UX Design Lead Salary in the United States

How much does an UX Design Lead make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an UX Design Lead in the United States is $149,107 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

However, an UX Design Lead's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $169,109
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $136,236 to $159,577
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $124,518
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View as table View as graph 25% $136,236 10% $124,518 90% $169,109 75% $159,577 $149,107 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

UX Design Lead Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $159,577 $13,298 $3,069 $77
Average $149,107 $12,426 $2,867 $72
25th Percentile $136,236 $11,353 $2,620 $65
Check out UX Design Lead Job Openings in the United States
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Lincoln Electric - PLYMOUTH, MI

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Lincoln Electric - COLDWATER, OH

Applications Design Engineer

Lincoln Electric - FORT LORAMIE, OH

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Key Factors That Influence UX Design Lead Salaries

An UX Design Lead's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects UX Design Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an UX Design Lead's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $143,378
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $143,973
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $145,957
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $148,338
  • Expert (over 8 years): $150,955
Levels Salary
Entry Level UX Design Lead$143,378
Intermediate Level UX Design Lead$143,973
Senior Level UX Design Lead$145,957
Specialist Level UX Design Lead$148,338
Expert Level UX Design Lead$150,955
$143,378 0 yr
$143,973 < 2 yrs
$145,957 2-4 yrs
$148,338 5-8 yrs
$150,955 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for UX Design Leads

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $188,069
  • San Francisco: $186,220
  • Oakland: $182,089

What Skills Can Increase an UX Design Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.58% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Adobe (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
  • User-Centered Design (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): User-centered design (UCD) is an iterative design process in which designers focus on the users and their needs in each phase of the design process.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.58%
Adobe 2.26%
User-Centered Design 1.85%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an UX Design Lead's salary.
  • Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Product Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Product Development
$164,018
10%
Product Engineering
$162,527
9%
Alignment
$161,036
8%
Usability Testing
$161,036
8%
Product Design
$161,036
8%
Research Design
$158,053
6%
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UX Design Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an UX Design Lead's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for UX Design Lead

Salaries for an UX Design Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $136,187 in 2023 to around $131,698 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of UX Design Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of UX Design Lead Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$136,187
2024
$134,242
2025
$131,698
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $136,187
2024 $134,242
2025 $131,698
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for UX Design Lead

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for UX Design Lead

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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