We used the latest data and insights to identify the highest paying web design jobs so that you can learn and earn more.
If you’re looking for a new job, you might be surprised that web design is one of the highest-paying jobs. That’s right—the world is changing, and web design is where it’s at.
The way we use technology has changed dramatically over the past decade. Nowadays, people want things to be quick, easy, and simple—and they expect them to work that way. That’s why companies are investing more and more in custom web design and online marketing strategies.
If you’re looking for a career change or just want to make some extra cash on the side, learning how to design websites might be a great option for you. Here are the 10 highest-paying jobs in web design:
Table of Contents
#10. Page Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: ZipRecruiter
- Low Range: $19,500 per year
- High Range: $107,500 per year
- Median Pay: $52,899 per year
What do they do?
This job is similar to a graphic designer, but it focuses more on the layout of pages. You’ll be in charge of ensuring that all the content fits onto a page and can be easily read by readers.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
You’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or computer science. You’ll also need skills in coding languages such as HTML or CSS. This will help you create websites that are easy to read and navigate.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Desktop publishing companies, publishers, and agencies seek people with these skills. You can find jobs online through freelance sites such as Upwork.
What is the best way to get this job?
You can get this job by going to school for a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or computer science. You’ll also need to have skills in coding languages such as HTML and CSS. Once you have these skills, you can find entry-level jobs online through freelance sites.
Should you become a page designer?
#9. Instructional Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Payscale
- Low Range: $49,000 per year
- High Range: $88,000 per year
- Median Pay: $65,449 per year
What do they do?
An instructional designer is a professional who creates training materials for companies and individuals. These materials can include videos, presentations, and games.Â
Instructional designers also help their clients create lesson plans and design learning experiences that are engaging and effective—especially when it comes to teaching new skills or information.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
The most common degree for an instructional designer is a bachelor’s degree in education, graphic design, or computer science. To land a job in this field, you’ll need skills such as:
- An understanding of how people learn best
- An ability to apply that knowledge in your work.
- The ability to create visual and interactive content, such as eLearning courses or video games.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Instructional designers typically work for colleges and universities, corporations and government agencies, or training companies. They’re also in high demand among web developers and eLearning companies.
What is the best way to get this job?
If you want to become an instructional designer, focus on getting a bachelor’s degree in education, graphic design, or computer science. You’ll also want to gain experience through internships and volunteer work.
Should you become an instructional designer?
#8. Email Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: ZipRecruiter
- Low Range: $32,500 per year
- High Range: $126,000 per year
- Median Pay: $67,022 per year
What do they do?
Email designers create and send out emails about new products and services, promotional offers, or company updates. They might also work with other departments within an organization to ensure their email campaigns fit with the overall marketing strategy.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
To be an email designer, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or computer science. You might also need to take some programming classes if you’re interested in coding your own emails rather than using templates provided by the company.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Many companies hire email designers. You might find a job at a large corporation or small business, but you may also have to look for jobs online through freelance sites like Upwork.
What is the best way to get this job?
If you’re interested in becoming an email designer, start by learning to code. You can take classes or learn online through a community like Codecademy.Â
Then, get some experience designing emails and landing pages by working on projects for your school or volunteering with local businesses.
What’s it like to be an email designer?
#7. Design Engineer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Payscale
- Low Range: $54,000 per year
- High Range: $102,000 per year
- Median Pay: $70,200 per year
What do they do?
Design engineers work with clients to create products that meet their needs. They use their knowledge of engineering and design to create prototypes that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.Â
This can include building a prototype from scratch or modifying an existing one to suit the client’s needs.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
To become a design engineer, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering. You’ll also need to be skilled in computer-aided design (CAD) software and 3D modeling programs.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Design engineers are in demand across a variety of industries. You can find jobs with companies that make everything from airplanes to medical equipment.Â
Design engineer jobs may also be available at product development firms, research labs, and consulting companies.
What is the best way to get this job?
To get a job as a design engineer, build up your experience by working as an intern or entry-level engineer at a company. You can also improve your chances by sharpening your design skills through classes, workshops, and other training programs.
What’s it like to be a design engineer?
#6. Visual Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Glassdoor
- Low Range: $47,000 per year
- High Range: $116,000 per year
- Median Pay: $74,135 per year
What do they do?
A visual designer creates the art that you see on websites and apps. They create visual design, including logos, illustrations, photos, videos, and other forms of media that help users understand what your product does.
These web design professionals work closely with UX/UI designers to make sure products are easy to use while also appealing to their audience. They also collaborate with developers on elements like color schemes, typography choices, and page layout.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
In most cases, visual designers need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field. However, some companies will hire entry-level professionals with only an associate’s degree or certification in this area.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Many companies hire visual designers, including advertising agencies, web design firms, and marketing departments.
What is the best way to get this job?
If you’re interested in becoming a visual designer, you can get started by taking classes at your local community college or art school. Some programs also offer online courses for those who are unable to attend traditional classes on campus.
Once you have the necessary qualifications and experience, you can apply for jobs through job boards or by contacting employers directly.
What’s it like to be a visual designer?
#5. Web Production Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Glassdoor
- Low Range: $49,000 per year
- High Range: $117,000 per year
- Median Pay: $75,074 per year
What do they do?
The web production designer is in charge of ensuring that the site is functional, easy to navigate, and visually pleasing. They work closely with clients, designers, developers, and content writers to ensure that all parties work towards a common goal.
A web production designer may be responsible for creating wireframes or mock-ups as well as writing HTML code.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field is often necessary. Some employers may require that applicants have at least one year of experience.Â
The most common skills for this job include knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other programming languages.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Many companies hire web production designers, including major corporations like Apple and Google. Other employers include small businesses, non-profits, universities, and government agencies.
What is the best way to get this job?
In most cases, employers will require applicants to have at least one year of experience. Some employers may also ask for a portfolio that includes work samples and references.
So if you’re hoping to land a job as a web production designer, it’s important to build up your skills and develop a portfolio of work. You can also search for jobs on job boards like Monster or CareerBuilder or get in touch with companies directly.
Should you become a web production designer?
#4. Digital Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Glassdoor
- Low Range: $52,000 per year
- High Range: $121,000 per year
- Median Pay: $78,812 per year
What do they do?
Digital designers create websites and apps that work on a variety of devices. They’re responsible for everything from graphics to programming and user interface design.
A digital designer may start by interviewing clients or users to find out what their goals are for the project. Then, they’ll create wireframes or prototypes based on these conversations.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
Digital designers often hold a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or computer science. They also need to be familiar with design tools.Â
Other skills include problem-solving, communicating with team members and clients, and keeping up with the latest trends in technology.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Companies that need graphic designers include ad agencies, marketing companies, and tech firms. This job is also available with small businesses that do their own marketing or branding.
What is the best way to get this job?
You can get a job as a digital designer by getting a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or computer science. To help build your portfolio, volunteer for organizations that need help with their marketing materials.
Should you become a digital designer?
#3. Backend Web Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Payscale
- Low Range: $64,000 per year
- High Range: $132,000 per year
- Median Pay: $89,280 per year
What do they do?
A back-end web designer is responsible for creating the logic that powers a website or application. This includes writing code in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to display content, format pages, validate forms, handle user input and create new data records.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
A back-end web designer typically needs a bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering. However, some employers may hire an applicant with only a high school diploma if they have five years of experience working as a programmer.
Who’s hiring for this job?
There are a number of companies that hire back-end web designers, including Apple and Microsoft. Other employers include advertising agencies, ecommerce websites, and software development firms.
What is the best way to get this job?
The best way to get a job as a back-end web designer is to get relevant experience. That means learning how to code and building your own websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Once you have the experience, you can apply for jobs as a back-end web designer. You can also start your own freelance business and work remotely from anywhere in the world.
Should you become a back-end web designer?
#2. Mobile Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: ZipRecruiter
- Low Range: $23,000 per year
- High Range: $177,000 per year
- Median Pay: $102,318 per year
What do they do?
A mobile designer is responsible for developing applications that run on smartphones and tablets. They work with the company’s software developers to create user interfaces, design new features, and maintain existing ones.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
You should have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, design, or another related field. You’ll also need to be good at problem-solving and user interface design.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Most companies that hire mobile designers are in the technology sector. You can also find jobs at digital marketing agencies, software companies, and other organizations that need to create apps for their products or services.
What is the best way to get this job?
You can get a job as a mobile designer by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science, design, or another related field. You should also take courses in programming languages like Java and C++. After you graduate, you can build your portfolio by creating websites and apps on your own time.
Should you become a mobile designer?
#1. User Experience Designer
How much do they get paid?
- Source: Glassdoor
- Low Range: $76,000 per year
- High Range: $182,000 per year
- Median Pay: $116,730 per year
What do they do?
User experience designers focus on the overall user’s interaction with a product or service. They use research, analytics, and design to create easy and enjoyable solutions for customers.
What degrees and skills are usually required?
The most common requirement is a bachelor’s degree in user experience design, human-computer interaction, or a related field. User experience designers can also have graphic design and web development backgrounds.
Who’s hiring for this job?
Companies of all sizes hire UX designers. They can be found at tech companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft, as well as in advertising agencies and consulting firms.Â
Other employers include startups in the consumer products industry or those that create software for other businesses.
What is the best way to get this job?
User experience designers are in high demand, so it’s important to have a portfolio that shows off your talent and experience.
You can get started by reading up on the field of user experience design and familiarizing yourself with UX principles. Then, create mockups or wireframes for real projects using software like Adobe Photoshop or Sketch.
Should you become a user experience designer?
Conclusion
The web design industry is a growing field, and it has a lot of opportunities for people who want to make a career out of it. It’s not just about making websites pretty.
Web designers are responsible for creating experiences that help users accomplish their goals. And when they do that well, they get paid well—and they should.
These designers should be rewarded for their hard work, so if you’re looking to get into web design, take some time to learn about the highest-paying jobs and how you can get them.
