The highest paying types of web designers are lead designer, interactive designer, and user experience designer. The highest-paying states for web designers are Washington, Massachusetts, and Virginia. The lowest average web designer salary states are how to hire a software developer North Dakota, Idaho, and Arkansas.
Many web designers increase their earnings by developing passive income streams. These include selling website templates, UI kits, online courses, or plugins on marketplaces like ThemeForest, Creative Market, or Gumroad. Designers who successfully build and market their digital products can earn recurring income without active client work. Some also monetize YouTube channels, blogs, or design newsletters to generate ad revenue, affiliate income, or sponsorship deals, significantly boosting overall annual income. When blogs recommend the $75 starting hourly rate, it’s usually so freelancers can pay themselves, set aside money for taxes, and still live comfortably. However, many companies won’t pay this rate unless you have high quality experience and a good portfolio.
With coding expertise, annual salaries can range from $60,000 to $110,000 or more. These skills enable designers to build interactive websites and communicate more effectively with developers, increasing their value. Freelancers with coding skills also charge higher rates, as clients prefer one-stop solutions. Web designers who expand their skillset beyond layout design can earn more.
Employers pay experienced designers more because they have broader and stronger skill sets, greater industry knowledge, and impressive portfolios. Regardless, this should give you a good idea of what your earning potential is. Notably, these average salary figures for 2024 are higher than they were in 2023, showing that web design is becoming an increasingly profitable field. But the exact amount you earn as a web designer ultimately depends on the decisions you make. This growth is driven by the continued expansion of e-commerce and the increasing importance of a strong Middle Web Designer (part-time, up to 10 hours/week) job online presence for businesses of all types. At the start of your career, the focus is on building a solid foundation.
You’ll need to get traffic and build up the business, but you’ll have full control. There’s a lot of demand for website templates and themes for popular content management systems like WordPress and Shopify. Way back in 2007 – 2009, I did a lot of freelance writing for other blogs like Smashing Magazine, Tuts Plus, and Webdesigner Depot. The Vandelay Design blog was originally started to attract traffic and land more client work. As the blog grew, it became a business of its own, and the client work took a backseat.
Business owners may not want to take the time to learn it when they can just hire someone like you to set it up for them. As you’ll also see in the interview, Peti primarily uses existing WordPress themes and the Thrive Architect plugin to create custom websites for clients without the need to code. Many freelancers will create websites for clients without coding, thanks to the existing resources (like the awesome Divi theme) that make it easier than ever to create a website. Of course, that’s a generalization and every agency is different, but in general, a high percentage of small businesses cannot realistically afford the services of a web design agency. As a freelancer, you can charge a fair rate and still come in well below the price of just about any agency. Web designers are able to independently manage projects and may also be responsible for training and supervising their entry-level peers (when in an agency setting).
Several factors influence a web designer’s income, including experience level, skillset, location, and type of employment. Designers with strong coding skills or specialization in UX/UI typically earn more. Geographic location plays a role; salaries tend to be higher in tech hubs and developed countries. Whether a designer works full-time, freelance, or contract also affects earnings. Industry demand, client budget, and portfolio quality further impact pay rates.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Your comment will be approved faster if you sign up or create an account. She has extensive experience editing research for publication in academic journals and writing educational content. What a web designer makes in one city, state, or country can greatly differ from what they’d make elsewhere. In addition, you may optionally choose to learn one of the best programming languages to learn like PHP, Python, or Ruby. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
