Enter your email below to receive weekly updates from the Ashton College blog straight to your inbox.
By: Lindsay McKay
Published On: July 14, 2021
UX designers consistently rate their happiness and job satisfaction as above average. It is no wonder that more and more people are joining the field. People from all backgrounds can succeed in UX design, psychology, marketing, communications, graphic design, and so much more. While most professionals have a degree, all you need to start your UX design career journey is a certificate from a UX design certification, as well as a portfolio. You have completed your UX design course, and you are ready to start your career, but now what? You have researched all the other career options in UX design and have decided on a UX designer. But what does that look like? Is there room for growth? Where could you be in 5, 10, or 15 years? These answers are not easy to find. Below, I have mapped out two paths: a managerial path and a technical path. Read on to learn the difference of the two paths and what is necessary for each job role.
UX Junior Designer
A UX designer, junior designer, or intern will likely be the first job title you have. In this role, you have 0 -3 years of experience and are expected to:
Mid-level Designer
After a few years of learning and growing with your UX design team, you can move up to a mid-level designer. As a mid-level designer, you have 3 -6 years of experience and also:
Typically, this is where you come to your two different career paths, the leadership and managerial path or the individual contributor and technical path.
UX Team Lead
To become a UX Team Lead, you will need to be in the industry for 6 – 10 years as well as demonstrate:
UX Manager
A UX manager has 6-10 years of experience as well but can also:
UX Director
The final level of the managerial UX design career path is the title of UX director. A UX director will have 10+ years working in the UX design or project management field. Some companies may prefer you to have a degree in a director role. Responsibilities may include:
UX Senior Designer
To become a UX senior designer, you will need to be in the industry for 6 – 10 years as well as being:
UX Staff Designer
A UX staff designer also has 6-10 years of experience but will also:
UX Principle Designer
The top level of the technical path is a UX principle designer. You are in the most specialized role in your field with a deep knowledge level of UX design with 10+ years of experience. This role includes:
No matter which path you decide is for you, the most important thing is to start off with a strong foundation. Taking a comprehensive UX design course will arm you with the foundational skills and knowledge you need to succeed in UX design.
The information contained in this post is considered true and accurate as of the publication date. However, the accuracy of this information may be impacted by changes in circumstances that occur after the time of publication. Ashton College assumes no liability for any error or omissions in the information contained in this post or any other post in our blog
View All Comments