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User interface designer vs designer

The differences between user interface designers and designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a user interface designer and a designer. Additionally, a user interface designer has an average salary of $92,247, which is higher than the $66,347 average annual salary of a designer.

The top three skills for a user interface designer include invision, interactive prototypes and UI. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.

User interface designer vs designer overview

User Interface DesignerDesigner
Yearly salary$92,247$66,347
Hourly rate$44.35$31.90
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs51,37552,433
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age3838
Years of experience1212

What does a user interface designer do?

A user interface designer specializes in designing and developing the interface of websites and web applications, aiming to optimize the user experience. Among their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify and understand their needs and preferences, conceptualizing plans and storyboards, creating web and visual elements, and performing research and analysis to determine the best practices. A user interface designer typically works with a team of designers and developers, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a designer do?

A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.

User interface designer vs designer salary

User interface designers and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

User Interface DesignerDesigner
Average salary$92,247$66,347
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $131,000Between $45,000 And $97,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyAirbnbMeta
Best paying industryTechnologyTechnology

Differences between user interface designer and designer education

There are a few differences between a user interface designer and a designer in terms of educational background:

User Interface DesignerDesigner
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

User interface designer vs designer demographics

Here are the differences between user interface designers' and designers' demographics:

User Interface DesignerDesigner
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 65.2% Female, 34.8%Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage13%13%

Differences between user interface designer and designer duties and responsibilities

User interface designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage prototype content in wireframes when necessary.
  • Introduce utilization of mock-up screens, CSS, and style guides to create a consistent look across product screens.
  • Perform rapid HTML prototyping for intranets and online applications.
  • Analyze the business requirement and conceptualize UI design patterns through paper prototyping.
  • Modify the styling of the existing web pages using CSS3.
  • Test new designs on mobile device such as apple and android.
  • Show more

Designer example responsibilities.

  • Lead & design all creative content stemming from apparel design to web identity.
  • Manage various PCB designs utilizing state of the art DFM techniques and comply with company standards.
  • Utilize CSS, DHTML, HTML, and JavaScript for cross browser, cross platform compatibility and consistency.
  • Develop different kinds of functions globally, locally for the development of forms using JavaScript, CSS.
  • Transform customer specifications into usable SolidWorks 3D models and assemblies from which all manufacturing are derived.
  • Process ECR's and ECO's using Windchill.
  • Show more

User interface designer vs designer skills

Common user interface designer skills
  • Invision, 12%
  • Interactive Prototypes, 9%
  • UI, 9%
  • Sketch, 8%
  • User Experience, 4%
  • Graphic Design, 4%
Common designer skills
  • Sketch, 10%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Graphic Design, 6%
  • CSS, 5%
  • HTML, 4%
  • PowerPoint, 4%

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