Salary report · Chicago, IL

What is the average UX Designer salary in Chicago, IL?

UX Designers in Chicago earn a median of $97,400 per year — about 6% above the national average. Pay ranges from $70,100 (25th percentile) to $151,000 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$70,100
Median
$97,400
75th percentile
$124,700
90th percentile
$151,000
YoY change
+3.9%

UX Designer salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$63,300
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$97,400
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$124,700
Lead · 8+ yrs
$141,200

How Chicago pay compares

Chicago median$97,400
National median$91,920
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 107)$91,000

Cost-of-living adjusted is the Chicago salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$84K
2022
$87K
2023
$90K
2024
$94K
2025
$97K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 3.9%.

UX Designer job market in Chicago

Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a growing tech scene. Salaries are competitive without the coastal cost of living.

An estimated 9,400 ux designers work in the Chicago metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Conduct user research
  • Build wireframes and prototypes
  • Run usability tests
  • Collaborate with engineering
  • Define design systems

Related job salaries in Chicago

UX Designer salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a UX Designer make in Chicago, IL?+

UX Designers in Chicago earn a median of $97,400 per year — about 6% above the national average of $91,920.

What's the entry-level UX Designer salary in Chicago?+

Entry-level UX Designers in Chicago typically earn around $63,300 per year. Salaries scale to about $141,200 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $97,400 a good UX Designer salary in Chicago?+

$97,400 is the median, meaning half of UX Designers in Chicago earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 107, that's roughly $91,000 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is UX Designer pay growing in Chicago?+

UX Designer salaries in Chicago grew about 3.9% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +8%.

Where do UX Designers in Chicago get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile UX Designer salary in Chicago is around $151,000. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in Chicago?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Chicago median.

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