How much does a web designer make?

In the US, pay varies with experience, education, responsibility, location, and industry or employer; big-city wages and some industries can be higher. Some employers value software-tool certificates, but a license is usually not needed. Most work full time; official guidance emphasizes experience, location, and industry, not fame or shifts.

Design digital user interfaces or websites. Develop and test layouts, interfaces, functionality, and navigation menus to ensure compatibility and usability across browsers or devices. May use web framework applications as well as client-side code and processes. May evaluate web design following web and accessibility standards, and may analyze web use metrics and optimize websites for marketability and search engine ranking. May design and test interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and maximize the usability of digital devices, websites, and software with a focus on aesthetics and design. May create graphics used in websites and manage website content and links. Excludes “Special Effects Artists and Animators” (27-1014) and “Graphic Designers” (27-1024).

What's a typical day like?

They meet with clients or teammates to learn what a site needs, then plan its colors, pictures, fonts, and layout. They create and test screens and menus on different devices, fixing anything confusing or broken.

In the US, study web or digital design, graphic arts, or computing; employers may accept a high-school diploma or prefer a bachelor’s degree. Build a portfolio of projects, or consider an apprenticeship; a license is usually not required.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like figuring things out and creating.

Some web designers plan for people who can’t use a mouse: US design guidance says important controls should work with a keyboard, too.