A couple of weeks ago I’ve published an article about UX salaries in Europe, and it was only a matter of time to finish my research to do the same, focusing on the US landscape this time.

After the first article I got bombarded with excitement and both disappointment, and I completely understand often the job market and the pandemic is not in everyone’s favor. I also made some mistakes which were all (mostly! 🤞) fixed to present the data, so dear reader you get a more refined piece thanks to all 10K+ eyes on the previous one.

Bear in mind this guide will not able to cover the ever-growing number of UX job titles, but I’ve picked the ones which are more generic everywhere or I could find a related data from the East to the West. How the data was collected? Let’s get into it!

Methodology

Yes the elephant in the room is the used methodology for collecting and analysis of data to be trustful and representative.

I have to say I wasn’t in an easy spot to gather all these salary values in certain US states, but thankfully LinkedIn salary insights, Glassdoor, Salary explorer and Quora were all by my side, not to mention the dozen of helpful friends in the US with great connections.

In the tables below the collected salary amounts are representing an average range of gross income being hired in-house (not freelancing) in a certain city not counting with any additional benefits like bonus schemes or stock options, which might take quite a sum and not so unusual practice (especially for startups or older brands on higher level).

Next to the name of the city — within the parenthesis — you can find the number salaries the overall range was created from.

The salaries (are you ready?)

I have to highlight this is not a scientific research, it’s just a helpful guide for 2021 to show a little broader perspective for the upcoming salary negotiations of the future. With this note let’s jump into the list and the different UX positions around the US.

UX Designer

Other job titles: UX/UI Designer, User Experience Designer, Experience Designer, Interaction Designer

Job description: A UX designer is concerned with the entire process of acquiring and integrating a product, including aspects of branding, design, usability and function. It is a story that begins before the device is even in the user’s hands. (Source)

UX Designer salaries in US 2021

UI Designer

Common job titles: User Interface Designer, Web UI Designer

UI (user interface) designers often pick up where UX designers’ role leaves off. UX designers deliver prototypes and/or low to mid-fidelity wireframes to UI designers, who take that documentation and transform it into full, detailed wireframes. They hand these wireframes off to the developers to turn it all into a real, out-in-the-world, working product.

UI Designer salaries in the US 2021

Product Designer

Other job title: Digital Product Designer

Product designers help make products which aren’t just easy and delightful (or at least satisfying) to use, but also fine-tuned to do consistently well in the marketplace. They help define product goals, create product roadmaps (high-level summaries or 6–12-month forecasts of product offerings and features) and, ideally, help brands release successful products. (Source)

Digital Product Designer salaries in the US 2021

UX writer

Other job title: UX copywriter

UX Writers advocate for design and help shape product experiences by crafting copy that helps users complete the task at hand.

UX Writer salaries in the US 2021

UX Researcher

Common job titles: Experience Researcher, Research specialist

UX (user experience) research is the systematic study of target users and their requirements, to add realistic contexts and insights to design processes. UX researchers adopt various methods to uncover problems and design opportunities. Doing so, they reveal valuable information which can be fed into the design process. (Source)

UX Researcher salaries in the US 2021

Conclusion

I’m mentoring a couple of UX designers and from experience I can say it’s not easy times, although these UX roles provide plenty of room for exploration and opportunity to put your greatest strengths to good use. Whether you’ve got a data-driven mind, a knack for research, a talent for business strategy, a way with words, an eye for aesthetics, a heart for creating products that delight users, or all the above-there’s a career in UX to match. Remember, your expected salary will depend largely on where you live, your level of experience, and what type of company you work for.

All in all, regardless of your current job situation or the pandemic, the most important is to keep your heads up as the tech industry adapts to the ever evolving needs of users and businesses, and as job titles proliferate, there seems to be an increasing capacity for UX professionals who specialize in a specific area (ie, research, strategy, writing). Even in light of emerging (or established) specializations, there’s still steady demand for talented, multi-faceted, UX generalists who can navigate every aspect of the design process.