Creative pay 2026
UX/UI designer salary in Illinois (2026)
UX/UI designers in Illinois earn a median $85,710 a year ($41.21 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 18% below the US median of $104,000; Illinois is 21st of 48 states and territories. It is 1.6 times the median for all jobs in Illinois.
- $85,710median a year in Illinois
- $41.21median an hour
- −18%vs the US median ($104,000)
- 2,050employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for an ux/ui designer in Illinois?
Half of UX/UI designers in Illinois earn between $67,580 and $129,810. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 2.7 times the 10th, against 3.7 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $58,090 | $53,750 | $27.93 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $67,580 | $73,290 | $32.49 |
| Median | $85,710 | $104,000 | $41.21 |
| 75th | $129,810 | $158,820 | $62.41 |
| 90th percentile | $157,670 | $201,550 | $75.80 |
The mean (average) is $98,960, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Illinois compare with other states?
Illinois sits 21st of 48, between Delaware ($93,880) and Ohio ($83,360).
Which cities in Illinois pay UX/UI designers best?
Of the 5 metro areas in Illinois where BLS publishes a median for the job, Peoria pays most, at $87,950, 3% above the state median.
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,470 | $87,920 | $42.27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 650 | $74,780 | $35.95 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 40 | $68,680 | $33.02 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 30 | $69,320 | $33.33 |
| Peoria, IL | 30 | $87,950 | $42.28 |
How many UX/UI designers work in Illinois?
BLS estimates 2,050 employee jobs, 0.34 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.46, where 1 is the US average.
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 Illinois?
1 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Illinois.
| Videographer | $100,170 | 1,060 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $81,180 | 630 |
| Video editor | $72,460 | 310 |
| Copywriter | $68,220 | 2,640 |
| Graphic designer | $62,560 | 8,960 |
| Photographer | $36,570 | 2,150 |
What do freelance UX/UI designers charge?
Upwork, UX designers list $25 to $39 an hour, worldwide. Illinois's employee median of $41.21 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 Illinois?
The median is $85,710 a year and the mean is $98,960, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 2,050 employee jobs.
How much does an ux/ui designer make an hour in Illinois?
The median hourly wage is $41.21. The bottom 10% earn under $27.93 and the top 10% over $75.80.
What does a starting ux/ui designer earn in Illinois?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of UX/UI designers in Illinois earn under $67,580 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $58,090, 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 = 2,050 jobs in the Illinois estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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UX/UI designer pay in other states
- California $136,110
- 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