Thread: Web designer salary?

Hello,
I am about to start looking for a web designer with about 2 years experience, strong knowledge of HTML, CSS, Macromedia suit including flash (basic) and good with graphic design.

I have seen several basis of salary, any idea how much of a salary should be on offer (in Co Meath)

Many thanks

I am not sure the location matters because the cost of living is not much different around the country. In fact id say you have to pay more to tempt a good designer out of Dublin.
I'd say for a top end designer between 35 - 50k. It depends on their portfolio more then their years in service.

Well 2 years isn't exactly a lot of experience so I'd say 28k-30k at the top end of the scale. Then it also depends on how good your HTML and CSS are. There are people who know HTML and then there are people who know HTML. But, as I said, 2 years isn't a lot of experience in this industry.

Originally Posted by TheMenace

Well 2 years isn't exactly a lot of experience so I'd say 28k-30k at the top end of the scale. Then it also depends on how good your HTML and CSS are. There are people who know HTML and then there are people who know HTML. But, as I said, 2 years isn't a lot of experience in this industry.

It really depends how good you are as mentioned some people know html and css but then there's XHTML and web standards / usability / accessibility. I'm in search engine marketing which really comes back to understanding web standards and analytics.

That's where the money is in web development I think. If you are a good designer with SEO skills I'd say go for up to 40k but settle for 35k

Originally Posted by TheMenace

Well 2 years isn't exactly a lot of experience so I'd say 28k-30k at the top end of the scale. Then it also depends on how good your HTML and CSS are. There are people who know HTML and then there are people who know HTML. But, as I said, 2 years isn't a lot of experience in this industry.

As TheMenace said ... you start out in work on what ... 20K (I'm not aware of the current starting salaries) ? ... you hope to go up about 3 - 4 k a year (either through pay rises or moving jobs)

2 years experience is nothing in my mind though.

You've also kept the description pretty basic ... do they need any programming skills ... experience with what software ? ... What operating systems will they be using ... what content management system are you looking for them to use and so on...

Originally Posted by Forbairt

You've also kept the description pretty basic ... do they need any programming skills ... experience with what software ? ... What operating systems will they be using ... what content management system are you looking for them to use and so on...

Why would a designer need programming skills? As long as employers continue to look for both creative ability and programming skills in the one employee then the quality of sites in Ireland will remain poor.

javascript as part of the UI could be considered part of the webdesigners work ?

Originally Posted by Forbairt

javascript as part of the UI could be considered part of the webdesigners work ?

In an ideal world - no. It should be part of the developers work. It's development, not creative design.

ajax I would consider development work ... using something like dojo to spruce up your page I would consider the web designers job ... interaction with the server means development ... but basic page to page goodness would be webdesign ...

But already in the original spec they are looking for flash (basic) knowledge ... so its going outside a simple webdesigner ... also looking for someone with graphic design means you're pretty much looking for a graphic designer and a web designer ... no ?

But then I have my hand in all sides of things which is bad I know .. being specialized is where the real money is

Originally Posted by Forbairt

ajax I would consider development work ... using something like dojo to spruce up your page I would consider the web designers job ... interaction with the server means development ... but basic page to page goodness would be webdesign ...

I disagree but that's just me. Anything to do with code is always better done by someone technically minded. For example, the designer I work with doesn't touch front end or server-side code. He hands me flat screens and I do the rest because I don't trust a designer to get it right. That's not to say designers can't do XHTML, CSS, DOM Script, etc. properly... but in my mind, they shouldn't have to. I'd rather they concentrate on creative flair.

Originally Posted by Forbairt

But already in the original spec they are looking for flash (basic) knowledge ... so its going outside a simple webdesigner

Not really. Basic Flash is a Web design requirement. Any RIA development or actionscript would be a developers job.