Updated 27 March 2026
UX Designer Salary by State
California leads at $145K but Texas and Michigan offer the best purchasing power. Remote UX roles (40%+ of job postings) are closing the geographic gap.
Highest Raw Salary
1. California$145K
2. Washington$138K
3. New York$132K
4. Massachusetts$125K
5. New Jersey$120K
Best After Cost of Living
1. Washington$120K adj.
2. Texas$116K adj.
3. Illinois$114K adj.
4. Georgia$113K adj.
5. Colorado$112K adj.
| State | Average | COL | Adjusted | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $145,000 | 142 | $102,113 | Bay Area FAANG + LA entertainment/streaming. Highest raw pay. |
| Washington | $138,000 | 115 | $120,000 | Amazon, Microsoft, Meta. Seattle is a UX hub. |
| New York | $132,000 | 136 | $97,059 | NYC finance + media. Strong agency scene (IDEO, Frog, R/GA). |
| Massachusetts | $125,000 | 131 | $95,420 | Boston. HubSpot, Wayfair, biotech UX. |
| New Jersey | $120,000 | 120 | $100,000 | NYC spillover + pharma UX (J&J, Merck). |
| Colorado | $118,000 | 105 | $112,381 | Denver/Boulder. Strong remote-friendly market. |
| Illinois | $112,000 | 98 | $114,286 | Chicago. Grubhub, Groupon, enterprise SaaS. |
| Oregon | $115,000 | 112 | $102,679 | Portland. Nike, Intel, creative agencies. |
| Texas | $108,000 | 93 | $116,129 | Austin tech + Dallas enterprise. Best COL-adjusted. |
| Georgia | $105,000 | 93 | $112,903 | Atlanta fintech + Cox Automotive. |
| Virginia | $112,000 | 103 | $108,738 | DC metro. Government UX (USDS, 18F), defense. |
| Minnesota | $105,000 | 98 | $107,143 | Target, UnitedHealth, Best Buy HQs. |
| Michigan | $95,000 | 91 | $104,396 | Auto UX (GM, Ford infotainment). Excellent COL ratio. |
| North Carolina | $98,000 | 95 | $103,158 | Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle. |
| Pennsylvania | $102,000 | 98 | $104,082 | Philly + Pittsburgh. Comcast, Duolingo. |
Government UX is an underrated path.
The US Digital Service (USDS) and 18F hire UX designers at GS-13 to GS-15 levels ($95K-$150K in DC metro, with full federal benefits). The work is meaningful (healthcare.gov, immigration systems, veteran services), the work-life balance is excellent, and the pension is unmatched in private sector. Plus you get a security clearance that opens private-sector doors later.