Looking for a creative career that combines problem-solving and human empathy with strong compensation?
User experience (UX) design is still a field experiencing strong growth with an estimated global value of $32.96 billion by 2030 according to Fortune Business Insights (representing a compound annual growth rate of over 37%) .As technology continues to be integrated into our everyday lives, the role of UX designs will continue to grow and evolve in new and exciting ways.
In this article, we'll talk about how to become a UX designer without a degree (or any prior experience), how long it might take before you can expect to land your first job, as well as some tips and insights into crafting a portfolio that will help you stand out from other candidates.
- Career Outlook for UX Designers
- How Much Does a UX Designer Make?
- What Does the UX Design Career Path Look Like?
- What Skills Do You Need to Become A UX Designer?
- Step-By-Step: How to Become a UX Designer
- UX Design Job Search Tips
- Are You Ready to Become a UX Designer?
Career Outlook for UX Designers
Given an uncertain global economy, news of tech layoffs over the last several years, and the rise of AI, you might be wondering whether now is a good time to move into a new career.
While the job market for UX designers has been increasingly competitive compared to the early days of the COVID pandemic, fortunately, for UX designers at least, the long-term outlook continues to be strongly positive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that the demand for UX designers will continue to grow through 2033 at a rate of 8%, which is faster than average compared with other roles. . Other sources are even more bullish, predicting the space to grow as much as 39% annually.
Looking at the near term, as of the publication of this article Academy UX (not to be confused with UX Academy), who updates their monthly “heat index” for UX jobs, listed the current UX job market as “neutral,” however states the following for the overall 2025 index:
“The UX job market in 2025 is expected to remain strong, with opportunities driven by innovation, AI integration, and a continued emphasis on user-centric design. While hiring is likely to pick up in Q1 after the seasonal slowdown, the focus on hybrid/onsite roles and data-driven decision-making will shape the landscape. Professionals who adapt to these trends and build skills in AI, research, growth design, interaction design and operational efficiency will be well-positioned for success in the coming year.”
How Much Does a UX Designer Make?
The overall compensation you can expect to receive as a UX designer will depend on your location, the company you work with, as well as what experience and skillset you bring to the table.
Currently, Glassdoor estimates that the average UX design salary in the United States is between $82K and $110K per year.
Compare this with location-specific annual salaries (both in and out of the USA).
- San Francisco: USD $ $130,000
- New York City: USD $110,000
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada: CA $82,760
- London, United Kingdom: £58,171
- Berlin, Germany: €53,000
- Hong Kong: $85,600
What Does the UX Design Career Path Look Like?
The career path of a UX designer often begins with a UX/UI design generalist role, where your work touches multiple aspects of the product design process. As a new UX designer, you might work on anything from user research to information architecture; visual design to interaction design.
If you enjoy this generalist role, good news: it's one that can easily age with you as you gain years of experience. However, you can also opt for a path to becoming a specialist, whether that's in user research, UX writing, interaction design, or leading a team of designers.

What Skills Do You Need To Become a UX Designer?
If you're interested in becoming a UX designer, the first step is to get familiar with the basics of user interface (UI) design, user experience design, and user research. These are the three core areas of expertise that you'll need to begin your career in UX design.
As a UX designer, you should also understand how the UX design process works as a whole, so that each “piece” of the puzzle makes sense contextually.
But there is a certain learning sequence—from general to chronologically significant—that can expedite your learning journey.
Here’s a step-by-step that can lead to a new job in UX/UI design in as little as 3-6 months:
Step-By-Step: How to Become a UX Designer
Step 1: Become Familiar With UX Design
One of the best ways to get started on the path to becoming a UX designer is by compiling a list of resources that you can turn to for insights and inspiration along the way.
One of the first books that's often recommended is The Design of Everyday Things, by Don Norman.
But there are also a wealth of blogs that can provide insights into the world of UX design, from an explanation of the basic concepts to thought-provoking opinion pieces from expert designers.
Bookmark it: A List of the Top UX Design Blogs
If you’re learning independently, or still researching your career options, you could begin by getting a couple of inspiring books on design. Check out our book reading list for inspiration!
Step 2: Learn Design Fundamentals
At the heart of UX design is the need to solve problems for users. UX designers are user advocates, always working to ensure that the products they design are accessible, effective, and enjoyable to use. Data plays a large role in this effort—through user research and analysis—but its implementation depends on how well you're able to create an effective visual solution.
Because of this, learning the fundamentals of UI and visual design, which include elements like typography, spacing, and grid layouts, is a necessary first step in your UX technical skills training.
Visual design skills allow you to take all of the conceptual knowledge of UX design, and spin it into an effective, usable interface. And, for many jobs in UX, UI design comes as a part of the job description.
UX Academy Foundations is an online course that teaches the fundamentals of visual and UI design in just 4 weeks. This course includes 1:1 mentorship with an experienced designer—and an automatic $500 credit towards our UX Academy bootcamp.