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Web designer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$104,000median pay per year, or $50.00 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $53,750lowest 10% earn less
  2. $73,29025th percentile
  3. $104,000median
  4. $158,82075th percentile
  5. $201,550top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Web and digital interface designers had a median pay of $104,000 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than the all-occupations rate from 2025 to 2035, at 6%[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6%[2]
Openings per year
8,300[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do web designers make?

The median pay for web and digital interface designers was $104,000 a year, or $50.00 an hour[1]. The median splits workers into a higher-paid half and a lower-paid half[1]. The average was $117,490 a year, or $56.49 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $53,750 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $201,550[4].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][9] $53,750 $25.84
25th[4][9] $73,290 $35.24
Median[1] $104,000 $50.00
75th[4][9] $158,820 $76.36
90th[4][9] $201,550 $96.90

A percentile is a boundary. BLS reports percentile wages and has no starting salary figure[10]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[11]. About 113,330 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12], and 13.3% of web and digital interface designers were self-employed[13].

Pay by state and city

Among the 45 states and DC with published data, California was first at $136,110, then Washington at $130,480 and New York at $120,990[14]. Mississippi was last on the list at $48,550[14].

California also had the most jobs at 27,090, followed by New York at 16,560 and Washington at 11,580[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA was first at $201,260, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $163,810[16]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 14,990, with a median of $119,190[17].

Show median pay in 45 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[14]$136,11027,090
Washington$130,48011,580
New York$120,99016,560
Massachusetts$113,5402,740
New Hampshire$111,150430
District of Columbia$107,650480
Rhode Island$105,990240
Pennsylvania$104,1602,820
Georgia$103,8102,800
Texas$102,6505,910
Oregon$102,2201,230
Utah$99,9901,060
Arizona$98,070810
North Carolina$97,9903,400
Maryland$96,7601,310
Colorado$95,8803,250
Wisconsin$95,340880
New Jersey$95,3102,170
Connecticut$94,6601,060
Delaware$93,880130
Illinois$85,7102,050
Ohio$83,3602,520
Minnesota$82,6501,520
Michigan$81,0101,750
South Carolina$80,930800
Nevada$80,1201,180
Florida$77,7304,620
Virginia$77,1401,990
Montana$77,030100
Kentucky$77,000590
Oklahoma$76,440340
West Virginia$71,880200
Alaska$71,30030
Missouri$70,9701,210
Kansas$70,620200
Iowa$69,060670
Louisiana$68,790170
Wyoming$67,020110
Nebraska$65,520720
North Dakota$64,26040
Idaho$64,250340
Tennessee$63,5103,610
Indiana$63,4301,160
New Mexico$53,300200
Alabama$51,860130
Mississippi$48,550230

How to become a web designer

BLS Employment Projections list a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training typically needed[7]. The training details below come from an Occupational Outlook Handbook profile that covers a wider group than this category[18].

For web developers, some employers prefer a bachelor's degree in a specific subject, for example computer science[23]. Skills named in the profile include creativity, communication, attention to detail and problem solving[24][25][26][27].

O*NET places the job in a group where a good deal of earlier skill, knowledge or experience is needed[28].

What web designers do

O*NET says these workers design digital user interfaces or websites and test layouts and menus so they work across browsers and devices[29]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as UX engineer, web content developer and web design specialist[31].

Where they work

In the wider profile, the information industry was the largest employer of web developers and digital designers, with 27% of jobs in 2025[18][32]. The same profile says most of these workers work full time[18][33].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 132,700 to 140,800 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

About 8,300 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come up when people retire or move to other work, and not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.2% move to a different occupation[34].

One factor BLS names is productivity. Better design tools, including generative AI, may raise worker productivity, which lowers the share of jobs for these workers[35].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is about double the all-occupations median, with a wide spread from the lowest to the highest earners[1][4][5]. California, New York and Washington had the most jobs[15]. The typical entry education is a bachelor's degree, although the wider profile says some workers show their skills through past work or projects[7][18][22]. Growth is projected above the all-occupations rate, but BLS also lists design tools with generative AI as a factor that may lower the share of these jobs[2][3][35].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a web designer make an hour?
The median was $50.00 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $56.49[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a web designer?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. The wider profile says requirements run anywhere between a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree[18][20].
Is web design in demand?
BLS projects 6% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 8,300 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for web designers?
California was first at $136,110, followed by Washington at $130,480 and New York at $120,990[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Web and Digital Interface Designers in the US was $104,000 per year and $50.00 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Web and Digital Interface Designers is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 132,700 to 140,800 jobs (a change of +8,000). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Web and Digital Interface Designers: 10th percentile $53,750, 25th percentile $73,290, 75th percentile $158,820, 90th percentile $201,550. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 8,300 openings for Web and Digital Interface Designers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Web and Digital Interface Designers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Web and Digital Interface Designers was $117,490 per year and $56.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Web and Digital Interface Designers: 10th percentile $25.84, 25th percentile $35.24, 75th percentile $76.36, 90th percentile $96.90. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 113,330 people were employed as Web and Digital Interface Designers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS Employment Projections: 13.3% of Web and Digital Interface Designers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  14. Median annual wage for Web and Digital Interface Designers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Web and Digital Interface Designers jobs: California 27,090; New York 16,560; Washington 11,580; Texas 5,910; Florida 4,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Web and Digital Interface Designers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $201,260; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $163,810; Boulder, CO $139,900; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $133,760; Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $133,340; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $123,850; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $122,270; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $120,640. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Web and Digital Interface Designers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 14,990 (median $119,190); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 10,330 (median $133,760); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,220 (median $106,550); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 6,630 (median $163,810); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 4,400 (median $201,260); Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 2,500 (median $63,510). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Web Developers and Digital Designers" covers Web and Digital Interface Designers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. O*NET 15-1255.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET description of Web and Digital Interface Designers. O*NET OnLine
  30. O*NET task list for Web and Digital Interface Designers. O*NET OnLine
  31. O*NET 15-1255.00 sample job titles reported by workers: UI Developer (User Interface Developer), UX Developer (User Experience Developer), UX Engineer (User Experience Engineer), Web Administration Coordinator (Web Admin Coordinator), Web Architect, Web Content Developer, Web Content Specialist, Web Design Specialist. O*NET OnLine
  32. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of web developers and digital designers in 2025: Information 27%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Web and Digital Interface Designers: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Web and Digital Interface Designers: Productivity change - share decreases as improvements in design tools, including improvements in design capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (AI), enhance productivity of these workers. BLS Employment Projections
  36. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.