What is the Average UX Writer Salary?
A UX writer has an average annual income of $112,726 in the USA, according to Glassdoor. However, the UX writer salary varies according to the designation and the candidate’s experience.
On a global level, a UX writer currently earns an average of $65k per year. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, UX writing is a complex field and falls under the technical writing category. Therefore, a UX writer earns more than a generic technical writer.
In this article, we will provide you with some insights on the salaries of UX writers according to the various job posts, designations, and experiences.
UX Writer Salary by Position
UX writing is a specialized form of technical writing as UX writers are bound to follow both technical writing and UX designing rules.
The complex job requirements and vast skillset are a privilege for UX writers to earn more than generic writers. A typical UX writer in the United States makes $112k on average. At the same time, the numbers differ for senior and junior UX writers.
To provide you with a clear idea of UX writers’ salaries, let’s break down the salaries into various UX professionals and working roles.
Senior UX Writer Salary
According to Zip Recruiter, a senior UX writer earns an average income of $114k per year in the United States. That is $55 per hour, $2,211 per week, and $9,580 per month.
ZipRecruiter recorded the highest salary for a senior UX writer at $180k per year, while the lowest was $32k per year.
A senior UX writer is responsible for managing the UX writer’s team and ensuring an overall good user experience by evaluating the work of junior writers and UX designers.
The typical duties of a senior UX writer are much the same as that of a generic UX writer, but their job responsibilities accompany team management as well. For example, senior UX writers are responsible for testing prototypes developed by UX designers. They also report the work progress to corresponding authorities, senior managers, and UX executives.
So, the overall work burden for senior UX writers is higher than for other writers in the team. It is why the average salary is also high for senior UX writers.
Junior UX Writer Salary
According to Comparably, a junior UX writer in the US earns an average pay of $55k annually. However, the highest recorded salary for a junior UX writer was $66k per year, while the lowest went to $44k per year in the United States.
This average salary means $4,580 per month, $1,145 per week, and an hourly rate of $29 for a junior UX writer.
The junior UX writer is responsible for conducting user research. They also perform tests on how users navigate a digital product. They then analyze the results of these tests and report the findings to the product designer and senior UX writer. Junior UX writing is considered an entry-level position.
A junior UX writer can also assist a junior UX designer in the design process, such as helping with preparing sketches, wireframes, and prototypes.
User Experience Writer Salary
A user experience writer earns an average of $108K per year in the United States. This means $9k per month, $2250 per week, and $56.25 per hour for a user experience writer in the US.
A user experience writer is responsible for writing copy for digital products like an app, a website, an oven, or even a digital calculators. User experience writers are accompanied by junior UX writers and UX designers in their work, while they are answerable before a senior writer.
A user experience writer works along with a user experience designer, UX researchers, and graphic designers throughout the design process.
The job duties include:
- Analyzing the work of a junior writer.
- Writing error messages.
- Providing feedback to improve the user-centered design and content.
UX Content Strategist Salary
According to the salary estimates of Zip Recruiter, the average salary of UX content strategists in the United States is $131k per year. That means a UX content strategist earns approximately $11k per month, which means $2,750 per week and $68.2 per hour.
A UX content strategist is responsible for researching and discovering newer ways to optimize content. In addition, they develop a content strategy for the user interface based on the project and the company’s requirements.
A content strategist is also responsible for writing content that appears on a digital product, and a content designer optimizes this content. Additionally, they work with the UI designer to design the best interface.
A strategist also plans and executes a strategy that fulfills the product criteria and at the same time accomplishes business goals.
UX Writing Lead Salary
According to the Zip Recruiter, a UX writing lead’s average salary is $119k per year. Therefore, a UX writing lead earns $9,916 per month, $2,479 per week, and $62 per hour.
A UX writing lead is responsible for looking after the work of the UX writers team, such as the UX researchers, along with senior and junior UX job titles. In addition, the UX writing lead communicates with the design team, evaluates the teamwork, and optimizes the content in the best way to enhance user experience and target the organization’s goals.
They are also responsible for writing microcopy, planning UX research, and formatting content for documentation for the tech industry.
The UX writer salaries vary with region, experience, and job titles. However, according to the mentioned figures, we can conclude that the annual income of UX writers varies between $110k-$120k.
If you wish to transition from one UX writing role to another smoothly, you need the right skills and knowledge. To build such skills and get such knowledge, check out the technical writing certification at TechnicalWriterHQ.
Top Paying Cities for UX Writers
As per ZipRecruiter, the cities with the top-paying proposal writing positions, categorized by location in the US, are given below.
US West Coast
- Los Angeles: $125,308
US Midwest/Rocky Mountains
- Chicago: $95,529
US East Coast
- Reston: $156,057
- Arlington: $114,479
US South
- Tampa: $99,987
Education Level for UX Writer Role
The output of a UX writer can be crucial for a product’s success, and, therefore, organizations have high expectations from their UX writers. Additionally, they look for impressive qualifications when hiring one to better guarantee a quality outcome. Therefore, attracting a well-paying UX writing opportunity requires pursuing the right academic programs and certifications.
Organizations require at least a Bachelor’s degree in writing, literature, UX design, or communication and design from their UX writers. A Master’s can land you a well-paying senior role like a senior UX writer or lead UX writer position within top companies.
Since UX writing is quickly gaining popularity globally, you can find tons of certifications that add tremendous value to your resume and add your skillset. Some prominent ones are mentioned below:
- TechnicalWriterHQ: Their technical writing certification prepares you for professional UX writing jobs by giving you the right skills and experience.
- UX Writing Hub: It offers a dedicated UX writing boot camp that takes you through all the essentials of UX writing
- Seneca College: They offer two short courses on UX writing that give you an extensive education about UX writing overall and which you can pursue individually too.
UX Writer Salary Across Top Companies
As per Glassdoor, here is what the annual average UX writer salary looks like in some of the top firms across different industries.
- Google: $134,380
- Microsoft: $103,000
- Meta: $138,000
- Dropbox: $57,000
- Dell Technologies: $114,000
Final Thoughts
The average salary of a UX writer in the United States is $117k per year, so we can say that UX writing is a well-paid career choice. Furthermore, the demand for UX writers is growing, and many businesses and designers now understand the need for UX writers in place of typical copywriters.
When UX writing was not as common, the design team and content writers handled the work. However, as the era has evolved and this field has become a specialized form of technical writing, the UX writing role has become standard.
UX writer salaries vary globally based on a region’s economic state, while from the above data, we can conclude that UX writers have significant wages within the United States. However, the salaries vary according to different roles.
If you are a UX writer and looking to improve your salary, then work on the mentioned tips to increase your chances of a salary increment.
As a UX writer, you should about aspects like user research, UX design process, user interface, and usability testing. You should also keep yourself updated with the UX writing rules to acquire the necessary experience.
If you are new to UX writing and are looking to break-in, we recommend taking our UX Writing Certification Course, where you will learn the fundamentals of being a UX writer, how to dominate UX writer interviews, and how to stand out as a UX writing candidate.
