Web and Digital Interface Designers
Also called Web Architect, Web Design Specialist, Web Designer, or Webmaster
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Web and Digital Interface Designers do
You design the websites and app screens people use every day, then test them until they actually work for real users.
Web and digital interface designers decide what a website or app looks like and how it works when someone clicks through it. You plan layouts, menus and buttons, build them with code and design tools, and check that they behave the same on a phone, a laptop and different browsers (the programs people use to view the web, like Chrome or Safari). Some of the work is visual: colors, type, graphics. Some is logic: writing supporting code, fixing what breaks.
A big part of the job is also people work. You ask users what confuses them, gather feedback from the people paying for the project, and work alongside developers who handle the deeper code. You also keep learning, because the tools shift constantly.
A day in the life
You start with email: a client wants the signup page simplified, and a user has reported a menu that will not open on their phone. You reproduce the bug, fix it, and test the page again. Mid-morning you meet with front-end developers (who build what you see on screen) and back-end developers (who build the behind-the-scenes parts that store and move information) to agree on what each of you is building. Then a long quiet stretch at your desk, sketching a new layout and writing code to make it real. In the afternoon you review notes from user research and change a design that tested poorly. A deadline is close, so you prioritize. You end by putting your updates on the real website so visitors can see them, then checking nothing else broke.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Enjoy making things look good and work smoothly at the same time
- ✓Like digging into a problem until you find why something breaks
- ✓Can take feedback on your design work without taking it personally
- ✓Are comfortable switching between quiet solo work and team check-ins
- ✓Keep learning new tools on your own
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to be on your feet and moving, since this is desk and screen work
- –Dislike deadlines and the pressure that comes near a launch
- –Want your first design to be the final one, rather than revised after feedback from clients and teammates
- –Prefer pure art over work shaped by what users and clients need
How people get in
- 1Finish high school and take any classes you can in art, design, or computing.
- 2Earn a bachelor's degree, the typical entry point. Common paths include computer science, information science, computer programming, or digital communication and multimedia.
- 3Build real pages while you study. Learn the code that runs in the browser and the tools designers use, and put your work online.
- 4Make a portfolio of three or four projects that show both the visuals and how you solved a usability problem.
- 5Look for internships or small freelance jobs to get experience with clients and feedback.
- 6Keep up after you are hired through reading, workshops, conferences, and professional groups, since the tools change often.
Who tends to enjoy it
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Creative
People who like making things, design, writing, music, and self-expression.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Official task list
Web and Digital Interface Designers design digital user interfaces or websites. Develop and test layouts, interfaces, functionality, and navigation menus to ensure compatibility and usability across browsers or devices. May use web framework applications as well as client-side code and processes. May evaluate web design following web and accessibility standards, and may analyze web use metrics and optimize websites for marketability and search engine ranking. May design and test interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and maximize the usability of digital devices, websites, and software with a focus on aesthetics and design. May create graphics used in websites and manage website content and links. (O*NET)
- Identify problems uncovered by testing or customer feedback, and correct problems or refer problems to appropriate personnel for correction.
- Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
- Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
- Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
- Collaborate with web development professionals, such as front-end or back-end developers, to complete the full scope of Web development projects.
- Develop new visual design concepts and modify concepts based on stakeholder feedback.
- Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups.
- Respond to user email inquiries, or set up automated systems to send responses.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Complex Problem Solving
What you'll need to know
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Sales and Marketing
How much Web and Digital Interface Designers make
The median pay for Web and Digital Interface Designers in the U.S. is $104,000 a year ($50.00 an hour). Most earn between $53,750 and $201,550. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in California ($136,110) and lowest in Guam ($31,200).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $51,860 | 130 |
| Alaska | $71,300 | 30 |
| Arizona | $98,070 | 810 |
| California | $136,110 | 27,090 |
| Colorado | $95,880 | 3,250 |
| Connecticut | $94,660 | 1,060 |
| Delaware | $93,880 | 130 |
| District of Columbia | $107,650 | 480 |
| Florida | $77,730 | 4,620 |
| Georgia | $103,810 | 2,800 |
| Guam | $31,200 | 30 |
| Idaho | $64,250 | 340 |
| Illinois | $85,710 | 2,050 |
| Indiana | $63,430 | 1,160 |
| Iowa | $69,060 | 670 |
| Kansas | $70,620 | 200 |
| Kentucky | $77,000 | 590 |
| Louisiana | $68,790 | 170 |
| Maryland | $96,760 | 1,310 |
| Massachusetts | $113,540 | 2,740 |
| Michigan | $81,010 | 1,750 |
| Minnesota | $82,650 | 1,520 |
| Mississippi | $48,550 | 230 |
| Missouri | $70,970 | 1,210 |
| Montana | $77,030 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $65,520 | 720 |
| Nevada | $80,120 | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $111,150 | 430 |
| New Jersey | $95,310 | 2,170 |
| New Mexico | $53,300 | 200 |
| New York | $120,990 | 16,560 |
| North Carolina | $97,990 | 3,400 |
| North Dakota | $64,260 | 40 |
| Ohio | $83,360 | 2,520 |
| Oklahoma | $76,440 | 340 |
| Oregon | $102,220 | 1,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $104,160 | 2,820 |
| Puerto Rico | $48,700 | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $105,990 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $80,930 | 800 |
| Tennessee | $63,510 | 3,610 |
| Texas | $102,650 | 5,910 |
| Utah | $99,990 | 1,060 |
| Virginia | $77,140 | 1,990 |
| Washington | $130,480 | 11,580 |
| West Virginia | $71,880 | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $95,340 | 880 |
| Wyoming | $67,020 | 110 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Computer Science 1,091 colleges
- Computer and Information Sciences 1,032 colleges
- Information Science / Studies 467 colleges
- Computer Programming / Programmer 489 colleges
- Digital Communication and Media / Multimedia 500 colleges
- Graphic Design 657 colleges
- Design and Visual Communications 329 colleges
- Web Page, Digital / Multimedia and Information Resources Design 496 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 15-1255.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 15-1255. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.