Creative pay 2026
UX/UI designer salary in New York (2026)
UX/UI designers in New York earn a median $120,990 a year ($58.17 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 16% more than the US median of $104,000, and 3rd-highest of 48 states and territories with published figures. It is 2.0 times the median for all jobs in New York.
- $120,990median a year in New York
- $58.17median an hour
- +16%vs the US median ($104,000)
- 16,560employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for an ux/ui designer in New York?
Half of UX/UI designers in New York earn between $94,620 and $167,590. 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 | $63,960 | $53,750 | $30.75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $94,620 | $73,290 | $45.49 |
| Median | $120,990 | $104,000 | $58.17 |
| 75th | $167,590 | $158,820 | $80.57 |
| 90th percentile | $204,510 | $201,550 | $98.32 |
The mean (average) is $129,990, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does New York compare with other states?
New York is in the top five for UX/UI designers' pay. Only California and Washington pay more.
| Connecticut | $94,660 | −22% | 1,060 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $113,540 | −6% | 2,740 |
| New Jersey | $95,310 | −21% | 2,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $104,160 | −14% | 2,820 |
Which cities in New York pay UX/UI designers best?
Of the 7 metro areas in New York where BLS publishes a median for the job, Ithaca pays most, at $125,810, 4% above the state median.
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 14,990 | $119,190 | $57.30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 460 | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| Rochester, NY | 400 | $91,540 | $44.01 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 310 | $99,210 | $47.70 |
| Syracuse, NY | 180 | $80,710 | $38.80 |
| Ithaca, NY | 40 | $125,810 | $60.49 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 40 | $76,780 | $36.92 |
How many UX/UI designers work in New York?
BLS estimates 16,560 employee jobs, 1.71 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is concentrated here: New York's share of employment in it is 2.35 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 New York?
UX/UI designer is the best-paid of these creative jobs in New York.
| Video editor | $103,440 | 3,710 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $96,770 | 1,540 |
| Videographer | $93,410 | 2,930 |
| Graphic designer | $77,340 | 14,530 |
| Photographer | $60,050 | 3,650 |
What do freelance UX/UI designers charge?
Upwork, UX designers list $25 to $39 an hour, worldwide. New York's employee median of $58.17 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 New York?
The median is $120,990 a year and the mean is $129,990, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 16,560 employee jobs.
How much does an ux/ui designer make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage is $58.17. The bottom 10% earn under $30.75 and the top 10% over $98.32.
What does a starting ux/ui designer earn in New York?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of UX/UI designers in New York earn under $94,620 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $63,960, 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 = 16,560 jobs in the New York estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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UX/UI designer pay in other states
- California $136,110
- Washington $130,480
- 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