A collaborative product development platform, Figma is utilized by many notable brands and companies. It helps save time by allowing users to focus more on designing (as opposed to manually resizing and formatting), thanks to a fully responsive auto layout. In Indianapolis, the tech and startup sector has been growing fast and steadily, thanks to the city’s focus on nurturing tech talent. As a result, tech employment has increased, and demand for UX/UI designers in Indianapolis has grown. Additionally, job opportunities for Figma experts are available in sectors outside of tech, and remote work has greatly increased employment opportunities for UX/UI professionals.
Figma Careers in Indianapolis
If you’re considering working in UX/UI in Indianapolis, there are plenty of job opportunities for you to pursue. While most jobs will come from the city’s growing tech sector, the city does have several other industries with a strong need for Figma experts. And, while salaries in Indianapolis are lower than in larger metropolitan areas, the cost of living in Indianapolis remains much more affordable, making it a great place to start your career in UX/UI. (Remote work opportunities will offer higher pay ranges as well, so make sure to keep an eye out for those.) Below is a list of the most common job titles you’ll encounter to help you better understand your potential career as a Figma professional.
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UX Designer: One of the most common job titles you’ll encounter, this role works primarily within the tech field, but their expertise is needed in almost any modern industry. A UX Designer will take into account research and feedback on the user’s experience while designing a website or app to create the most user-friendly and enjoyable interfaces possible. You would work with UX researchers, customer service, dev-ops, marketing, and sales to develop landing pages, navigation menus, app walkthroughs, and more. The average salary for a UX Designer usually lands around $102,000 in Indianapolis.
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Junior Designer: A more entry-level role, this position focuses on learning the UX Designer process and assisting with research and usability testing, all while contributing to the overall user experience. Junior Designers often start at around $84,000, but with more experience, senior designers at large Indianapolis firms can earn significantly more.
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Web Designer: This role works alongside positions like Front-End Developers and UX Designers and creates the layout and assets for webpages and mobile applications. Using various software, including Figma, Web Designers craft the appearance and feel of both the visual and functional elements of a webpage before handing that design off to web developers who will bring it to life. The pay for this role in Indianapolis typically ranges around $71,000, though this can vary depending on experience.
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Front-End Developer: This position builds the client-side of websites or web applications, updates current websites to meet modern standards, creates prototypes from wireframes, and uses design comps to satisfy the needs of their employer or client. As a Front-End Developer, you’ll collaborate with other Back-End Developers, Software Engineers, and UX and UI teams, often using Figma as a way to connect. You can expect to earn up to $100,000 as a Front-End Developer.
What Industries Use Figma in Indianapolis
Known as the Racing Capital of the World, Indianapolis is a growing Midwestern city boasting a lower cost of living and a good quality of life. The city’s suburbs have experienced substantial growth, driven primarily by post-pandemic migration to more affordable cities and economic opportunities. The city is also ideally located within the Midwest and northern regions, allowing it to transition from a convenient passthrough to a vibrant metropolitan destination. Below are a handful of the top industries, each of which has a high demand for Figma experts.
Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
This sector is two-fold, combining healthcare services and pharmaceutical development. The state of Indiana has a healthcare system that includes both public and private institutions, with a focus on both acute and preventative care. Four major health systems have centers in downtown Indianapolis, while hospitals and medical schools help funnel top-notch talent into the healthcare field. Indianapolis is also home to some of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies and cutting-edge research facilities, playing a vital role in advancing medicine. The pharmaceutical sector alone supports over 21,000 jobs in Indiana and generates billions annually through exports of vaccines, biologics, and other medical products. Below are a few of the top employers:
- IU Health
- Ascension St. Vincent Health
- Eli Lilly
- Guidant
- Roche
Marketing Tech and Cloud Software
Silicon Valley is no longer the only hub for tech – Indianapolis has slowly but surely become its own tech center, thanks to Salesforce’s acquisition of ExactTarget. And they’re not the only SaaS company in the region; several other marketing automation and B2B software firms call Indy home and have a strong need for product designers. A few of the major players are listed below:
- Complete Technology Solutions
- Diverse Tech Services
- Genesys
- Zylo
- Terminus
Manufacturing and Logistics
Indiana is known as a national center for manufacturing and logistics, partly due to its location at the "Crossroads of America." The city’s well-developed highways, railroads, and airports enable the easy transportation of manufactured goods. The industry contributes significantly to the state's economy, with millions of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue each year. Below is a sample of manufacturing and logistics companies in Indianapolis:
- First Call Logistics
- ShipSights
- Buske Logistics
- Celadon Logistics
- FreightRover
- Backhaul Direct
- Hoosier Logistics, Inc.
Sports and Entertainment
Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts (NFL), Indiana Pacers (NBA), Indiana Fever (WNBA), Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A baseball), Indy Eleven (USL soccer), Indy Fuel (ECHL hockey), and the Indy 500. The city has hosted more NCAA Final Fours than any city in recent times, and up-and-coming sports entertainment firm Cosm has Indianapolis on its list of markets under consideration. Here are some of the top employers in this sector:
- Penske Entertainment Corp
- Westfield Outdoor, Inc.
- National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA)
- DraftKings
- SponsorUnited
- REV Entertainment