Are you interested in starting a career in UX design? If so, you might have some questions about the current state of UX design, and how it fits into the current news frenzy surrounding layoffs and overall job market trends.
In this article, we will take a look at the current state of UX design job trends and how it impacts the career of a UX designer, looking ahead into 2023 and beyond. We’ll share current job market trends, long-term forecasts, and how you can proactively stay ahead of the curve and maintain hireability throughout your career.
An Increasing Demand for UX Professionals, Amid Falling Job Rates
There has been a flurry of reports and speculations around recent layoffs, which make it feel like the tech job market is slowing or shrinking.
However, analysis from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics by CompTIA found that job postings for tech positions totaled 623,627 in May—and nearly 2.2 million during 2022 so far—representing a 52% increase over the previous year.
This aligns with overarching trends of growth that are very promising for job seekers, especially when compared with pre-pandemic averages.
For example, there were about 261,000 jobs added in October 2022 alone. Despite this being the lowest since December 2020, it's still a 59% increase from the 2019 monthly average of 164,000 (source).
These numbers offer a more positive and bigger-picture perspective into news reports about worrisome layoffs, and how they might affect your job search.
Many of the layoff trends in the tech industry, especially for some of the bigger name companies, seem to be a result of companies having to pull back after initially increasing their headcount in anticipation of growth trajectories—which were fueled by the pandemic or high valuations that have since adapted.
For a deeper look, check out the online layoffs tracker that lends insight into who is letting go of employees—and why.
Current Salary Estimates for UX-Related Careers
The latest estimates on Glassdoor continue to give an average of $98K annual salary for UX designers. But how might this change based on salary trends in the tech industry as a whole?
Within the 2022 State of Tech Salaries report by Hired.com, we can find a few additional insights into where these upwards trends are occurring within the world of product design.
Design salaries, for example, rose an average of 8.1% in the United States and 19% in Canada in 2022 alone.
And, for remote workers in the tech industry specifically, the results have been even better:
Average remote salaries climbed to $162,950 this year – ranking remote salaries as third highest, after San Francisco Bay Area and New York local salaries. (Source)
The Rise of Remote Work Opportunities
The growing interest in remote work has given UX designers more job prospects than ever, with 43% of businesses now authorizing some form of telecommuting, according to Flexjobs.
And when paired with the high salaries we're seeing (as opposed to location-specific limits often set by employers with physical offices), remote UX designers might find that career growth can be accomplished relatively easily, with an emphasis on experience, skills, and networking rather than relocation potential.
Looking for remote work? Check out our list of the best remote UX Design job boards to start your search.
The Changing Landscape of the UX Job Market
The UX job market is constantly changing, as new technologies and trends emerge. In order to stay ahead of the curve, UX designers need to keep up with the latest trends.
For example, there are marked shifts towards utilizing AI throughout the user experience journey, whether that's through customer service chatbots or personalized recommendations that help guide users to the next step.
And with the increased attention towards accessibility in design and hands-free experiences, we'll likely see even more demand for incorporating voice user interfaces into new and existing products.
Overall, there’s a need for continued education and professional development in the field of UX design, to ensure that new designers will have the skills needed to enter a competitive market, and existing designers will be able to leverage their existing experience and training to uplevel their careers.
How to Break Into the Field as a New Designer With No Experience
The term “UX design” encompasses a wide range of skills, from user research and wireframing to visual design and front-end development. As the world increasingly moves online, there is a growing need for designers who can create intuitive, user-friendly experiences for digital products.
If you’re looking to break into the field as a new UX designer with no previous experience, there are a few practical next steps you can take:
- Read our full guide: How to Become a UX Designerto learn more about what UX design looks like, and how it might align with your career goals.
- Start learning! Bookmark our list of the best UX design blogs to follow, for design and career inspiration.
- Take the first step towards a new career by enrolling in UX Academy Foundations, which teaches foundational UI/UX skills and pairs you up 1:1 with an experienced design mentor.
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