User Experience Designers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of user experience designers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for user experience designers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of user experience designers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for user experience designers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for User Experience Designers?
Do user experience designers need a degree? What kind of experience do user experience designers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for user experience designers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for User Experience Designers
Jobs Postings for User Experience Designers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 37,755 (44%)
- No Education Listed: 35,388 (41%)
- Master's degree: 9,918 (12%)
- High School or GED: 1,644 (2%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,470 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of user experience designers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 44% of positions. In 41% of job listings no education level was listed and in 12% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for User Experience Designers
Jobs Postings for User Experience Designers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,729 (5%)
- 2-3 Years: 13,644 (27%)
- 4-6 Years: 22,259 (45%)
- 7-9 Years: 7,848 (16%)
- 10+ Years: 3,288 (7%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for user experience designers. In 45% of job postings for User Experience Designers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 16% of job postings for user experience designers.
What Kind of Degree Do User Experience Designers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for user experience designers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 15 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective user experience designers, and in 2023 a total of 176,076 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective user experience designers.
Top Degree Programs for User Experience Designers
Top 5 Degree Programs for User Experience Designers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 72,432 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 62,365 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. | 10,759 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 9,615 |
| Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. | 5,171 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 72,432 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 62,365 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. | 10,759 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 9,615 |
| Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. | 5,171 |
| Computer Software Engineering. | 5,017 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Applications. | 2,399 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other. | 2,301 |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | 2,000 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other. | 1,762 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other. | 816 |
| Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster. | 682 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 347 |
| Computer Software Technology/Technician. | 249 |
| Computer Programming, Other. | 161 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for User Experience Designers
Franklin’s transfer-friendly online B.S. Graphic Design & UX provides a comprehensive understanding of user needs that enables you to create seamless human-centered experiences for individuals interacting with products and services.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do User Experience Designers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by user experience designers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for user experience designers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's User Experience Designers
Based on 75,187 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for User Experience Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 39,275 | 52% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 27,633 | 37% |
| Computer Science | 25,664 | 34% |
| React.js (Javascript Library) | 24,329 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 23,949 | 32% |
Top 5 Common Skills for User Experience Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 24,626 | 33% |
| Problem Solving | 14,500 | 19% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 12,927 | 17% |
| Management | 11,116 | 15% |
| Writing | 8,513 | 11% |
Based on 75,187 job postings related to user experience designers, javascript (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 52% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for cascading style sheets (css), computer science, react.js (javascript library), front end (software engineering) and agile methodology were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for user experience designers, followed by problem solving, troubleshooting (problem solving), management, writing and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 39,275 | 52% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 27,633 | 37% |
| Computer Science | 25,664 | 34% |
| React.js (Javascript Library) | 24,329 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 23,949 | 32% |
| Agile Methodology | 23,196 | 31% |
| HyperText Markup Language (HTML) | 22,434 | 30% |
| Application Programming Interface (API) | 21,271 | 28% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 19,330 | 26% |
| Software Engineering | 19,291 | 26% |
| Amazon Web Services | 18,358 | 24% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 17,528 | 23% |
| Software Development | 16,841 | 22% |
| Angular (Web Framework) | 15,231 | 20% |
| Git (Version Control System) | 14,913 | 20% |
| Node.js (Javascript Library) | 14,687 | 20% |
| RESTful API | 14,233 | 19% |
| Back End (Software Engineering) | 13,373 | 18% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 13,286 | 18% |
| Scalability | 13,074 | 17% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 24,626 | 33% |
| Problem Solving | 14,500 | 19% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 12,927 | 17% |
| Management | 11,116 | 15% |
| Writing | 8,513 | 11% |
| Leadership | 7,671 | 10% |
| Mentorship | 7,425 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 7,197 | 10% |
| Innovation | 7,068 | 9% |
| Research | 6,892 | 9% |
| Operations | 6,720 | 9% |
| Self-Motivation | 6,354 | 8% |
| Planning | 6,006 | 8% |
| Information Technology | 5,431 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 5,393 | 7% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 4,627 | 6% |
| Safety Assurance | 4,090 | 5% |
| Teamwork | 3,808 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,688 | 5% |
| Mathematics | 3,529 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about user experience designers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for user experience designers.
What do user experience designers do?
How much do user experience designers make?
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