870 | $131,000 | $167,680 | $209,600 | 41,600 |
| Seattle, WA | $98,560 | $128,000 | $163,840 | $204,800 | 46,400 |
| New York, NY | $97,020 | $126,000 | $161,280 | $201,600 | 54,400 |
| Boston, MA | $89,320 | $116,000 | $148,480 | $185,600 | 33,600 |
| Washington, DC | $87,780 | $114,000 | $145,920 | $182,400 | 36,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $87,010 | $113,000 | $144,640 | $180,800 | 38,400 |
| San Diego, CA | $83,930 | $109,000 | $139,520 | $174,400 | 19,200 |
| Austin, TX | $80,850 | $105,000 | $134,400 | $168,000 | 30,400 |
| Portland, OR | $80,850 | $105,000 | $134,400 | $168,000 | 16,000 |
| Denver, CO | $77,770 | $101,000 | $129,280 | $161,600 | 22,400 |
| Dallas, TX | $76,230 | $99,000 | $126,720 | $158,400 | 28,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $73,920 | $96,000 | $122,880 | $153,600 | 28,000 |
| Houston, TX | $73,920 | $96,000 | $122,880 | $153,600 | 22,400 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $73,150 | $95,000 | $121,600 | $152,000 | 17,600 |
| Atlanta, GA | $72,380 | $94,000 | $120,320 | $150,400 | 24,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $72,380 | $94,000 | $120,320 | $150,400 | 17,600 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $70,840 | $92,000 | $117,760 | $147,200 | 20,000 |
| Miami, FL | $69,300 | $90,000 | $115,200 | $144,000 | 17,600 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $69,300 | $90,000 | $115,200 | $144,000 | 14,400 |
| Nashville, TN | $68,530 | $89,000 | $113,920 | $142,400 | 14,400 |
| Charlotte, NC | $66,220 | $86,000 | $110,080 | $137,600 | 16,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $66,220 | $86,000 | $110,080 | $137,600 | 11,200 |
| Columbus, OH | $64,680 | $84,000 | $107,520 | $134,400 | 12,800 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $63,910 | $83,000 | $106,240 | $132,800 | 11,200 |
| Detroit, MI | $62,370 | $81,000 | $103,680 | $129,600 | 12,000 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $62,370 | $81,000 | $103,680 | $129,600 | 12,000 |
| Louisville, KY | $57,750 | $75,000 | $96,000 | $120,000 | 8,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $56,980 | $74,000 | $94,720 | $118,400 | 7,200 |
| Memphis, TN | $54,670 | $71,000 | $90,880 | $113,600 | 6,400 |
| El Paso, TX | $50,820 | $66,000 | $84,480 | $105,600 | 4,800 |
Top Skills for UX Designer
FigmaUser ResearchPrototypingUsability TestingInformation Architecture