UX Designer.
New York.
$137,000
median salary, 30% above the national average
$104,000 to $176,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
New York is 28% more expensive than the national average. For UX Designers, that shakes out to a median of $137,000, with the full range spanning $104,000 to $176,000. Portfolio quality, user research methodology depth, and ability to quantify design impact on business metrics are key differentiators. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for UX Designer in New York, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $119,190 for Web and Digital Interface Designers (SOC 15-1255) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 14,990 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$64,360
25th percentile
$96,100
Median
$119,190
75th percentile
$167,660
90th percentile
$204,510
Workers surveyed
14,990
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Web and Digital Interface Designers (SOC 15-1255) rather than UX Designer specifically. The New York range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. New York is reported by BLS within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1255Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $123,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$89,000
to $110,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$116,000
to $144,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$151,000
to $178,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$171,000
to $212,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $37,000 to the total package.
Base
$137,000
Equity
$21,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $174,000
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$137,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$105,000
New York is $32,000 above
UX Designer salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
The UX Designer landscape in New York is not what most salary sites will tell you. New York City remains one of the world's largest and most diverse job markets, with unmatched density in finance, media, and technology. The city's tech sector has grown rapidly, rivaling the Bay Area for venture funding and startup activity. Remote work has reshaped demand slightly, but employers still pay premiums for in office presence in Manhattan. Portfolio quality, user research methodology depth, and ability to quantify design impact on business metrics are key differentiators. Designers who combine visual craft with interaction design and prototyping command higher salaries. Experience with enterprise B2B products or regulated industries like healthcare and finance also drives premiums.
Junior UX designers start at $65,000 to $85,000, advancing to mid level at $95,000 to $120,000 after two to three years. Senior UX designers earn $120,000 to $160,000. Design leads and directors reach $160,000 to $220,000, while VPs of Design at large companies can exceed $300,000 in total comp. In New York, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 28% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at tech companies adds $10,000 to $60,000 annually. Bonuses range from 5 to 15% of base. Benefits often include design tool subscriptions, conference budgets, and continuing education stipends. Signing bonuses of $10,000 to $25,000 are common at senior levels. And on the tax side: new York State income tax rates reach 10.9%, and New York City adds a local income tax up to 3.876%. Combined with federal taxes, your effective rate can be among the highest nationally. When someone quotes you $137,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work from the office in Manhattan. Many NYC employers pay 10 to 15% more for in person roles compared to remote positions. The range for UX Designers in New York runs from $104,000 to $176,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Database Administrator in New York earns $136,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in New York is CTO at $376,000
Common questions.
UX Designer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in New York.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"UX Designer Salary in New York, NY." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/ux-designer/new-york
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