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The differences between front end developers and user experience designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a front end developer, becoming a user experience designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a front end developer has an average salary of $92,147, which is higher than the $91,159 average annual salary of a user experience designer.
The top three skills for a front end developer include javascript, front-end and html css. The most important skills for a user experience designer are sketch, UI, and user research.
| Front End Developer | User Experience Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,147 | $91,159 |
| Hourly rate | $44.30 | $43.83 |
| Growth rate | 13% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 124,876 | 52,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Front-end developers architect and develop applications and websites through web technologies. They are responsible for the implementation of visual elements that every user sees and interacts with on web applications. They are often supported by the back-end web developers who are in charge of server application logic and integration. They must know CSS or HTML. They should be equipped with CSS processing skills, browser developer tools, version control, JavaScript framework, and responsive design skills.
A User Experience (UX) designer is an individual who measures and optimizes applications to improve the experience of end-users. His/Her or her duties and responsibilities include considering a design's human-computer interaction element, defining interaction models, and working with creative directors and designers. The key skills for UX designers include strong mathematical and problem-solving skills and excellent information technology and programming skills. Having a bachelor's degree in a design or computing-related subject is an advantage to qualify for the UX designer position.
Front end developers and user experience designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Front End Developer | User Experience Designer | |
| Average salary | $92,147 | $91,159 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $124,000 | Between $65,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lifetime | BitGo |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a front end developer and a user experience designer in terms of educational background:
| Front End Developer | User Experience Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between front end developers' and user experience designers' demographics:
| Front End Developer | User Experience Designer | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 15.8% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 13% |