Highest Paying UI/UX Design Jobs in Florida

Did you know that, in 2016, it took Facebook/Meta six months to redesign their “Like” button? That may seem like an unusually long time, but for UI/UX designers—the tech professionals who create user-friendly interfaces—that’s pretty standard.

Every app or website that you use was designed by a UI/UX designer, as UI/UX designers play a pivotal role in app development and digital product design, giving the user a seamless experience.

As we increasingly rely on apps and other digital services, UI/UX designers are in higher demand every day. Let’s look at some of the highest-paying UI/UX jobs and what it takes for you to become one of the most sought-after specialists.

UI/UX is short for user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). UI designers are responsible for designing the aspects of a computer interface that users interact with, such as features like menus and forms. The UX design process involves researching consumer habits, analyzing data, and creating wireframes that provide a functional and intuitive user journey.

Any company that uses and maintains a website or mobile application needs designers to ensure their effectiveness and usability. This means you don’t need to go to Silicon Valley to get a design job. Florida has plenty of opportunities too, with much less competition.

According to Comparably, the average salary for a UI/UX designer is $97,498, with salaries extending up to $120,000. However, those who can master user research, prototyping, and the fundamentals of good design stand to make substantially more. Let’s take a look at some of those more lucrative positions.

UI Designer

$76,000 - $117,000 per year, according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor 

UI designers may not make as much as UX designers, but they can still make a six-figure salary. UI designers deal with how a person interacts with an application or website. They apply the visual and human aspects of a user journey that complement the user experience. A UI designer may specialize in command-line interfaces, graphical user interfaces, or voice-based interfaces.

UX Researcher

$78,000-$135,000 per year, according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

Also known as a usability specialist, a UX researcher will collect and analyze user data to help UI/UX designers. They use quantitative, qualitative, behavioral research, and attitudinal behavior to create a strategy for digital designers. This research helps develop new products or improve current products for clients to enhance the user experience.

UI Engineer

 $103,000-$141,500 per year, according to ZipRecruiter

Source: Glassdoor

A user interface engineer’s main job is front-end website or application development, which requires expert visualization skills. UI Engineers work closely with design teams to create interface modules and application mockups and even write front-end code, all to engineer an intuitive website or app.

UX Designer

$93,000-$148,000 per year, according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

As mentioned, a UX designer focuses on the overall user experience to help move the customer or person through the website or app with minimal pain points. This job requires a knowledge of the product’s brand, graphic design fundamentals, problem-solving skills, and the ability to interpret and apply user data. UX designer is among the top 25 jobs in the United States thanks to the job’s earning potential, job satisfaction, and overall job openings.

Information Architect

$99,000-$163,000 per year according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

An information architect is just as the name implies—they build the infrastructure that the user sees and experiences. While primarily under the UX umbrella, it does help to have UI design knowledge as it combines coding, graphic design, and content strategy to construct websites and apps, perform research, and data modeling.

UX/UI Designer

$58,000-$91,000 per year according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

It’s common to see this job role at smaller companies that don’t have an entire team dedicated to UI and UX design. Instead, they hire one professional that can take care of both aspects of the design process.

UX Manager

$119,000-$187,000 per year according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

UX teams can often handle a range of different projects, as their goal is to improve the end-to-end user experience. This means everything from browsing and buying to receiving and using products. The person who coordinates these efforts is the UX manager.

UX Strategist

$89,000-$146,000 per year according to Glassdoor

Source: Glassdoor

A UX strategist performs user research with a focus on implementing business strategies. They often have a background in business studies as well as UX and perform competitive analysis as well before creating a UX strategy to present.

Working with smaller companies is a great way for juniors to gain experience in a range of tasks and design projects. The salaries aren’t bad either.

Junior UI/UX Designer

Source: Glassdoor

Many junior designers will work with at least one more senior designer and assist with the lower-level tasks of a project. This can involve wireframing, optimizing, and debugging applications and web interfaces.

Talent, skills, experience, and passion are the areas you need to develop and improve in order to earn promotions and land higher-paying jobs. Here’s how to do it:

• Develop your skills outside of work with personal projects

• Keep up to date with industry news and trends

• Earn a certification

• Familiarize yourself with other design and wireframing software

• Get involved in decision-making within your team or department

• Network outside of your immediate circle at work

• Keep an eye out for opportunities and proactively put yourself forward

Here are some companies in Florida that need UI/UX designers:

Universal Orlando Resort

Source: Glassdoor

The Universal Orlando Resort is a popular theme park in Florida with all sorts of virtual and online services connected to enhancing the park experience.

PGA Tour

Source: Glassdoor

The PGA Tour is an organizer of professional golf tours in the U.S. and it has a range of digital services to help users view, experience, and enjoy the events.

While UI/UX designers must have an expert grasp of graphic design, some skills are necessary for job placement and growth. Here are a few of the skills many digital agencies and companies look require:

• User research

• Writing and visual design

• Branding

• Coding

• Prototyping and wireframing

• Programs like Axure, Adobe Photoshop, Invision Studio, Webflow, and Sketch

Here are some tips for landing a UI/UX design job in Florida, depending on your experience level:

No Experience

• Acquire the skills: Without any prior commitments, you’re free to choose whatever method of education you want. You can attend college, study independently, or enroll in an online course and bootcamp, like the University of South Florida’s UI/UX Design Bootcamp.

• Create a portfolio: Work on personal, open-source, volunteer, or freelance projects to develop your portfolio and gain experience. You can also consider an internship.

• Find a job: Use the resources at your disposal such as alumni services, your network, recruiting agencies, and job board to find employment opportunities. 

Career Transition

• Acquire the skills: Training for a new career while working full-time can be difficult, but there are online options now that can make it easier. Part-time bootcamps give students the freedom to study at their own pace and on their own schedules.

• Create a portfolio: In your spare time, work on personal, open-source, volunteer, or freelance projects to develop your portfolio and gain experience. This can all be done from home and while still working.

• Find a job: Use your previous experience and existing network to search for job opportunities. Even if the career you’re transitioning out of is unrelated to tech or design, the companies or industries you worked in may use websites and applications.

We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions:

Is UI/UX a good career in Florida?

Florida is home to a number of tech, finance, retail, and entertainment companies that need UI/UX design skills, making it a great place to find UI/UX design opportunities. 

Can I get into UI/UX design without a degree?

While there are technical skills involved, UI/UX design is a largely creative career, which makes your portfolio arguably more important than your education. By showcasing the quality of their work, designers can earn high-earning positions regardless of how they gained their education. 

Is it hard to get a UI/UX job without experience?

While it is possible to get a UI/UX job without professional experience, it’s best to gather as many alternative forms of experience as possible. This can include finding low-level freelance work or contributing to volunteer initiatives. You can also work on open-source or personal projects and full-time students can complete professional internships.