Our much-anticipated first ever Design Pay Asia 2023 Report is finally here, and we're super excited to share our findings with you!
Our goal
This report aims to give you a snapshot of the current design industry and designer salaries across South East Asia.
Whether you're into UX/UI, research, or product design, we've got you covered.
From small startups to giant corporations, we dived into the nitty-gritty of compensation in the design world.
If you've been itching to know the latest pay trends and insights for designers, this report is your go-to resource!
Get ready to level up your knowledge and make those career moves with confidence! 💪
Demographics
- Singapore has the highest number of responses.
- The gender distribution of respondents is almost equal.
- Many of the respondents are younger designers under the age of 35.
Keep reading in Demographics
Roles and experience
- There is a wide variety of job titles, but almost all contain the word "design".
- Almost half of the job titles indicate job levelling.
- Majority of the respondents are individual contributors, with two-thirds focused on product design.
- Most respondents have six or less years of design experience.
- Formal design education is the most popular choice.
- Education isn’t a barrier in getting a job.
Keep reading in Role and experience - Part 1
Compensation
- Good confidence on salary trends for the top 3 markets based on the number of responses.
- Annual bonus remains a significant part of pay packages.
- There are five types of other benefits that make up a standard offering.
S$84,000
RM83,000
Rp84,000,000
Median annual total compensation
which includes base salary, bonuses, stock, and others.
Designer’s standard benefits
- Paid medical leave
- Paid time off/vacation time
- Health insurance
- Flexible working arrangement
- Budget for equipment or home office setup
Keep reading in Compensation
Notable
- Large enterprises and Startups are popular destinations for designers.
- Majority of the designers work for local companies, and the standard working arrangement is hybrid.
- People feel they know the market rate but unsure about the availability of resources that share that information.
- People generally feels they are paid fairly.
- Many did make a progress in their careers and are getting paid for it.
- Most work a little of extra hours.
Keep reading in Company
🆕 Analysis
Gender pay gap at 42%
Women earn 42% less than men overall, with pay gaps varying across levels correlating to responsibility.
Avg. growth S$10,839 / YOE
Salaries grow steadily with experience, increasing S$10,839 annually on average.
- International experience translates to 85% higher median salaries and greater career progression.
- Banking & Capital Markets and Consumer sectors stand out as top-paying industries.
- Remote roles offer significantly higher compensation at over 2.7x more than in-office roles.
- Design education may not define salary outcomes. Experience matters more than design educational background in influencing compensation levels.
- Regardless of being design-focused, tertiary education remains a factor in pushing for higher pay. Data hints at the benefit of switching to a design role with a non-design major.
Keep reading in Analysis: gender 🇸🇬
Support
If you find this report useful, please help us spread the word and share it!
Outside of this report, we also maintain a growing database of pay information that is accessible by anyone. Help us continue to make an impact with the community today by sharing your pay, especially if you are in the South East Asian region.
