Market Update: How much do UX/UI Designers earn in Australia 2026

Which industries most commonly hire UX/UI Designers?

A decade ago, design jobs were mostly found at creative agencies. Today, every industry is a “tech-driven industry,” and UX/UI Designers are employed in-house almost everywhere.

The largest employers of UX/UI Designers include:

• Technology, Software and Startups: This is the traditional home of UX/UI. Companies from large tech giants like Atlassian and Google to high-growth startups are all product-led, meaning design is at the core of their business.
• Financial Services and Banking: The “Big Four” banks (like Westpac) and a wave of Fintech companies are in a heated race to build the best, safest, and easiest-to-use digital banking apps and financial tools.
• Government: Federal and State government bodies (like Services Australia) are major employers, focused on making digital services more accessible and user-friendly for all citizens.
• Retail and eCommerce: Companies like JB Hi-Fi, Woolworths, and online fashion retailers live and die by their user experience. Designers are crucial for optimising shopping carts, checkout flows, and product discovery.
• Creative and Design Agencies: Agencies remain a popular choice, offering designers the chance to work on a wide variety of projects for different clients and industries.
• Media and Communications: Think streaming services, online news platforms, and telecommunications companies, all of which rely on design to keep users engaged.

What are the top skills a UX/UI Designer needs?

To succeed as a modern UX/UI Designer, you need a T-shaped skillset: a broad range of soft skills combined with deep, technical hard skills.

Hard Skills

These are the practical, technical competencies you’ll use every day:

1. User Research: This is the foundation of all good design. It’s the ability to plan and conduct user interviews, send out surveys, run usability tests, and analyse competitors to understand what users really need.
2. Wireframing and Prototyping: The ability to visualise ideas, starting with low-fidelity sketches and moving to high-fidelity, interactive prototypes. Mastery of industry-standard tools like Figma is non-negotiable.
3. Information Architecture (IA): Organising and structuring content in a way that is logical, intuitive, and helps users find what they’re looking for without getting frustrated.
4. Data Analysis: The ability to look at quantitative data (like web analytics) and qualitative data (like interview notes) to find patterns and make informed design decisions, rather than just guessing.
5. Accessibility and Inclusive Design: This is the critical practice of designing products that can be used by everyone, including people with visual, motor, or cognitive disabilities (e.g., ensuring colour contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility).

Soft Skills

These are the interpersonal skills that will set you apart and enable your career growth:

1. Empathy: This is the #1 skill in UX. You must have the ability to step into your user’s shoes, understand their problems from their perspective, and genuinely advocate for their needs.
2. Communication and Storytelling: A great design is useless if you can’t get it approved. You must be able to clearly articulate your design decisions and explain why your solution solves the user’s problem and meets the business’s goals.
3. Collaboration: UX/UI Designers are a team sport. You will work in a cross-functional team every single day with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketers, and other stakeholders.
4. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: At its core, design is not about making things look pretty; it’s about solving complex problems. You need the ability to analyse a problem from multiple angles and devise creative, effective solutions.

The latest trends in UX/UI Design for 2026

The world of design is always evolving. As we look to 2026, a few major trends are shaping the future of the role:

1. AI as a Design Partner: AI is not replacing designers; it’s becoming their most powerful tool. By 2026, designers will be expected to use AI to automate routine tasks (like creating design variations), generate new ideas, analyse research data, and help build highly personalised experiences for users.
2. Designing for Spatial Computing (AR/VR): With the launch of devices like the Apple Vision Pro, designing for 3D, immersive, and “spatial” environments is moving from a niche skill to the next major frontier. This involves thinking beyond the 2D screen.
3. Voice User Interfaces (VUI) and Invisible Tech: As more people use voice assistants (like Siri and Alexa) and smart devices, designers are increasingly tasked with creating “invisible” or conversational interfaces that don’t rely on a visual screen.
4. Sustainable and Efficient Design: This trend, also known as “Green UX,” focuses on creating digital products that are not only user-friendly but also planet-friendly. This means designing lightweight, fast-loading apps and websites that consume less energy and data.
5. Designing for Neurodiversity: Moving beyond basic accessibility, this advanced trend involves designing experiences that are inclusive of people with cognitive differences like ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, focusing on things like clear focus, reduced cognitive load, and customisable interfaces.