UX Designer Salary by State: All 50 States Ranked (2026)
California pays the highest raw UX designer salary at $145,000, but Texas wins when you adjust for cost of living. Geography still matters in 2026, though remote work is closing the gap. This page ranks every state by both raw and COL-adjusted salary, with top employers and design community insights.
Top 5 by Raw Salary
Top 5 by COL-Adjusted Salary
Full State Rankings
| # | State | Avg Salary | COL Index | Adjusted | Top Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $145,000 | 1.52x | $95,000 | Google, Meta, Apple, Salesforce, Adobe |
| 2 | Washington | $138,000 | 1.3x | $106,000 | Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Expedia |
| 3 | New York | $132,000 | 1.48x | $89,000 | JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, NYT, R/GA |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $125,000 | 1.35x | $93,000 | HubSpot, Wayfair, Toast, Fidelity |
| 5 | New Jersey | $120,000 | 1.32x | $91,000 | Johnson & Johnson, Prudential, ADP |
| 6 | Virginia | $118,000 | 1.18x | $100,000 | Capital One, Booz Allen, government contractors |
| 7 | Connecticut | $116,000 | 1.28x | $91,000 | ESPN, Indeed, insurance companies |
| 8 | Illinois | $115,000 | 1.1x | $105,000 | Grubhub, Groupon, Allstate, McDonald's |
| 9 | Colorado | $114,000 | 1.16x | $98,000 | Arrow, Gusto, Ibotta, LogRhythm |
| 10 | Maryland | $113,000 | 1.2x | $94,000 | Under Armour, T. Rowe Price, government |
| 11 | Texas | $110,000 | 0.95x | $116,000 | Dell, Indeed, Meta, Oracle, USAA |
| 12 | Oregon | $109,000 | 1.2x | $91,000 | Nike, Intel, Puppet, Vacasa |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $108,000 | 1.05x | $103,000 | Comcast, Vanguard, SAP, Duolingo |
| 14 | Georgia | $107,000 | 0.95x | $113,000 | Home Depot, Mailchimp, NCR, Cox |
| 15 | Minnesota | $106,000 | 1.02x | $104,000 | Target, UnitedHealth, Best Buy, 3M |
| 16 | North Carolina | $105,000 | 0.96x | $109,000 | Red Hat, SAS, Epic Games, Duke Health |
| 17 | Michigan | $102,000 | 0.9x | $113,000 | Ford, GM, Quicken Loans, Duo Security |
| 18 | Florida | $100,000 | 1.04x | $96,000 | Chewy, Citrix, Ultimate Software |
| 19 | Arizona | $99,000 | 0.98x | $101,000 | GoDaddy, Carvana, Axon, Microchip |
| 20 | Ohio | $97,000 | 0.89x | $109,000 | Progressive, Cardinal Health, JPMorgan |
| 21 | Tennessee | $96,000 | 0.9x | $107,000 | HCA, Asurion, Eventbrite, Amazon |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $95,000 | 0.91x | $104,000 | Epic Systems, Northwestern Mutual |
| 23 | Utah | $98,000 | 0.98x | $100,000 | Qualtrics, Pluralsight, Domo, Adobe |
| 24 | Indiana | $93,000 | 0.87x | $107,000 | Salesforce, Eli Lilly, Cummins |
| 25 | Missouri | $94,000 | 0.88x | $107,000 | Cerner, Bayer, World Wide Technology |
COL index relative to national average (1.0). Adjusted salary = Raw salary / COL index. Showing top 25 states by raw salary. Data from BLS, Glassdoor, and self-reported surveys, April 2026.
City-Specific Salary Guides
The Remote Work Effect on Geographic Salary
Remote UX roles now make up over 40% of job postings, and this is fundamentally changing the relationship between location and salary. Three key trends are emerging.
Geographic salary compression
The gap between top-paying states and lower-paying states is narrowing. In 2020, the gap between California ($135K) and Ohio ($82K) was $53K. In 2026, the gap is $48K ($145K vs $97K). Remote work allows designers in lower-cost states to access higher-paying employers without relocating.
No-income-tax state advantage
States with no income tax (Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Washington, Nevada) offer a built-in 5-10% salary premium in take-home pay compared to high-tax states like California (13.3%) and New York (10.9%). For a remote designer earning $120K, the difference between Texas and California is approximately $8,000-$12,000 per year in state taxes alone.
Location-adjusted vs location-agnostic pay
Some companies (Google, Meta) adjust salary based on your location, typically paying 80-95% of HQ rates for most US cities. Others (Basecamp, GitLab, Buffer) pay the same regardless of location. For designers in low-cost areas, location-agnostic employers offer the best deal. See our remote salary guide for a full list of location-agnostic companies.
Best States for UX Designers (Overall)
Balancing salary, cost of living, job availability, design community, and quality of life, these four states stand out as the best places for UX designers in 2026.
Washington
Seattle offers top-5 raw salaries ($138K), no state income tax, and a thriving tech scene anchored by Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. The design community is strong with regular meetups and a growing startup ecosystem. COL is high but significantly lower than San Francisco.
Colorado
Denver and Boulder combine competitive salaries ($114K), an outdoor lifestyle that attracts top talent, and a growing tech hub with companies like Gusto, Ibotta, and numerous startups. The state tax is moderate (4.4%) and the cost of living is manageable outside of downtown Denver.
Texas
Austin is a top UX design hub with no state income tax, moderate cost of living, and major employers including Dell, Indeed, Meta, and a booming startup scene. The COL-adjusted salary ($116K) is the highest in the nation. Dallas and Houston also offer opportunities with even lower living costs.
Illinois
Chicago offers $105K-$128K salaries with a cost of living that is 30-40% below San Francisco and New York. The design community is vibrant with companies like Grubhub, Groupon, Allstate, and a strong agency scene. No-income-tax advantage of neighbouring states is offset by Illinois' 4.95% flat tax, but the overall value proposition is strong.
State Salary FAQ
What state pays UX designers the most?
California leads with $145K average, followed by Washington ($138K), New York ($132K), Massachusetts ($125K), and New Jersey ($120K). These states have the highest concentration of tech companies and agencies. However, their high cost of living means take-home purchasing power often falls behind states like Texas, Georgia, and Ohio when COL-adjusted.
Which state has the best COL-adjusted UX salary?
Texas offers the best COL-adjusted salary at approximately $116K in purchasing power, combining competitive raw salaries ($110K) with no state income tax and moderate living costs. Georgia ($113K adjusted), Michigan ($113K adjusted), and Ohio ($109K adjusted) also rank well. Washington is unique in offering both high raw salary ($138K) and no state income tax.
How much do UX designers make in California?
UX designers in California earn an average of $145,000, the highest of any state. San Francisco averages $128K-$155K, Los Angeles $108K-$135K, and San Diego $100K-$125K. However, California's COL (1.5-1.8x national average) and state income tax (up to 13.3%) significantly reduce purchasing power. A $145K salary in California has roughly the same purchasing power as a $95K salary in the average US city.
Is remote work closing the salary gap between states?
Yes. Remote UX roles now represent 40%+ of postings and are compressing geographic salary differences. The gap between top and bottom states has narrowed by approximately $5K since 2022. This trend benefits designers in lower-cost states who can access high-paying remote employers. States with no income tax (TX, FL, TN, WA, NV) gain an additional advantage as remote-friendly employers become the norm.