A recent article by Fast Company lays out survey information by O’Reilly Media’s 2016 Design Salary and Tools Survey. Fast Company reveals the nitty gritty, and sometimes not so pretty details.
Here’s an overview of the survey:
- The median income of designers in the U.S. is $99,000 a year.
- Designers in California earn the most, with a median salary of $128,000, followed by those in the Mid-Atlantic ($118,000), and then the Northeast (a little north of $100,000).
- English-speaking countries pay designers more than other countries.
- Designers who can also code make at least $16,000 more than those who don’t.
- The worst paid designers? Graphic designers reported far less earnings than UX or UI designers—at a median of $49,000 a year.
- Women designers are paid significantly less than men designers. (Shocker, right?) Women are paid on average $14,000 less a year.
- UX designers are generally paid more than UI designers.
- Experience is worth more than age. Those under 30 earned around $71,000, on average, compared to $116,000 for those 36 to 50, and $94,000 for those over 50. If you had over 10 years of experience in your role, though, the median income shoots up to $114,000, compared to just $74,000 for the less-experienced.
Read the full article for more details: Survey: Which Design Jobs Pay The Most?