In a world where a website makes your product or project real, web design is one of the most relevant skills you can learn. It’s also one of the least technical ways to break into tech. If you’re already a Designer, learning web design can result in a salary raise and valuable relevant skills. Web designers typically have 25% higher salaries than traditional designers.
Web Designers tend to use more technical skills than traditional Designers. They leverage technology to design for multiple mediums and platforms from desktop versions of websites to interactive web applications on your smartphone.
Web Design concepts alone are not enough to get you a job, but in combination with tools like Photoshop and Sketch, designers can embark on a relevant career in almost any industry. It’s a relevant skill set that makes it easy for visual creatives to break into tech.
Learning web design can also start you on the path to becoming a User Experience Designer or a User Interface Designer. These jobs are more technical and rely on understanding concepts of designing applications, researching user experiences, mapping the user journey, and the technologies used to do those tasks.
Web Design Career Options
Here are a few career paths for which you’ll likely need Web Design skills in order to succeed. We also include additional info about their average salaries, their day-to-day responsibilities, and a link to learn more about each career.
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Designer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$80K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$77K / year
Designers work in a wide variety of industries and specialize in just as many media. Most designers create digital assets, but some designers work with hand-drawn sketches and illustrations. They start with an understanding of the best design principles and functional aesthetics. Common fields for designers include web, apps, print, fashion, animation, advertising, and UX design.
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Web Designer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$55K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$66K / year
Web designers design the appearance and functionality of a website. They use their understanding of both visual and technical design principles to create functional web layouts. Some web designers work from home and enjoy the flexibility of freelance work, while others work for agencies or businesses. Good web designers have the foresight to anticipate the end-user experience and design for ease of use and navigation.
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Digital Designer
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$104K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$75K / year
Digital Designers create graphics, animations, and other visual content. Depending on their preference, a Digital Designer might choose to specialize in pre-print, web, or digital marketing. In these niches, the Digital Designer may focus on designing websites, applications, advertisements, or publications.
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Design Director
Indeed.com Avg. Salary
$151K / year
Glassdoor Avg. Salary
$149K / year
A Design Director leads a team of creative professionals who create the look and feel of a product or project through the production of visual design strategies. They work on projects like magazines, movies, advertisements, video games, or websites. Design Directors can work in industries such as interior design, retail, marketing, architecture, and entertainment.