5 Creative Careers in Design

By Sarah White

If you like technology but you also want to stretch your creative and artistic muscles, there are a number of creative design careers you can choose from. Here is a list of 5 creative careers in design that can put you on an artistic career path in tech.

Web Designer

Web designers plan, create, and design websites according to what a customer or client wants. The job requires knowledge of HTML and CSS coding and a background in the Adobe Creative Suite. It’s a full-time job, but web designers can also work as freelancers, taking jobs and clients independently. Learn more about how to become a web designer.

According to PayScale, the average salary for a web designer is $44,683 annually, with a reported salary range of $27,218 to $71,057 per year. The highest paid web designers are in San Francisco, CA where the average reported salary is $60,426. The second highest paid city is Washington, DC where the average salary for a web designer is $55,119.

Search openings on Monster to find Web Designer jobs in your area.

Graphic Designer

The job of a graphic designer is to create illustrations, fonts, and print materials for brands or companies. It often requires designing logos, product packaging, websites, marketing collateral, and anything else that requires visual elements. Similar to a web designer, graphic designers can work for a company full time or they can work as freelancers.

According to PayScale, the average salary for a graphic designer is $40,238 annually, with a reported salary range of $25,844 to $59,454 per year. The highest paid graphic designers are in San Francisco, CA where the average yearly salary is $54,365. The next highest paid cities are Washington, DC and New York, NY where the average salaries are $49,432 and $47,205 per year, respectively.

Search openings on Monster to find Graphic Designer jobs in your area.

Interactive Designer

Interactive designers are responsible for the creation of custom interactive web designs, which includes the navigation, interaction, and organization for a website. As an interactive designer you may also design logos, emails, social media accounts, and anything else that would be considered interactive for a brand.

According to PayScale, the average salary for an interactive designer is $51,918 annually, with a reported salary range of $35,999 to $79,301 per year. The highest paid interactive designers are in San Francisco, CA where the average yearly salary is $70,638 per year. The next two highest paid cities are Washington, DC and Boston, MA where the average salaries are $68,165 and $64,471 per year, respectively.

Search openings on Monster to find Interactive Designer jobs in your area.

User Experience Designer

User experience designers make sure that when you go to a website, you aren’t left frustrated with navigating the page and finding the information you need. They focus on the user experience to ensure that websites are attractive, functional, unified, and accessible to the general public.

According to PayScale, the average salary for a user experience designer is $73,162 annually, with a reported salary range of $46,584 to $115,102 per year. The highest paid user experience designers are in Mountain View, CA where the average yearly salary is $97,000. The next two highest paid cities are San Francisco, CA and San Jose, CA where the average salaries are $93,626 and $92,870 per year, respectively.

Search openings on Monster to find User Experience Designer jobs in your area.

User Interface Designer

User interface designers work on software development teams, where they are in charge of creating the UI (user interface) of software. Similar to a user experience designer, a user interface designer’s focus is on applications and software, rather than websites.

According to PayScale, the average salary for a user interface designer is $60,846 annually, with a reported salary range of $37,346 to $94,733 per year. The highest paid user interface designers are in San Francisco, CA where the average yearly salary is $76,170. The next highest paid city is New York, NY where the average yearly salary is $67,568.

Search openings on Monster to find User Interface Designer jobs in your area.