Creative pay 2026
UX/UI designer salary in California (2026)
UX/UI designers in California earn a median $136,110 a year ($65.44 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 31% more than the US median of $104,000, and the highest of 48 states and territories with published figures. It is 2.3 times the median for all jobs in California.
- $136,110median a year in California
- $65.44median an hour
- +31%vs the US median ($104,000)
- 27,090employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for an ux/ui designer in California?
Half of UX/UI designers in California earn between $91,600 and $191,960. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 3.2 times the 10th, against 3.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $68,090 | $53,750 | $32.73 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $91,600 | $73,290 | $44.04 |
| Median | $136,110 | $104,000 | $65.44 |
| 75th | $191,960 | $158,820 | $92.29 |
| 90th percentile | $219,750 | $201,550 | $105.65 |
The mean (average) is $146,210, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does California compare with other states?
California pays UX/UI designers more than any other state: its median is 4% above second-placed Washington.
Which cities in California pay UX/UI designers best?
Of the 8 metro areas in California where BLS publishes a median for the job, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays most, at $201,260, 48% above the state median.
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9,220 | $106,550 | $51.23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 6,630 | $163,810 | $78.76 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 4,400 | $201,260 | $96.76 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,270 | $123,850 | $59.54 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 480 | $112,840 | $54.25 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 190 | $103,430 | $49.73 |
| Fresno, CA | 100 | $92,390 | $44.42 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 70 | $97,420 | $46.84 |
How many UX/UI designers work in California?
BLS estimates 27,090 employee jobs, 1.49 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is concentrated here: California's share of employment in it is 2.04 times the national share (BLS's location quotient).
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in California?
UX/UI designer is the best-paid of these creative jobs in California.
| Motion designer | $130,540 | 7,410 |
|---|---|---|
| Videographer | $106,900 | 4,700 |
| Video editor | $88,490 | 8,110 |
| Copywriter | $86,480 | 8,390 |
| Graphic designer | $75,130 | 27,390 |
| Photographer | $47,840 | 7,980 |
What do freelance UX/UI designers charge?
Upwork, UX designers list $25 to $39 an hour, worldwide. California's employee median of $65.44 an hour is above that range, and a freelancer also has to cover unpaid hours, kit and tax. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average ux/ui designer salary in California?
The median is $136,110 a year and the mean is $146,210, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 27,090 employee jobs.
How much does an ux/ui designer make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage is $65.44. The bottom 10% earn under $32.73 and the top 10% over $105.65.
What does a starting ux/ui designer earn in California?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of UX/UI designers in California earn under $91,600 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $68,090, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 15-1255, Web and Digital Interface Designers. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 27,090 jobs in the California estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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UX/UI designer pay in other states
- Washington $130,480
- New York $120,990
- Massachusetts $113,540
- New Hampshire $111,150
- District of Columbia $107,650
- Pennsylvania $104,160
- Georgia $103,810
- Texas $102,650
- Oregon $102,220
- Utah $99,990
- Arizona $98,070
- North Carolina $97,990