A product designers salary ranges greatly and is determined by several factors such as experience, location, company size, job title, and industry. An experienced product designer with a good portfolio and years of experience can expect to earn up to $100K or more annually while an entry-level product designer could make around $50K per year. It is the median salary for product designers but the average additional cash compensation is typically around $3K.
Recent product designer salaries have grown exponentially because of the boom of the tech industry. The latest tech news jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the national median salary for product designer jobs is now up to $78,168 and the average total compensation is up to $81,746.
Decoding Product Designers Salary Influences
How much does a product designer make in the U.S.?
The average product designer salary can vary greatly depending on the above factors. However, according to Glassdoor, the national average base salary for product designers in the United States is $92,595, plus additional cash compensation can add up to salary estimates of more than $150,000 yearly salary.
On the other hand, according to responses gathered by Built-In from anonymous product designer employees in the U.S., the average product designer salary is $114,509. Furthermore, a product designer reported that it is only the base salary, excluding additional cash compensation that some companies provide to their product designers.
The highest-paying cities for a product designer in the United States are Los Angeles, with a yearly salary of $135,366, and San Francisco, with a yearly salary of $132,027. But other cities are following suit due to the demand for product designer jobs.
Job Title Product Designer and their Salaries:
Chief Product Officer (CPO)
A CPO’s primary goal is to lead and facilitate product management teams to ensure they are creating products that deliver value to both the user and the business. To do this, chief product officers must align the needs and goals of both the product and the company. The average yearly salary for a CPO is $173,938.
Product Management Director
Product management directors oversee the product teams and are responsible for managing the product life cycle. They must ensure that all aspects of the products, such as design, development, and marketing, meet the business objectives.
With years of experience running a product design team, they are also responsible for overseeing implementation and execution of the product strategy. The average yearly salary for a product management director is $151,093.
Senior Product Designer
A senior product designer is a product designer with years of experience under his belt. They are responsible for managing the product design lifecycle. They create user experiences across multiple platforms and provide leadership to other designers. The average yearly salary for a Senior Product Designer is $136,316.
Lead Product Designer
Lead Product Designers are responsible for leading the product design process from concept to delivery. They ensure that products meet the user’s needs and business objectives while supporting product marketing initiatives. The average yearly salary for a Lead Product Designer is $113,841.
Product Managers
Product Managers are responsible for the entire product development process, from concept to completion. They must identify customer needs and develop products that meet those needs efficiently and cost-effectively. The average product designer salary for a Product Manager is $100,744.
User Experience (UX) Designer
A UX designer is a product designer dedicated to creating products devoted to delighting users. They strive to understand the needs of their users and create solutions that meet those needs. The average yearly salary for a UX designer is $95,846.
UX designers have been solving real-world problems in the home services industry by bringing innovative and designing solutions to traditional problems and workflows.
Product Designers
Product designers are responsible for developing the look and feel of products. They create product visuals, develop prototypes, and ensure that the products they design meet customer needs. The common product designer salary is $87,264.
Software Developer
Software developers are responsible for coding and testing the software that runs on products. Therefore, they must have strong programming skills and knowledge of the latest development technologies to create user-friendly interfaces. The average salary for a Software Developer is $87,967.
User Interface (UI) Designer
UI designers are responsible for a product’s overall aesthetic and how users interact with it. Therefore, they must consider user interactions, usability, and visual design when creating product interfaces. The average salary for a UI Designer is $82,310.
Mobile App Developer
Mobile app developers take existing software products and create platform-specific versions of them. It includes developing mobile apps for iOS, Android, and other platforms. The average yearly salary for a Mobile App Developer is $87,108.
Product Strategy Consultant
Product strategy consultants analyze the market and advise companies on their product strategies. In addition, they must consider customer feedback, competitor analysis, and industry trends to create effective strategies to help their clients succeed. The average salary for a Product Strategy Consultant is $95,528.
Product Marketing Manager
Product marketing managers are responsible for providing product guidance and insights to the team. In addition, they must develop product positioning and messaging, create marketing materials, and ensure that all product launches are successful. The average yearly salary for a Product Marketing Manager is $93,412.
Product Support Specialist
Product support specialists focus on helping customers with any issues they may have with products. They answer customer inquiries, troubleshoot software issues, and provide technical advice and assistance to users. The average product support salary for a Product Support Specialist is $50,100.
Sample company hiring product designers
Fetch is a build-first technology company creating a rewards program to power the world. Over the last 5 years, they have grown from 0 to 17 million active users and taken over the rewards game in the US with their free app. Because of this, the foundation has been laid.
In the next 5 years, Fetch will become a global platform that will completely transform how people connect with brands. And this is the work of a product designer!
Factors that Affect Product Designer Salaries:
Many factors affect product designers’ salaries, and these are some of them:
Location
Product designers can make more money depending on their geographical location. Generally speaking, those living in metropolitan areas tend to have higher salaries than those living in rural areas due to higher demand for products and services.
For example, product designers from Los Angeles are paid more than the average product designer salary as the city is home to many large companies that require product design services.
Education
Educational background also plays a role in determining salary expectations for product designers. Those with higher academic qualifications, such as degrees from prestigious universities, typically receive higher wages than those without them.
Furthermore, product designers who continually update their skillsets and certifications will likely have a higher salary range than those who do not. Product designers who constantly update their skillsets are also updated with the latest tech news, which is needed for a designer.
Experience/Specialization
A product designer with years of experience in the field tends to command a higher salary range. Furthermore, a product designer with specialized skills in specific areas, such as web design or graphic design, also tends to have higher wages than those without them.
Some companies offer additional cash compensation for an experienced product designer that they are interested in.
Company Size
The size of the company a product designer works for is another factor affecting product designer salaries. Generally speaking, larger companies can pay higher salaries than smaller ones as they have more resources.
Industry
The industrial sector in which a product designer works can also influence the product designer salary. For example, tech companies tend to pay more than retail companies for product design services. Software companies like Dropbox, Google, and Apple have higher product designer salary for a product designer than other sectors.
Where do product designers apply?
Product design is a highly sought-after skill; many companies seek individuals with the necessary expertise. Some of the best places to apply for product design roles include tech companies such as Apple and Google, as well as smaller startups and digital agencies.
It is best to find startup jobs if you are a newbie in the product design industry. This is because startups tend to offer higher salaries for product design positions as they are in the early stages of development and have increased needs for new products.
Junior product designers can join an online community of designers to gain experience and increase their chances of finding a job. Some popular websites for this purpose include Dribbble, DesignerNews, Awwwards, and Behance.
Design Match is also another option for designers. It offers designers a place to find a product designer job with their desired salary range and the time they want to work. A designer at Design Match also gets to keep 100% of their salary, so if you are a product designer, sign up at Design Match!
Conclusion
Product designers have a wide range of salaries depending on the factors mentioned above. Those with experience and specialized skillsets tend to make more money than those without them. Furthermore, location, company size, and industry all play a role in determining an individual product designer’s salary. Product designers can also apply for jobs online at websites such as Design Match to increase their chances of finding a job with the desired salary range.
