How to Become a Remote UX Designer [2024 Guide]

Think you’re a good fit for a career in UX design? It’s an exciting field to explore! And if you’re interested in becoming a remote UX designer, rest assured: there are plenty of opportunities for you.

UX designers bridge the gap between the business and the user, acting as the key point of contact for stakeholders, developers, and customers. On a day-to-day basis, a huge part of the job involves interviewing users and, in many cases, delivering workshops.

Given the highly collaborative nature of UX, you may be wondering: Is it possible to work remotely as a UX designer?

In a word: yes.

The remote job market is still growing, and UX design is no exception. In this guide to how to become a remote UX designer, we’ll tell you everything you need to know. We’ll cover:

Can UX designers work remotely?
What kinds of companies hire remote UX designers?
How much do remote UX designers earn? [2024 Salaries]
How easy is it to become a remote UX designer?
How to find a remote UX design job
Key takeaways and next steps
FAQ about remote UX design

Ready? Let’s jump in.

1. Can UX designers work remotely?

Definitely—the role of a UX designer is one that is ideally suited to remote work. With the right collaborative tools, communication, and a good internet connection, UX design can be done fully remotely.

It’s natural to wonder whether one can be successful in UX design while working remotely. On the r/UXDesign subreddit, one Redditor asks if fully remote UX designers can excel.

Most answers were a resounding yes. The most upvoted response comes from a Redditor with years of experience.

“I’ve been working fully remotely as a UX designer since 2014, so before COVID. I’m not sure what you mean with ‘excel’, but I’ve managed to hold steady jobs and income for almost 10 years now while not setting foot in an office, so I’d call that a win. It’s absolutely doable.”

We asked seasoned UX designer Maureen Herben whether she thinks it’s possible:

For Maureen’s fellow CareerFoundry UX design graduate Tom Hopcroft, becoming a remote designer has allowed him to live and travel in Spain. Here’s his two cents:

If you want true freedom, the best way to achieve that is by learning a skill that allows you to work remotely.
When you learn a skill that you can do online from anywhere, you detach yourself from the limitations of your local job market and all of a sudden, the pool becomes much bigger—you have more options.
Once I’d finished my UX design program, the world felt much bigger all of a sudden, and I was looking at remote roles all over the world.

Just beginning to explore UX as career? Jump right in with our free short course in UX design.

What is the job market like for remote UX designers?

The good news is, there’s more remote work for a UX designer than ever before.

Many employers have returned to the office after the Covid-19 pandemic. But remote work is here to stay: as of 2023, 12.7% of full-time workers work from home, with 28.2% working a hybrid model.

While the majority of the workforce still works from an office, more employers are open to remote work than ever before. By 2025, 36.2 million people in the U.S. are expected to work remotely. And by 2028, it’s predicted that 73% of all teams will have remote workers.

The best way to gauge the state of the remote job market for UX designers is to browse current openings on popular job boards. At the time of writing, there are almost a thousand remote UX design vacancies advertised on indeed.com, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor alone. That’s without factoring in other UX-related job titles, such as product designer and UX researcher, or hybrid roles.

In short, there are plenty of remote UX vacancies out there, and the remote market will continue to grow.

2. What kinds of companies hire remote UX designers?

As you can see, there’s a steady stream of opportunities for remote UX designers—but what kinds of companies tend to hire them? Are there certain UX-related job titles that seem to lend themselves to remote work?

According to a report by Owl Labs, small companies are twice as likely to hire fully remote workers. As with in-house UX roles, remote designers can find work in a range of different industries, with many vacancies cropping up in finance, technology, the automotive sector, software, e-commerce, and healthcare.

Here at CareerFoundry, our UX design graduates who find remote work end up with job titles such as UX designer, web designer, freelance designer, internet analyst, director of web and digital marketing, customer success manager, and UX researcher—to name just a few.

In fact, in this video, CareerFoundry graduate-turned-remote-UX designer Maureen gives us some more insight into a day in her life as a remote designer in Berlin, Germany:

Again, the best way to get a feel for the kinds of remote jobs available is to browse popular job sites. We’ll share some of the best portals for finding remote UX roles in section five.

3. How much do remote UX designers earn? [2024 Salaries]

You’re probably wondering about remote UX designer salaries—and whether or not they differ from that of an in-house designer.

As of 2024, the average yearly salary for a mid-level UX designer in the United States earns $127,364, depending on years of experience (indeed.com). If you’re just entering the field, you can expect to work your way up to this kind of salary within a few years.

So how do remote designer salaries compare? How much you earn as a remote UX designer depends on several factors, such as where your company is based, whether you’re employed on a full-time basis or working as a freelancer, and on your level of experience.

Generally speaking, remote UX designers have just as much earning potential as their in-house counterparts. The average yearly salary for a freelance UX designer based in the United States is $73,216 USD (indeed.com), while the average salary for a remote UX designer is around $89,862 USD (indeed.com).

You can learn more about UX designer salaries in this guide.

4. How easy is it to become a remote UX designer?

If you are a new or aspiring UX designer looking to work remote from the get-go, you’ll want to know just how realistic that is. We’ve covered some of the most frequently asked questions relating to remote work below.

Can you work remotely straight from a UX program or course?

An increasingly popular route into the world of UX is through a bootcamp or certification program, especially for those without any prior design experience. A UX program is also a good way to test out the remote work lifestyle: many programs are remote and self-paced.

Employers are more than happy to hire newly graduated designers; here at CareerFoundry, 96% of our UX program graduates find a job within six months of completing the program.

A portion of these graduates go straight into remote jobs, procuring job titles such as UX designer, web designer, freelance designer, director of web, and digital marketing, customer success manager, and UX researcher.

It is entirely possible to find a remote UX design job straight from your chosen UX program—as long as you can demonstrate the necessary skills through your UX portfolio, and you have the right mentorship and career coaching behind you.

Will you struggle to find remote work with no experience?

There’s no denying that it’s easier to find a job once you’ve got experience, and that goes for both in-house and remote positions. When it comes to remote work, junior and entry-level designers may find fewer opportunities than senior UXers, simply because employers have traditionally tended to train junior designers in-house.

However, there are remote opportunities out there for entry-level designers, and the market will grow as companies adapt to more flexible ways of working. And, if you are unable to find a full-time remote position right off the bat, there are other ways to gain experience while remaining flexible, such as taking on freelance gigs through sites like Fiverr or volunteering your design skills to non-profits.

As with anything, you may have to work a little harder to prove yourself as a designer before you forge a stable remote career, but it’s absolutely possible.

5. How to find remote UX design jobs

When it comes to building your career as a remote UX designer, there are several components:

Familiarize yourself with UX processes and remote tools
Where to find remote UX jobs
Be adaptable in your approach—consider a partly remote or negotiable position to start with if necessary
Get your portfolio ready

Let’s take a look at each of these points in more detail.

Familiarize yourself with UX processes and remote tools

First and foremost, it’s important to think about how you’ll adapt your design practice to the remote environment.

To do this, you’ll need to demonstrate you understand the most common processes and conventions of UX design. You’ll find a complete guide to learning the UX design process here.

Next, you’ll need the right tools. There are a lot of great UX design tools out there, but how do you adapt your process for remote work?

How will you conduct user research and usability testing? How will you ensure open communication with key stakeholders if you’re not meeting them face-to-face?

Start by familiarizing yourself with tools that make remote work possible, such as HotJar for user research and Crazy Egg for user testing. You’ll find a complete guide to the best remote UX tools here.

Where to find remote UX jobs

If you’ve got your heart set on a remote UX design position, it’s important to know where to focus your search. While there are a number of job boards dedicated to remote jobs, you’ll still want to browse general job sites too.

CareerFoundry Career Specialist Danielle Sander recommends focusing on companies based in your timezone, and in those areas where you are legally authorized to work. Below are some of our favorite websites for UX design jobs:

Consider a flexible approach (to start with)

Remember that it takes time to build a sustainable career as a remote UX designer. It may not be possible to find a full-time remote job straight away, so it’s important to be flexible in your approach.

Consider roles that offer a combination of in-house and remote work; once you’ve established yourself in the company, there’s every chance that your role could evolve to be completely remote. Another way to build up your remote career is to take on freelance work. While this doesn’t always offer the security of a full-time role, it’s a great way to gain experience and remain flexible in the meantime.

Polish your UX design portfolio

Whether you’re searching for in-house or remote jobs, it’s absolutely crucial that your UX design portfolio is up to scratch. Through your portfolio, you’ll showcase your skills and expertise, showing employers not only what you’re capable of, but also what you’re passionate about within the field of design.

Is your portfolio ready for the job market? Make sure it adheres to these seven UX portfolio best practices.

6. Key takeaways and next steps

UX designers will increasingly find opportunities for flexible and remote work, even as many companies return to the office
Average salaries for mid-level designers in the U.S. range from $73,000 to $120,000
Seeking a remote UX role requires familiarity with remote processes and tools, a solid portfolio, and a flexible approach

You can learn more about becoming a remote UX designer in the following:

7. FAQ about remote UX design

1. Is working remotely as a UX designer difficult?

Working remotely as a UX designer can present certain challenges, but it is not inherently difficult.

Remote UX designers need to ensure clear and frequent communication with team members, adapt to online collaboration tools, and actively participate in virtual meetings. They must also possess self-discipline, time management skills, and the ability to create a conducive work environment to stay focused and productive.

2. Do most UX designers work from home?

While a large number of UX designers work from home, many still work in a traditional office. The work arrangements for UX designers can vary depending on the company, industry, and individual preferences. Some UX designers work in traditional office settings, while others may have a combination of remote and on-site work.

3. Is UX design a flexible career?

Yes, UX design is generally considered a flexible career. The field of UX design offers various opportunities for flexibility, including flexible work hours, remote work options, and freelancing possibilities.

It’s to note that the level of flexibility can vary depending on factors such as the company’s work culture, project requirements, and individual agreements.

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