Industry Snapshot: Web Design

When it comes to building websites, much has changed since the inception of the first web page more than 30 years ago. Today, several industries across the spectrum are in need of designers and developers with a new set of tools under their belts.?

Web design has a lot to do with website problem-solving, especially today when the best websites are made with the user in mind. Each element of a website is designed in service of the user, to encourage repeat visits, and to maximize interactions to achieve key goals. If you’re a designer within the field, you may have to determine what part of the website design and creation process you fit in best.

Web design?career tracks might just be a perfect fit for:

• Creatives and visual thinkers with the know-how to design websites
• Beginners interested in web design, mobile design, or UX/UI.
• Aspiring designers looking to broaden their skills and increase their income potential,
• User-centered designers hoping to understand code in order to effectively communicate with developers

Sound like you? Here’s an in-depth look at the web design industry and how you can build the skills you need to thrive.

Opportunities for Web Designers

According to data from EMSI, the median annual salary for web designers in 2021 was $62.3K and the average hourly pay is $29.97/hr. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web careers are expected to grow 13% in the next 10 years, which is faster than average.

It’s looking like a good time to make a career change, and our job market tool,?EMSI, has also helped us to identify some of the best opportunities within this rapidly growing field.?

Top Cities Posting For Related Job Titles:

• New York, NY
• Washington, DC
• Los Angeles, CA
• Atlanta, GA
• San Francisco, CA
• Austin, TX
• Chicago, IL
• Dallas, TX
• San Diego, CA
• Tampa, FL

Build Your Skills

Looking to explore a new career within the industry? Here are some of the top skills you’ll need to succeed as a web designer.

Skills to Acquire:

• HTML
• CSS
• Adobe Photoshop
• Javascript
• Graphic Design
• Adobe Illustrator
• User Experience
• User Interface

[Source: EMSI]?

Our online Web Design Certificate focuses on human-centered design for websites, mobile apps and emerging technologies. During the program, students learn the latest tools and techniques employed by the technology industry to develop world-class user experiences through project-based learning, concepts, and design methods. With this certificate, you will be able to design websites and mobile apps and produce portfolio-worthy projects.?

The certificate program consists of the following 5 courses, advised to be taken in the order listed:

Courses

1. Intro to Web and Mobile (9 wks)

2. Web Design Production (9 wks)

3. Mobile Design Patterns and Platforms (9 wks)

4. Interactive Typography (9 wks)

5. Design Systems (6 wks)

Who Should Enroll:

• Creatives who are interested in learning how to design and build websites through a curriculum designed for visual thinkers.
• Beginners interested in web design, mobile design, UX/UI.
• Aspiring designers who want to broaden their set of skills and increase their income potential.
• Print designers who want to move into digital products and design larger ecosystems.
• UX/UI designers looking to understand code to either effectively communicate with developers or to make better and higher fidelity prototypes.

Additional Resources

Learn even more about web design and find your fit among various industries.

• Want to dive deeper into user interaction and experiences? Pair our Web Design certificate with our User-Centered Design (UX/UI) certificate to push your potential even further
• Discover the difference between?responsive and adaptive web design
• Looking for inspiration? Here are the?Top 20 Best Web Design & Development Blogs to Follow
• Find out what it takes to begin a web design project with these?6 stages

Written by Casey O’Connell.