UI/UX designers research how real people actually behave, then design software that's easy and pleasant to use. UI (user interface) is the visual layer — buttons, type, color, layout. UX (user experience) is the invisible layer underneath it — the flow, the logic, whether the thing actually solves the user's problem. Most working UI/UX designers do some of both, and almost none of the job happens in the final polished screen you see first — it happens in the research and the rough sketches before it.
Entry-Level Requirements
Portfolio
2–3 full case studies — not just pretty screens. Each one should show the whole arc: the research question, paper wireframes, a higher-fidelity mockup, and what changed after testing it on real people.
Tools
Figma is the industry standard and is free to learn. Familiarity with at least one Adobe Creative Cloud app (Photoshop or Illustrator) rounds out most entry job postings.
Degree?
Not strictly required. A four-year degree helps at larger companies, but a strong, self-taught portfolio is what actually opens doors at startups and for freelance work — the portfolio outweighs the credential more than in most fields.
Common entry titles
Income Potential
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | National Median | Experienced (90th percentile) |
|---|---|---|
| $48,210 / yr | $98,540 / yr | $176,490 / yr |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Web and Digital Interface Designers (SOC 15-1255), May 2023 — the most recent complete national data available. These are national figures across every region and employer, not a promise; BLS doesn't track years of experience directly, so "entry-level" and "experienced" here stand in for the lowest and highest 10% of earners nationally. NYC-metro pay for this role often runs above the national number. Book Seven, The Career Path, goes deeper on how this kind of number actually breaks down by employer type.
Your Portfolio Plan
-
Grade 9 — Learn to see the way a user does
The Elements & Principles of Design Studio (Lesson 13–24) plus Purpose, Audience & Demographics build the visual judgment every UX decision rests on.
-
Grade 10 — Build your first working mockup
Portfolio Website with Google Sites is your first live, navigable interface — even a simple one teaches real information architecture.
-
Grade 11 — Research like a professional
The Design Process and Understanding Your Audience: Research Methods & Personas, paired with The Experience Path's Figma and usability-testing chapters, get you to your first full case study.
-
Ongoing — Package it like a professional
Building Your Digital Design Portfolio, Writing a Process Narrative for Your Portfolio, and Portfolio Review Workshop turn your projects into a portfolio a hiring manager can actually navigate.
4+ Projects to Build Your Portfolio
Paper-First App Redesign
Pick an app you use every day. Sketch three screens by hand that fix one real annoyance with it — no software, pencil only.
Proves you can think in UX before you ever touch a tool — the first thing a real case study needs.
Wireframe → Build Your Portfolio Site
Wireframe your own portfolio site on paper first, then build it for real, with at least four working pages.
Your first live, working interface — and the site that will eventually hold every other project here.
Full UX Case Study: Research to Prototype
Interview three real people about one small problem, sketch or prototype a fix, test it on two people, and document exactly what changed and why.
This is the exact format working UX designers use — it's the centerpiece project every UI/UX portfolio needs at least one of.
Typography & Layout System
Build a small design system — three type sizes, one color palette, consistent spacing rules — then apply it to two different screens.
Shows a hiring manager you can keep a screen consistent — a skill that separates junior work from professional work instantly.
Figma Redesign of a Real App Screen
Figma isn't a formal course tool yet, so this one's self-directed: use free tutorials to learn the basics, then redesign one screen from a real app, applying the accessibility basics (real WCAG standards) from Book Six.
Figma is the one tool almost every real UI/UX job posting names by name — worth the self-directed head start.