There is no doubt that web designers are in high demand. Companies are increasingly turning to the internet to promote their products and services, and web designers are essential for creating attractive and credible websites that will draw in customers. But what does this demand mean for your earning potential? It depends on a variety of factors, such as experience, niche, and demand. There are many online resources that provide information on how much money web designers make, either hourly or annually.
This data is representative of experienced web designers who can manipulate HTML, CSS and JavaScript for front-end design, but who have no programming knowledge or an area of expertise. Let's take a closer look at how the following factors affect how much you earn as a web designer. First and foremost, you need to make sure you have enough money to cover your expenses. Before you start worrying about your earning potential, calculate your expenses accordingly.
There are a variety of ways you can work as a web designer, and these can easily change as you progress in your career. Focusing on full-time web designers, either as freelancers or employees, you can expect some variation in what you are paid based on your work agreement. This difference is likely attributed to the fact that most remote workers are self-employed, meaning that a customer does not pay benefits such as time off, health insurance, 401k, etc. If an employer does not have to spend money on desktop space, Internet bandwidth, and other on-site resources, they can allocate those additional funds to pay remote workers.
The level of experience of a web designer definitely influences the amount of money they earn. Entry level web designers are at the beginning of their careers, with less than three years of experience. They understand how to design websites for modern users, but may not yet have a firm grasp of advanced design and development techniques. Mid-level web designers usually have between three and ten years of experience.
They are well-trained and experienced in designing user interfaces, adhering to web standards and manipulating code so that a website does exactly what they want. Senior web designers have achieved the highest levels of experience that a web designer can achieve - they have worked in this field (if not for the same agency) for more than 10 years. Senior designers have extensive experience in everything related to web design and are the go-to designers for high-profile, critical or super-urgent work that requires extra care. They are likely responsible for managing the design department (team members, their processes, and even their schedules), as well as liaising between the design department and customers. The country you live in also affects your income - it's more about the cost of living and the demand for design talent that influences how much they get paid.
For example, according to Salary Expert's random sample of salaries for web designers from around the world, an entry level web designer in Rome earns more than one in Siena due to population density and increased competition within metropolitan areas. The area of expertise of a web designer also influences how much they earn. While there is no data on how much web designers earn based on industry niche, there is data on how much user interface (UI) designers, user experience (UX) designers, and senior UX designers earn. User interface designers focus strictly on the look, functionality and usability of a website while UX designers are more concerned about what the journey through a website feels like for visitors. So how much do website designers earn? It depends on location, experience level, niche expertise and other factors. Entry level web designers typically make less than mid-level or senior level ones due to their lack of experience.
However, location also plays an important role - metropolitan areas tend to pay more due to higher cost of living and increased competition for design talent.
