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UI Designer Salary in Long Beach, CA: 2026

UI Designer salary data for Long Beach, CA, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.

The estimated median UI Designer salary in Long Beach, CA is $153,920 per year ($12,827/month, $74/hr). This modeled estimate scales Salario's national benchmark (calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median) by the local cost of living index of 148, which is 48% above the national average.

Entry Level
$104K
$50/hr
Median
$154K
$74/hr
Senior
$214K
$103/hr
Top Earner
$254K
$122/hr

All four figures are Salario estimates (national benchmark scaled by Long Beach's cost-of-living index); BLS does not publish a metro median for this title here.

UI Designer Take-Home Pay in Long Beach

Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)

Gross Annual$153,920
Federal Tax-$25,675
State Tax (6.6% eff.)-$10,223
FICA (SS + Medicare)-$11,775
Annual Take-Home$106,248
Monthly Take-Home$8,854

Living Cost Comparison

Median Rent$2,100/mo
Rent-to-Income Ratio16.4%
Median Home Price$700,000
Cost of Living Index148
City Median Salary (BLS metro, all jobs)$55,850
UI Designer vs City Median+$98,070

UI Designer Requirements

Education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
2-4 years
Job Growth
8.0% (2024-2034)

Key Skills

FigmaSketchDesign SystemsTypographyColor Theory

Long Beach Job Market Overview

Long Beach, California has a population of 466,742 and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. The top industries are Shipping, Aerospace, Healthcare. The local job growth rate is 1.5%, and the average commute time is 30minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.

Salary Percentile Breakdown: UI Designer in Long Beach

Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for UI Designer in Long Beach, CA, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:

PercentileAnnual SalaryHourly EquivalentCareer Stage
10th (lowest)$103,748$50/hrEntry-level, < 1 yr exp.
25th$128,834$62/hrJunior, 1-3 yrs exp.
50th (median)$153,920$74/hrMid-career, 2-4 years
75th$214,156$103/hrSenior, 5-10 yrs exp.
90th (top)$254,264$122/hrLead/Principal, 10+ yrs

Percentiles are approximations, not measured local percentiles: P10, P50, P75, and P90 map to Salario's entry, median, senior, and top salary tiers scaled by the local cost-of-living index, and P25 is interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Long Beach's Shipping sector.

5-Year Salary Trajectory

Salario's national dataset models approximately 12.0% salary growth for UI Designers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Long Beach estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:

5 Years Ago
$137,429
Adjusted for Long Beach COL
Today (2026)
$153,920
+12.0% vs 5y ago
Projected 2031
$172,390
If growth continues

Year-over-year, an average UI Designer can expect a 12.8% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 6 years in Long Beach. Negotiation, certifications (Google UX Design Certificate), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.

Long Beach vs National Average

The national median UI Designer salary is $104,000 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Web and Digital Interface Designers). In Long Beach, the cost-of-living-adjusted median of $153,920 is 48.0% above the national figure. This reflects Long Beach's cost of living index of 148 (higher than the national average of 100).

For UI Designers, this means: rent typically consumes 23.7% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Long Beach costs about 6.6× annual take-home. Homeownership in Long Beach on this salary is challenging, most experts recommend keeping home costs to 3-4× income.

Industry Context: Shipping in Long Beach

Long Beach's economy is anchored by Shipping, Aerospace, Healthcare, with 466,742 residents and an unemployment rate of 4.5% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for UI Designers can differ by sector, so compare Shipping employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.5%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 8.0% growth outlook for UI Designer roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.

Methodology & Data Sources

How we calculate UI Designer salaries in Long Beach, CA:

  1. Base salary model starts with Salario occupation data and public wage references, including BLS OEWS and O*NET when a direct or related occupational crosswalk is available (the national median is calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for Web and Digital Interface Designers). For niche titles, we do not treat a broader SOC family as an exact job-title wage.
  2. Cost-of-living adjustment applied using the Long Beach index of 148 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
  3. Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
  4. Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), CA 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 13.3%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
  5. Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.

Authoritative data sources:

Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. UI Designer salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Shipping vs others in Long Beach), specific skill set (Figma, Sketch, Design Systems), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average UI Designer salary in Long Beach, CA?
Salario estimates the median UI Designer salary in Long Beach, CA at $153,920 per year for 2026. This is a modeled figure: Salario's national UI Designer benchmark scaled by the local cost of living index of 148, not a measured local wage survey. The modeled entry-level estimate is around $103,748, and the senior estimate is $214,156 or more.
How much does a UI Designer take home in Long Beach after taxes?
A UI Designer earning the median salary of $153,920 in Long Beach, CA takes home approximately $106,248 per year ($8,854/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 31.0%.
Is Long Beach a good city for UI Designers?
Long Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 148 (above national average). UI Designers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 4.5% and top industries include Shipping, Aerospace, Healthcare.
What skills are needed for a UI Designer in Long Beach?
Key skills for UI Designers include Figma, Sketch, Design Systems, Typography, Color Theory. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree. Valuable certifications include Google UX Design Certificate.
How does UI Designer salary in Long Beach compare to the national average?
Salario's national median benchmark for UI Designer is $104,000 (calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median). In Long Beach, the cost-of-living-adjusted estimate is $153,920, which is 48.0% higher than the national average, reflecting the local cost of living.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average UI Designer salary in Long Beach, CA?

Salario estimates the median UI Designer salary in Long Beach, CA at $153,920 per year for 2026. This is a modeled figure: Salario's national UI Designer benchmark scaled by the local cost of living index of 148, not a measured local wage survey. The modeled entry-level estimate is around $103,748, and the senior estimate is $214,156 or more.

How much does a UI Designer take home in Long Beach after taxes?

A UI Designer earning the median salary of $153,920 in Long Beach, CA takes home approximately $106,248 per year ($8,854/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 31.0%.

Is Long Beach a good city for UI Designers?

Long Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 148 (above national average). UI Designers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 4.5% and top industries include Shipping, Aerospace, Healthcare.

What skills are needed for a UI Designer in Long Beach?

Key skills for UI Designers include Figma, Sketch, Design Systems, Typography, Color Theory. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree. Valuable certifications include Google UX Design Certificate.

How does UI Designer salary in Long Beach compare to the national average?

Salario's national median benchmark for UI Designer is $104,000 (calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median). In Long Beach, the cost-of-living-adjusted estimate is $153,920, which is 48.0% higher than the national average, reflecting the local cost of living.