Learn about the differences between UI and UX (and which might be a better career for you).
A user interface (UI) is the part of a website, application, or device you interact with. It includes screens, buttons, toggles, icons, navigation menus, and other visual elements. User experience (UX) refers to your entire interaction with a product, including how you feel about the interaction. While UI can certainly impact UX, the two are distinct, as are the roles that user experience designers and user interface designers play. In the following article, you'll learn about key differences between the two fields and how each one contributes to a positive user experience.
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Developing a product that people love requires good user interface design and good user experience design. For example, you may have an aesthetically pleasing banking app with intuitive navigation (UI), but if the pages load slowly or force you to click through numerous screens to transfer money, it won't be pleasant to use (UX).
In contrast, a website may be loaded with unique, helpful content organized logically and intuitively (UI). But if it looks dated or you can’t easily figure out how to move between screens or scroll through options, you’ll likely click away from the site (UX).
Both UI and UX designers play key roles in the design team and product development lifecycle. Let’s take a closer look at each.
UX designers focus their work on the experience a user has with a product. The goal is to make products that are functional, accessible, and enjoyable to use. While the term UX often applies to digital products, it can also be applied to nondigital products and services (like a coffee pot or a transportation system). Common tasks for a UX designer might include:
Conducting user research to identify any goals, needs, behaviors, and pain points involved with a product interaction
Developing user personas based on target customers
Creating user journey maps to analyze user flow and how a customer interacts with a product
Building wireframes and prototypes to hone in on what the final product will look like
Performing user testing to validate design decisions and identify problems
Collaborating with stakeholders, UI designers, and developers
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UI designers create the graphical portions of mobile apps, websites, and devices—the elements that a user directly interacts with. Unlike UX, which can apply to just about any product or service, the term UI design applies exclusively to digital products. A UI designer seeks to make apps and websites both visually appealing and easy to navigate. Common tasks of a UI designer include:
Organizing page layouts
Choosing visual design elements such as color palettes and fonts
Designing interactive elements, such as scrollers, buttons, toggles, drop-down menus, and text fields
Making high-fidelity wireframes and layouts to show what the final design will look like
Working closely with developers to convert designs into a working product
Search for UX on job listing sites in the tech industry and beyond, and you’re likely to find companies looking for UI/UX designers. Some companies do sometimes look for candidates with both sets of skills. But often when you start looking more closely at these listings, you’ll find the role leans more towards one than the other.
When it comes time to begin your job search, pay more attention to the list of tasks or qualifications than the specific job title.
UI and UX designers have some skills in common, but each role also requires its own unique skill set.
While a degree isn’t always necessary to get a job as a UX or UI designer, having one can often open up new opportunities. Only a few universities offer programs specific to UI/UX. UX designers might get a degree in computer science, psychology, human-computer interaction, or design. UI designers, on the other hand, might graduate with a degree in digital design, graphic design, or interaction design.
Interested in earning your bachelor’s degree in UX? The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of London lets you specialize in user experience.
According to Glassdoor, the median salary for UX designers in the US, including base pay and additional compensation such as commission and bonuses, is $109,000 [1]. That figure was $114,000 for UI designers [2]. Your salary could depend on many factors, including your location, industry, amount of experience, and educational background.
Both UI and UX design are well-paying careers that are in demand. Which you choose to pursue will depend on your goals and interests. If you’re interested in technology, thrive on variety, and love to solve problems, user experience design might be a good fit. If you’re a creative thinker with a strong aesthetic sense, consider pursuing user interface design.
If you’re still not sure whether UI or UX is a better fit for you, you can:
Take a class in each to experience them for yourself
Read or listen to popular UI/UX blogs and podcasts to hear from experts in each field
Reach out to industry professionals on LinkedIn for an informational interview
Join some online design communities to ask questions
Read more: How to Choose a New Career (Coursera Career Research Guide)
Consider a career path in front-end development, where you'll combine programming, UX, and UI skills:
The field of UX extends beyond the two roles of UI and UX designers. If you’re interested in a career in UI/UX, consider these other related roles as well.
UX researchers study the goals, needs, wants, and pain points of a product’s existing and target users.
UX writers write the text that appears on websites, apps, and other digital products.
Interaction designers focus on the ways users interact with digital products in a holistic context.
Software developers take the designs from UI and UX designers and code them into usable software, websites, or applications.
Product designers lead the entire process of taking a product or service from idea to reality.
Content strategists oversee the planning and production of marketing content through the lifecycle of a project.
This isn’t a magical, mythical creature. Rather, the term refers to a UX generalist who not only has a full set of UX skills but also excels at graphic design and coding. Mastering all these skills can take time, so start by working toward one role before leveling up to unicorn status.
Keep up with job opportunities and design industry trends in Career Chat on LinkedIn. Explore other free resources on UX and UI design, too:
Watch a video on YouTube: UX Design Career Path: 5 Routes to Success
Read an insider story about video game design and AI: Meet the Video Game Designer Who’s Leveling Up with AI
Bookmark UX terminology: UX terms and definitions
Whether you want to develop a new skill, such as UI or UX design, get comfortable with another in-demand technology, or advance your current abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses.
研究是 UX 和 UI 设计过程中不可或缺的一部分。为了创造成功的用户体验,UX 和 UI 设计师通常会花费大量时间收集定量和定性数据。研究过程中收集数据的一些常见方法包括开展调查、在焦点小组中采访有代表性的人群,以及采用可用性测试来了解产品在现实世界中的交互情况。然后利用这些数据来指导产品开发,以改善整体用户体验。
尽管以人际互动为中心进行设计的概念由来已久,但 "UX 设计 "一词直到 1988 年唐-诺曼(Don Norman)在其著作《日常事物的设计》(The Design of Everyday Things)中首次使用时才被提出。后来,诺曼在 20 世纪 90 年代初成为苹果公司的用户体验架构师,成为第一个将 "用户体验 "写入职称的人。
用户体验设计师和用户界面设计师之间的协作是创造成功的用户中心产品的必要条件。虽然每个团队都会有自己的协作 Protocol,但许多 UX 和 UI 设计团队可能会定期召开会议,讨论产品设计中的重叠痛点。同样,一些 UX 和 UI 设计师还发现,共享一份风格指南,讨论产品的基调、受众和目的等细枝末节,可以更容易地促进合作成功。
Glassdoor. "UX Designer Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/ux-designer-salary-SRCH_KO0,11.htm." Accessed September 8, 2025.
Glassdoor. "UI Designer Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-ui-designer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,25.htm." Accessed September 8, 2025.
Nielsen Norman Group. “What Is User Experience (and What Is It Not)?, https://www.nngroup.com/articles/what-is-user-experience/.” Accessed September 8, 2025.
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