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The average Usability Specialist earns approximately $86,253 per year, translating to about $41 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and industry, with entry-level positions earning less than their seasoned counterparts. For instance, those with more than five years of experience often command higher salaries due to their expertise.
States with the highest salaries for Usability Specialists include California, New York, and Washington. These areas offer competitive compensation due to a higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Additionally, industries such as technology and healthcare tend to pay above-average salaries, providing lucrative opportunities for specialists looking to maximize their earning potential.
Various platforms provide salary estimates for Usability Specialists, reflecting a range from $75,000 to over $100,000 depending on the source. It is beneficial for individuals to compare these estimates and consider factors like job responsibilities and company size when evaluating potential offers.
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The average usability specialist salary in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Michigan are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average usability specialist salary states are Kansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $96,766 | $46.52 |
| 2 | Delaware | $94,287 | $45.33 |
| 3 | Michigan | $97,180 | $46.72 |
| 4 | Vermont | $93,356 | $44.88 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $100,783 | $48.45 |
| 6 | Alaska | $91,598 | $44.04 |
| 7 | Nevada | $92,101 | $44.28 |
| 8 | Georgia | $89,990 | $43.26 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $113,890 | $54.75 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $90,279 | $43.40 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $96,790 | $46.53 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $85,876 | $41.29 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $88,267 | $42.44 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $92,362 | $44.40 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $80,047 | $38.48 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $82,714 | $39.77 |
| 17 | Illinois | $86,890 | $41.77 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $91,184 | $43.84 |
| 19 | California | $95,036 | $45.69 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $83,339 | $40.07 |
| 21 | New York | $87,902 | $42.26 |
| 22 | Oregon | $84,113 | $40.44 |
| 23 | Washington | $86,678 | $41.67 |
| 24 | Arizona | $78,381 | $37.68 |
| 25 | Maine | $85,695 | $41.20 |
| 26 | Virginia | $82,842 | $39.83 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $75,716 | $36.40 |
| 28 | Texas | $79,997 | $38.46 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $82,919 | $39.86 |
| 30 | Idaho | $77,949 | $37.48 |
| 31 | Iowa | $75,192 | $36.15 |
| 32 | Utah | $79,231 | $38.09 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $78,016 | $37.51 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $80,454 | $38.68 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $83,935 | $40.35 |
| 36 | Florida | $71,561 | $34.40 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $73,858 | $35.51 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $79,285 | $38.12 |
| 39 | Alabama | $72,923 | $35.06 |
| 40 | Indiana | $75,211 | $36.16 |
| 41 | Maryland | $77,147 | $37.09 |
| 42 | Colorado | $76,977 | $37.01 |
| 43 | Missouri | $76,468 | $36.76 |
| 44 | Ohio | $73,532 | $35.35 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $53,565 | $25.75 |
| 46 | Kansas | $70,013 | $33.66 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $64,888 | $31.20 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $72,407 | $34.81 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $62,383 | $29.99 |
| 50 | Montana | $63,149 | $30.36 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $64,771 | $31.14 |
The highest-paying cities for usability specialists are Oakland, CA, Natick, MA, and Southfield, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $103,617 | $49.82 |
| 2 | Natick, MA | $101,364 | $48.73 |
| 3 | Southfield, MI | $97,868 | $47.05 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $88,210 | $42.41 |
| 5 | Webster, NY | $85,779 | $41.24 |
| 6 | Reston, VA | $85,300 | $41.01 |
| 7 | Southlake, TX | $80,545 | $38.72 |
| 8 | Murray, UT | $78,588 | $37.78 |
| 9 | Saint Louis, MO | $78,284 | $37.64 |
| 10 | Madison, WI | $77,020 | $37.03 |
| 11 | Dublin, OH | $73,181 | $35.18 |
A usability specialist's salary ranges from $51,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $143,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| Average | $86,253 | $7,188 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 10th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
The highest paying types of usability specialists are president ergonomic consulting, human factors engineer, and integration specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Factors Engineer | $96,426 | $8,036 | $46.36 | 57,075 |
| Human Factors Scientist | $87,720 | $7,310 | $42.17 | 78,875 |
Top companies hiring usability specialists now:
Usability specialist salaries at Blue Shield of California and MEDITECH are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average usability specialist salary at companies like MathWorks and Sabre are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Shield of California | $111,832 | $53.77 |
| 2 | MEDITECH | $105,733 | $50.83 |
| 3 | MathWorks | $104,427 | $50.21 |
| 4 | Sabre | $100,721 | $48.42 |
| 5 | TALENT Software Services | $95,683 | $46.00 |
| 6 | Nationwide | $86,005 | $41.35 |
| 7 | Xerox | $81,409 | $39.14 |
| 8 | Epitec | $74,935 | $36.03 |
| 9 | Monsanto | $71,641 | $34.44 |
| 10 | Tele Data Solutions Inc | $69,110 | $33.23 |
| 11 | NANA | $66,039 | $31.75 |
| 12 | Aquent | $47,255 | $22.72 |
The average usability specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $121,714 | $58.52 |
| 2 | Professional | $108,165 | $52.00 |
| 3 | Finance | $90,888 | $43.70 |
| 4 | Technology | $90,151 | $43.34 |
| 5 | Government | $83,365 | $40.08 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $73,270 | $35.23 |
The average usability specialist salary has risen by $11,355 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average usability specialist earned $74,898 annually, but today, they earn $86,253 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for usability specialists over the last decade.
Compare usability specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare usability specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,300 | $41.47 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $85,400 | $41.03 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $84,400 | $40.58 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $83,300 | $40.04 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $81,800 | $39.30 | +1.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Usability and Accessibility Specialist, College of Education-IT Partners | Urbana, IL | 05/23/2025 | $60,000 |
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