Check my payUX Researcher salary by level
UX Research pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.
Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026Median base salary, Senior UX Researcher, top-tier markets
From entry level to VP, medians run from $94k to $374k.
Individual contributor track
Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate UX ResearcherIC1 Associate / Entry | $94k |
| UX ResearcherIC2 Mid-level | $129k |
| Senior UX ResearcherIC3 Senior | $170k |
| Staff UX ResearcherIC4 Staff / Lead | $208k |
| Principal UX ResearcherIC5 Senior Staff / Principal | $242k |
| Distinguished UX ResearcherIC6 Distinguished | $281k |
Management track
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Manager, UX ResearchM2 Associate Manager | $179k |
| Manager, UX ResearchM3 Manager | $208k |
| Senior Manager, UX ResearchM4 Senior Manager | $242k |
| Director, UX ResearchM5 Director | $286k |
| Senior Director, UX ResearchM6 Senior Director | $323k |
| VP, UX ResearchE1 Vice President | $374k |
The full range
Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.
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Where do these numbers come from?
They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.