Career comparison
UX/UI Designer vs. Web Developer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
UX/UI designers earn more at the median ($104,000 vs. $92,650), while web developers usually get to work faster (6 months to 4 years of training). UX/UI designers design apps and websites that are easy, useful and enjoyable to use. Web developers build fast, accessible websites and web applications people love to use.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| UX/UI Designer | Web Developer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $104,000 ($50.00/hr) | $92,650 ($44.54/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $53,750 – $201,550 | $48,100 – $162,290 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +6.0% (faster than average) | +3.8% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 8,300 | 5,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4 years or bootcamp plus portfolio | 6 months to 4 years |
| Key credential | Google UX Design Certificate | Portfolio of projects |
| Work setting | Designers work in offices or remotely, mostly at computers, collaborating through design tools, video calls and workshops.. | Web developers work for agencies, tech companies, corporations, government and as freelancers. |
What each job does
UX/UI Designer
- Research user needs through interviews and data
- Create user flows, wireframes and prototypes
- Design visual interfaces and components
- Test designs with users and iterate
- Maintain design systems
Web Developer
- Build web pages and applications from designs and requirements
- Write HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Develop back-end services, APIs and databases
- Make sites responsive, accessible and fast
- Test, debug and fix issues
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work, desk work, problem-solving, and remote-friendly work. Both are part of the technology field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose UX/UI designer if…
- I notice when apps are confusing
- I like design and technology
- I enjoy understanding how people think
Choose web developer if…
- I enjoy building things on a computer
- I like solving logic puzzles
- I care about design and user experience
Still torn? Take the UX/UI Designer fit quiz and the Web Developer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, UX/UI designer or web developer?
UX/UI Designers earn more at the median: $104,000 versus $92,650 for web developers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Web Developers typically train faster (6 months to 4 years) than UX/UI designers (4 years or bootcamp plus portfolio).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects UX/UI designers to grow +6.0% from 2025–35, compared with +3.8% for web developers.