Every day, more people continue to use the Internet. According to PNC, this has led businesses in Pennsylvania and other states to increase their online presence and improve user experience. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for professional web designers. If you are considering a career in tech design, you’re probably asking, how much do web designers make?
This article will give you a clear picture of the average salary of a web designer. It will also tell you how much freelance web designers make, how much web designers make per hour, and how to become a web designer if you’re planning a career switch in this field.
Web Designer Salary: An Overview of How Much Web Designers Make
- Average Salary: $77,200
- 10th Percentile Salary: $40,750
- 90th Percentile Salary: $146,430
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the national average salary for web designers is $77,200, with a range from $40,750 to $146,430. More recent statistics from ZipRecruiter report that the average salary for web designers is $60,202.
The average pay range for web designers varies across the country because of many opportunities for higher pay and career options in this field. Designer jobs are in high demand in the publishing industry, where the annual salary is around $123,870, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
How Much Do Web Designers Make Per Hour?
BLS reports that the average web designer wage per hour is $37.12. According to ZipRecruiter, the hourly rate can be as high as $46.39. Hourly wages will depend on location, experience level, and level of skills. Experienced or senior web designers can earn as much as $74.33 per hour, according to PayScale. Wages vary by experience level, which will be explored further below.
Do Web Designers Make Good Money?
Yes, web designers make good money. An entry-level web designer earn between $31,000 to $61,000, according to PayScale. There are many entry-level web designer jobs you can choose from if you are starting out or have decided to move from another career to this field. Increasing your skills and level of experience could help you earn more.
How Much Do Web Designers Make? A Salary Breakdown by Location, Experience, and Skills
A web designer can make as much as $146,430, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The salary for web designers depends on location, experience, and skill level. Below is the breakdown of the median salary, the annual wage, and the technical skills you will need to have a fulfilling and satisfying career in web design.
Web Designer Salaries by Location
According to the BLS, average salaries vary across different states. It depends on the cost of living in the area and the industries with a high demand for web designers, where there are many job openings and career options. Below are five states where a web designer’s salary is above the national average, according to ZipRecruiter.
| Location | 25th Percentile Salary | Median Salary | 75th Percentile Salary |
| New Hampshire | $43,354 | $69,624 | $77,191 |
| Massachusetts | $44,546 | $65,409 | $79,314 |
| Wyoming | $40,372 | $63,905 | $71,883 |
| New York | $44,971 | $58,937 | $80,071 |
| West Virginia | $39,095 | $57,405 | $69,608 |
Web Designer Salaries by Level of Experience
The yearly salary of a web designer increases with design experience. Professional designers usually have an increase in pay as they become senior web designers. Below is the median wage for each experience level as a web designer from PayScale.
| Experience Level | 10th Percentile Salary | Median Salary | 90th Percentile Salary |
| Entry-Level | $31,000 | $43,695 | $61,000 |
| Early-Career | $36,000 | $49,620 | $69,000 |
| Mid-Career | $41,000 | $57,917 | $82,000 |
| Late-Career | $44,000 | $61,757 | $90,000 |
| Experienced | $44,000 | $62,129 | $90,000 |
Web Designer Salaries by Skill
A more experienced web designer gets higher than average rates. A talented web designer who has superb design skills and has handled larger projects will have more advantages in the designer job market.
Likewise, those who have tech skills, additional training in the design department, and more knowledge in web design have higher annual wages than others. This section explores the median salary of a web designer based on skills, according to PayScale.
| Skill | 10th Percentile Salary | Median Salary | 90th Percentile Salary |
| Web Design | $38,000 | $52,438 | $76,000 |
| HTML5 | $40,000 | $52,404 | $75,000 |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | $37,000 | $52,278 | $78,000 |
| Adobe Photoshop | $36,000 | $51,573 | $74,000 |
| Graphic Design | $36,000 | $50,799 | $71,000 |
How Much Do Freelance Web Designers Make?
ZipRecruiter states that a freelance web designer’s salary can be as much as $108,500. Freelance web designers in San Francisco earn as much as $64,666, higher than the national average of $55,810, ZipRecruiter adds. The salary for freelance web designers varies greatly, which signals a lot of opportunities for career advancement and higher pay.
If you are thinking about the right career path in web design, you should consider attending one of the best web design bootcamps. Bootcamps will help you learn design tools, explore various web design elements, and use relevant graphic design skills in the freelancing design business.
Web Designer Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment of web designers will grow by 13 percent between 2020 to 2030. There will be about 17,900 job openings for web designers each year, which is projected to grow more as ecommerce continues to boom. Many businesses will have an increased demand for web designers, expanding the designer job market.
Is Web Design a Good Career?
Yes, web design is a satisfying career, especially if you have previous design experience. A freelance web designer can have a higher hourly wage than the national average, depending on rates and project difficulty. Different types of web design jobs will offer extensive experience and help you develop in-demand designer skills for the job market.
How Much Do Web Designers Make? FAQ
The different types of web designers are user experience designers or interaction designers, web developers, and application developers.
A web designer should learn programming language tools such as HTML or CSS, graphic design tools such as Adobe Illustrator or Canva, web framework software such as Bootstrap, and visual collaboration tools such as Trello.
Yes, a web design career is fun, especially if you’re looking for a balance between creativity and technical skills. Tech roles are usually rigid, but becoming a web designer is the sweet spot to explore more creative concepts. You will have more options to choose the right career path over time in the field.
One of the things you could do to have freelance web designer gigs is build a personal website or portfolio. You can work freelance for design agencies and charge the average cost for each design or an hourly rate for projects. Being an experienced designer and having a high level of designer skills helps you land more freelance web designer gigs.
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