Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
User interaction designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a user interaction designer. User interaction designers usually study graphic design, computer science, or fine arts. 72% of user interaction designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 4,709 real user interaction designer resumes to see exactly what user interaction designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for user interaction designers are the Academy of Art University and the Academy of Art University.
There are also many online user interaction designer courses to help get the education required to be a user interaction designer.
There are certain user interaction designer certifications that you should consider. These user interaction designer certifications include Master Certified Web Professional - Designer (CWP) and Certified User Experience Professional (CUXP).
What education do you need to become a user interaction designer?
What degree do you need to be a user interaction designer?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 10%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a user interaction designer?
- Graphic Design, 34%
- Computer Science, 10%
- Fine Arts, 8%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for user interaction designers
| User interaction designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Academy of Art University | 17.51% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 9.02% |
| San Jose State University | 5.31% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 5.31% |
| The Art Institute of Seattle | 5.04% |
Best majors for user interaction designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 34.1% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 10.2% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 8.3% |
| 4 | Computer Applications | 7.2% |
| 5 | Design And Visual Communication | 6.1% |
Best colleges for user interaction designers
The best colleges for user interaction designers are Carnegie Mellon University, Boston University, and Northeastern University.
A user interaction designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for user interaction designers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become user interaction designers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
6. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
7. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,530
Enrollment
4,571
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
20 best online courses for user interaction designers
Advertising disclosure
1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...
2. Front-End Web Development (Part Time)
Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
4. Agile Software Development
Learn best practices for using the Agile methodology to build better products faster and more efficiently...
5. User Interface Design
In this Specialization, you will learn industry-standard theory and methods for developing successful user interfaces (UIs). Upon completing this Specialization, you will have fluency with the user research, prototyping and evaluation techniques necessary for creating intuitive interfaces that facilitate good user experiences. You will also have demonstrated this fluency through an in-depth Capstone Project that can be shown to prospective employers in the fast-growing field of UI...
6. Visual Elements of User Interface Design
This design-centric course examines the broad question of what an interface is and what role a designer plays in creating a user interface. Learning how to design and articulate meaning using color, type, and imagery is essential to making interfaces function clearly and seamlessly. Through a series of lectures and visual exercises, you will focus on the many individual elements and components that make up the skillset of an interface designer. By the end of this course, you will be able to...
7. Learn Figma: User Interface Design Essentials - UI/UX Design
Master Figma app to get a job in UI Design, User Interface, User Experience design, Web Design & UX design...
8. The Complete User Interface Design Bootcamp - Sketch UI/UX
Master Sketch software to get a job in UI Design, User Interface, User Experience design, Web Design & UX design...
9. JavaScript Development (Part Time)
Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
10. React Development (Part Time)
Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
11. Full Stack JavaScript Developer
Meet the growing demand for full stack developers and learn to build rich web experiences using a modern architecture and technology stack...
12. Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure
The Developer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program teaches students how to deploy, build, migrate, and monitor applications on Azure, thereby preparing learners for success on Microsoft’s AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate Expert certification...
13. User Experience Design & User Interface Design Fundamentals
Learn the basics of successful User Experience Design and User Interface Design...
14. User Experience Design Essentials - Adobe XD UI UX Design
Use XD to get a job in UI Design, User Interface, User Experience design, UX design & Web Design...
15. Intro to Coding
Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...
16. Intermediate Python
Gain practitioner-level skills with Python and learn the language powering transformation in Data Science, Machine Learning, and beyond...
17. C++
Learn C++, a high-performance programming language used in the world's most exciting engineering jobs -- from self-driving cars and robotics, to web browsers, media platforms, servers, and even video games...
18. Adobe XD Mega Course - User Experience Design
UI Design, User Interface, User Experience design, UX design & Web Design...
19. Learn User Experience Design from A-Z: Adobe XD UI/UX Design
Learn how to become a professional UX/UI Designer and create beautiful websites and applications from scratch...
20. Java Web Developer
Learn back-end development with the Java programming language, one of the most popular programming languages in the world and one a majority of large enterprises rely on for their infrastructure...
Top 10 most affordable universities for user interaction designers
The most affordable schools for user interaction designers are Brigham Young University, suny farmingdale, and purdue university.
If the best universities for user interaction designers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for user interaction designers.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,323
Cost of attendance
19,450
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
9. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for user interaction designers
The hardest universities for user interaction designers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Boston University, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for user interaction designers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for user interaction designers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for user interaction designers
The easiest schools for user interaction designers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, marymount university, and grand view university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a user interaction designer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for user interaction designers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
3. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
4. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
8. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
Average user interaction designer salary by education level
| User interaction designer education level | User interaction designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $89,627 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $84,350 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $80,061 |
User interaction designer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for user interaction designer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025