Average UX Designer Salary in Washington D.C., United States for 2025
In this article, we will look at the average UX Designer salary for 2025 in Washington D.C. and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!
The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.
All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.
How Much Does an UX Designer Make in Washington D.C.?
An UX Designer working in Washington D.C. will typically earn around 63,000 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 30,100 USD to the highest average salary of 97,300 USD.
These are average salaries for an UX Designer in Washington D.C. and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for an UX Designer to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.
UX Designer salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.
Distribution of UX Designer Salaries in Washington D.C.
So we've looked at the average salaries an UX Designer will earn in Washington D.C.. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.
Salary ranges
We already know that an UX Designer can earn between 30,100 USD and 97,300 USD on average in Washington D.C.. This is known as the range in statistics.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.
Median salary
The median salary for an UX Designer in Washington D.C. is 65,800 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.
What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 65,800 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 65,800 USD.
If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.
If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).
Percentiles
Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.
For the average UX Designer salary in Washington D.C., 25% of the population are earning less than 42,300 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 42,300 USD.
75% of the population earn less than 88,600 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 88,600 USD.
Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.
The difference between a median and an average salary
The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.
- If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
- If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
- If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.
UX Designer Salary by Experience Level in Washington D.C.
The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.
We have researched the average UX Designer salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.
- 0 - 2 Years Experience. An UX Designer in Washington D.C. that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 34,000 USD.
- 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average UX Designer salary would increase to 45,900 USD.
- 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as an UX Designer, the average salary would be 66,900 USD.
- 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 80,000 USD.
- 15 - 20 Years Experience. An UX Designer with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 87,200 USD.
- 20+ Years Experience. For an UX Designer with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 94,300 USD.
Average Salary by Experience Chart
| 0-2 Years | - | 34,000 USD |
| 2-5 Years | +38% | 45,900 USD |
| 5-10 Years | +42% | 66,900 USD |
| 10-15 Years | +22% | 80,000 USD |
| 15-20 Years | +6% | 87,200 USD |
| 20+ Years | +9% | 94,300 USD |
UX Designer Salary by Education Level in Washington D.C.
As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?
In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.
The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.
In our research, we looked at the average salary for an UX Designer in Washington D.C. based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.
- High School. An UX Designer in Washington D.C. with a high school education can earn an average salary of 39,000 USD.
- Certificate or Diploma. An UX Designer in Washington D.C. with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 62,500 USD.
- Bachelor's Degree. An UX Designer in Washington D.C. with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 92,200 USD.
Average Salary by Education Chart
| High School | - | 39,000 USD |
| Certificate or Diploma | +51% | 62,500 USD |
| Bachelor's Degree | +50% | 92,200 USD |
How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?
The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.
As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.
It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.
Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.
UX Designer Salary Compared by Gender
In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.
In Washington D.C., a male ux designer will earn an average of 62,100 USD, while a female ux designer will earn around 59,700 USD.
This means that a male ux designer earns approximately 4% more than a female ux designer for performing the same job.
Average Salary by Gender Chart in Washington D.C.
| Male | - | 62,100 USD |
| Female | -4% | 59,700 USD |
UX Designer Average Pay Raise in Washington D.C.
In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.
From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for an UX Designer in Washington D.C. is around 10% every 16 months.
The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.
In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.
To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:
Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12
So for this example, it would be:
Annual Increase = ( 10 ÷ 16 ) × 12 = 8%
What this means is that an UX Designer in Washington D.C. can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.
Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Washington D.C. for 2025
In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.
You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.
| Banking | - | 4% |
| Energy | - | 8% |
| Information Technology | - | 3% |
| Healthcare | - | 7% |
| Travel | - | 2% |
| Construction | - | 6% |
| Education | - | 1% |
UX Designer Bonus and Incentive Rates in Washington D.C.
Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.
Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.
An UX Designer is a low bonus based job, with 26% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.
74% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.
For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 2%.
| Received Bonus | - | 26% |
| No Bonus | - | 74% |
What are the Types of Bonus?
There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:
- Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
- Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
- Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
- Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.
Government vs Private Sector Salaries
Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.
Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.
| Public Sector | - | 98,800 USD |
| Private Sector | -6% | 93,100 USD |
Salaries for Jobs Similar to an UX Designer
In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to an UX Designer in Washington D.C..
| Job Title | Category | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising Account Executive | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 102,700 USD |
| Advertising Account Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 116,400 USD |
| Advertising Account Planner | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 58,400 USD |
| Advertising Coordinator | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 73,500 USD |
| Advertising Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 151,800 USD |
| Advertising Operations Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 160,700 USD |
| Advertising Sales Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 166,600 USD |
| Advertising Strategic Planner | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 102,700 USD |
| Advertising Team Leader | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 90,900 USD |
| Advertising and Promotions Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 158,700 USD |
| Animator | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 73,700 USD |
| Art Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 92,100 USD |
| Art Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 99,400 USD |
| Artist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 77,400 USD |
| Artworker | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 57,200 USD |
| Assistant Art Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 76,000 USD |
| Audio Engineer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 68,900 USD |
| Audio and Video Equipment Technician | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 58,100 USD |
| Audiosual Technician | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 54,700 USD |
| Broadcast Administrator | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 103,600 USD |
| Catering Sales | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 64,800 USD |
| Catering Trainer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 71,200 USD |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 59,200 USD |
| Conference Organiser | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 69,200 USD |
| Content and Media Production Lead | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 109,700 USD |
| CopyWriter | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 65,700 USD |
| Creative Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 71,900 USD |
| Creative Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 94,100 USD |
| Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 54,600 USD |
| Desktop Publisher | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 49,400 USD |
| Digital Campaign Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 100,300 USD |
| Digital Media Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 117,100 USD |
| Digital Media Strategist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 116,400 USD |
| Director of Events | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 157,600 USD |
| Director of Graphic Design | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 92,000 USD |
| Director of Social Media Marketing | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 124,500 USD |
| Events Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 165,900 USD |
| Events and Promotions Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 160,700 USD |
| Exhibit Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 75,900 USD |
| Exhibit Display Coordinator | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 68,500 USD |
| Exhibit Display Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 96,500 USD |
| Finisher | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 46,700 USD |
| Graphic Artist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 58,600 USD |
| Graphic Design Specialist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 69,400 USD |
| Graphic Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 63,200 USD |
| Graphics Artist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 59,000 USD |
| Graphics Design Supervisor | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 84,800 USD |
| Group Creative Director | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 102,700 USD |
| Imagery Analyst | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 57,400 USD |
| Imaging Technologist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 52,300 USD |
| Interaction Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 48,600 USD |
| Media Analyst | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 77,000 USD |
| Media Executive | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 95,500 USD |
| Media Planner | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 83,400 USD |
| Media Production Coordinator | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 70,800 USD |
| Media Production Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 127,600 USD |
| Media Project Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 130,400 USD |
| Media Relations Representative | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 107,300 USD |
| Media Sales Executive | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 127,700 USD |
| Meeting and Event Planner | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 74,500 USD |
| Multimedia Artist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 64,100 USD |
| Multimedia Specialist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 52,300 USD |
| PPC Campaign Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 93,600 USD |
| Photographer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 51,300 USD |
| Print Production Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 105,800 USD |
| Product and Brand Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 157,600 USD |
| Sales Promotion Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 152,900 USD |
| Search Engine Optimization Specialist (SEO) | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 65,800 USD |
| Sketch Artist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 63,200 USD |
| Social Media Executive | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 117,100 USD |
| Social Media Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 123,000 USD |
| Social Media Marketing Manager | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 128,200 USD |
| Social Media Strategist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 115,600 USD |
| Special Events Supervisor | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 96,500 USD |
| Technical Typist | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 41,500 USD |
| User Experience UX Designer | Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | 67,300 USD |
Salary Comparison by City
If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | 51,400 USD |
| Austin | 61,700 USD |
| Baltimore | 54,200 USD |
| Boston | 60,700 USD |
| Bristol | 45,000 USD |
| Chicago | 63,700 USD |
| Cincinnati | 49,400 USD |
| Cleveland | 50,700 USD |
| Dallas | 61,700 USD |
| Denver | 60,800 USD |
| Detroit | 59,100 USD |
| Honolulu | 49,000 USD |
| Houston | 65,200 USD |
| Indianapolis | 58,200 USD |
| Iowa City | 46,700 USD |
| Jacksonville | 58,800 USD |
| Kansas City | 55,100 USD |
| Kent | 49,400 USD |
| Las Vegas | 58,400 USD |
| Long Beach | 53,300 USD |
| Los Angeles | 70,800 USD |
| Memphis | 54,500 USD |
| Miami | 52,600 USD |
| Minneapolis | 53,600 USD |
| New Orleans | 49,100 USD |
| New York | 68,500 USD |
| Oakland | 51,300 USD |
| Oklahoma City | 54,200 USD |
| Orlando | 50,000 USD |
| Philadelphia | 64,800 USD |
| Phoenix | 69,400 USD |
| Sacramento | 54,100 USD |
| San Antonio | 63,500 USD |
| San Diego | 66,900 USD |
| San Francisco | 64,900 USD |
| San Jose | 67,600 USD |
| Seattle | 60,800 USD |
| Tampa | 49,300 USD |
| Vancouver | 49,100 USD |
Salary Comparison by State
The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.
| State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 60,700 USD |
| Alaska | 51,900 USD |
| Arizona | 63,800 USD |
| Arkansas | 55,600 USD |
| California | 61,500 USD |
| Colorado | 57,900 USD |
| Connecticut | 54,200 USD |
| Delaware | 53,300 USD |
| District of Columbia | 50,100 USD |
| Florida | 67,000 USD |
| Georgia | 63,700 USD |
| Hawaii | 54,500 USD |
| Idaho | 57,800 USD |
| Illinois | 61,300 USD |
| Indiana | 58,200 USD |
| Iowa | 55,700 USD |
| Kansas | 54,700 USD |
| Kentucky | 57,800 USD |
| Louisiana | 59,000 USD |
| Maine | 55,400 USD |
| Maryland | 60,800 USD |
| Massachusetts | 63,000 USD |
| Michigan | 64,800 USD |
| Minnesota | 58,200 USD |
| Mississippi | 54,100 USD |
| Missouri | 56,600 USD |
| Montana | 51,300 USD |
| Nebraska | 55,600 USD |
| Nevada | 54,200 USD |
| New Hampshire | 55,400 USD |
| New Jersey | 62,600 USD |
| New Mexico | 57,900 USD |
| New York | 68,900 USD |
| North Carolina | 58,800 USD |
| North Dakota | 49,300 USD |
| Ohio | 61,600 USD |
| Oklahoma | 58,200 USD |
| Oregon | 57,900 USD |
| Pennsylvania | 65,500 USD |
| Rhode Island | 51,100 USD |
| South Carolina | 59,100 USD |
| South Dakota | 52,300 USD |
| Tennessee | 62,600 USD |
| Texas | 60,600 USD |
| Utah | 53,300 USD |
| Vermont | 50,300 USD |
| Virginia | 62,600 USD |
| Washington | 62,600 USD |
| West Virginia | 55,100 USD |
| Wisconsin | 60,700 USD |
| Wyoming | 53,300 USD |
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