I recently stumbled on this Reddit post from someone asking why designer’s salaries were so high.
Apparently, design is too easy for people to be getting paid a high salary.
But is design really that easy?
There are a few ways to tackle this, but we’ll break it down for clarity.
A high salary is relative
To count $70,000, I would expect a high schooler to believe it’s high. When I was in high school, I thought $15 an hour was big bucks. That was a long time ago, btw.
It’s nothing to sneeze at, either. As you get older, the factors depend on where you live, your lifestyle, etc. If you’re a designer, you’d have a better idea of what a high salary is. Some designers are underpaid, some fairly paid, and others maybe overpaid. Luckily, there are websites that factor in the appropriate pay for your circumstances.
Google certificates
I am an alumnus of the 2021 class of Google UX graduates, lol.
If I had to rank a scale of how much weight it actually holds, i’d say a 2/10. The course gives you the general rundown of what to expect, but the quality of most designs are terrible. Because they don’t know any better, students start applying for jobs with lackluster portfolios on Behance and Uxfolio. I don’t expect them to be pros, but still…
Early designers are expected to be terrible, but don’t stay terrible. Keep improving and growing.
Bootcamps love junior designers because naivety is lucrative. All these people who work for Meta and Google making six figures selling people dreams just so they can fork over their life savings. If I had to rank a scale of how much weight boot camps hold, I’d say a 4/10.
Except for Bootcamp2, you’ll actually learn things there. (If you think about joining, tell them Arron sent you 😎)
The mentality of mockups
Design looks easy from the outside with its slick graphics and cool tech lingo. But take it from me, being a designer is not a walk in the park.
You need some serious analytic and problem-solving skills to back up those creative ideas. I'm talking sifting through data, anticipating issues, and connecting all the dots. No logic, no execution.
It takes big brain power to choose stylish fonts and colors. You have to understand the minds of users, predict their needs, and whip up experiences smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy. Your design is only good for a moment. Why? Society changes, which causes people to change. People are fickle.
Speaking of change, technology changes every day. We have to ride the wave of new technologies, tools, and design trends. Figma recently had a convention that released updated features that designers will now implement going forward. Framer is the new hot alternative and AI is taking over the world. You have to stay quick on your feet and always be learning if you want to stay ahead.
And don’t forget the competition! There’s a wave of designers fresh out of boot camps looking to make their big break.
To really shine, you need to become the whole package. You need creative chops, analytical skills, constant learning, and real world skills. A good designer knows how to do the job, but a great designer knows how to make an impact in people’s lives.
In short, the amount of people wanting to get into UX/UI is large, so you have to be exceptional and understand design, psychology, engineering, and most importantly communication to be good at what they do.
Why are designers paid a “high” salary?
First, I don’t take offense to someone who doesn’t understand the day-to-day lifestyle of designers. I think many jobs are simple, but not easy. Some jobs are very hard and complicated, and I hold their positions in high regard.
With their thinking, we can ask why are athletes and actors highly paid? All they do is shoot into hoops and throw balls to each other. When it’s simplified, it seems effortless…
…but it’s not.
Athletes are often paid so much because they’re exceptionally talented and skills that are highly regarded. Their unique abilities, combined with the intense competition in the sports industry, create a market where their value is incredibly high. There salaries for also reflect the revenue generated through various sources, such as ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorships, and broadcasting rights. The biggest reason of all? Athletes' careers are relatively short, and they risk their bodies every time they perform and also risk injuries during training.
Now, let’s relate that to designers.
Product designers are paid well because they possess skills that are highly valued in today's market. They play a crucial role in creating innovative and user-friendly products that meet the needs and desires of consumers. Design has influence over many companies products, and the success of a company rides on a designer. The smallest detail can be the difference in company revenue. Companies want to make money, so they require people to figure out ways to make it happen.
Designers possess a strong understanding of both aesthetics and functionality. They have to be able to turn ideas and concepts into tangible or digital designs that not only look appealing, but also work properly. The demand for innovative and user-friendly products continues to rise, so if a business wants to be successful, they’ll need a designer to showcase their company in a good light.