UX Job Roles & Estimated Monthly Engagement Costs

Comprehensive Guide to UX Positions and Professional Engagement Rates

Note: The costs below are estimated monthly costs to engage a BSE professional full-time. These rates reflect the total cost to clients for professional services, including all overhead, benefits, and BSE's expertise. Rates are estimated and subject to change based on project scope, duration, and required expertise.

Find the right UX professional for your team with our detailed breakdown of job roles, responsibilities, and competitive engagement rates. All rates reflect full-time engagement with experienced professionals.

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Research & Strategy Roles

Roles focused on user research, strategy development, and service design

UX Researcher

$11,000 – $14,000/month

Conducts user research to inform design decisions and product strategy.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX Researchers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-2051) conduct comprehensive user research for federal health IT systems, ensuring compliance with human factors standards and regulatory requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541990 | SOC: 15-2051 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • User interviews and ethnographic research
  • Usability testing and user feedback analysis
  • Competitive analysis and market research
  • Persona development and user journey mapping
  • Research synthesis and actionable insights

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access research expertise for product decisions

Medium Organization:

Validate design decisions with user insights

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure federal compliance and user-centered design

Senior UX Researcher

$14,000 – $18,000/month

Leads complex research initiatives and mentors junior researchers.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Senior UX Researchers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-2051) lead complex research initiatives for federal health IT, ensuring compliance with human factors standards and regulatory requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541990 | SOC: 15-2051 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Advanced research methodologies and statistical analysis
  • Research strategy and roadmap development
  • Cross-functional stakeholder collaboration
  • Research team leadership and mentoring
  • Executive presentation and strategic recommendations

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access senior research leadership for critical decisions

Medium Organization:

Lead research strategy and mentor internal teams

Enterprise/Federal:

Drive research strategy and ensure federal compliance

Service Designer

$12,000 – $15,000/month

Designs end-to-end service experiences and optimizes customer journeys.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Service Designers (NAICS 541611, 541618, SOC 13-1111) design comprehensive service experiences for federal health IT systems, optimizing patient and provider workflows across multiple touchpoints.

NAICS: 541611, 541618 | SOC: 13-1111 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Service blueprinting and customer journey mapping
  • Process optimization and workflow design
  • Cross-channel experience design
  • Organizational change management
  • Service prototyping and testing

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Optimize service delivery and customer experience

Medium Organization:

Design seamless cross-channel experiences

Enterprise/Federal:

Transform complex federal service delivery

Human-Centered Design Consultant

$13,000 – $16,000/month

Applies human-centered design principles to solve complex problems.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Human-Centered Design Consultants (NAICS 541611, 541618, SOC 13-1111) apply HCD principles to federal health IT challenges, ensuring solutions prioritize user needs while meeting regulatory requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541618 | SOC: 13-1111 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Human-centered design methodology application
  • Complex problem-solving and innovation
  • Stakeholder engagement and facilitation
  • Design thinking workshops and training
  • Strategic design consulting and advisory

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Apply proven HCD methods to solve problems

Medium Organization:

Transform organizational approach to design

Enterprise/Federal:

Drive federal innovation through human-centered design

UX Strategist

$13,000 – $17,000/month

Develops UX strategy and aligns user experience with business goals.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX Strategists (NAICS 541611, 541618, SOC 13-1111) develop comprehensive UX strategies for federal health IT initiatives, aligning user experience with mission objectives and compliance requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541618 | SOC: 13-1111 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • UX strategy and roadmap development
  • Business goal alignment and KPI definition
  • Competitive analysis and market positioning
  • Stakeholder management and executive communication
  • Design thinking facilitation and workshops

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Develop clear UX strategy for product success

Medium Organization:

Align UX with business objectives and KPIs

Enterprise/Federal:

Drive federal mission through strategic UX planning

UX Program Manager

$14,000 – $18,000/month

Manages UX programs and coordinates cross-functional UX initiatives.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX Program Managers (NAICS 541611, 541618, SOC 13-1111) manage comprehensive UX programs for federal health IT initiatives, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and regulatory compliance.

NAICS: 541611, 541618 | SOC: 13-1111 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • UX program strategy and roadmap development
  • Cross-functional UX initiative coordination
  • Stakeholder management and executive communication
  • UX team leadership and resource allocation
  • Program metrics and success measurement

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Coordinate UX initiatives across your organization

Medium Organization:

Manage UX programs and ensure strategic alignment

Enterprise/Federal:

Drive federal UX transformation and compliance

Design & Prototyping Roles

Roles focused on visual design, prototyping, and user interface creation

Junior UX Designer

$8,000 – $11,000/month

Creates user-centered designs and interactive prototypes for digital products.

  • Wireframing and prototyping
  • User interface design and visual design
  • Information architecture and navigation design
  • Design system development and maintenance
  • User testing and design iteration

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access expert design without a full-time hire

Medium Organization:

Scale for new projects or compliance needs

Enterprise/Federal:

Improve adoption, compliance, and ROI for complex systems

UX Designer

$10,000 – $13,000/month

Creates user-centered designs and interactive prototypes.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX Designers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) specialize in crafting intuitive interfaces for federal health IT and commercial clients. They conduct user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing—ensuring every solution meets compliance and user needs.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Wireframing and prototyping
  • User interface design and visual design
  • Information architecture and navigation design
  • Design system development and maintenance
  • User testing and design iteration

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access expert design without a full-time hire

Medium Organization:

Scale for new projects or compliance needs

Enterprise/Federal:

Improve adoption, compliance, and ROI for complex systems

Senior UX Designer

$13,000 – $17,000/month

Leads complex design projects and mentors junior designers.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Senior UX Designers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) lead complex system design for federal health IT and enterprise clients. They provide strategic design leadership, mentor teams, and ensure compliance with federal accessibility and usability standards.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Complex system design and architecture
  • Design team leadership and mentoring
  • Stakeholder management and design presentations
  • Design strategy and vision development
  • Cross-functional collaboration and design advocacy

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access senior-level expertise for critical projects

Medium Organization:

Lead design initiatives and mentor internal teams

Enterprise/Federal:

Drive design strategy and ensure federal compliance

UI Designer

$9,000 – $12,000/month

Focuses on visual design and user interface aesthetics.

  • Visual design and branding
  • Component design and style guide creation
  • Iconography and illustration
  • Responsive design and mobile optimization
  • Design handoff and developer collaboration

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access visual design expertise for product polish

Medium Organization:

Create consistent, branded interfaces

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure accessibility compliance and brand consistency

Interaction Designer

$11,000 – $14,000/month

Specializes in interactive elements and micro-interactions.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Interaction Designers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) design intuitive interactions for federal health IT systems, ensuring users can efficiently complete critical healthcare tasks.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Micro-interactions and animation design
  • Interactive prototyping and motion design
  • Gesture and touch interface design
  • Voice and conversational interface design
  • Accessibility and inclusive interaction design

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Enhance user engagement with thoughtful interactions

Medium Organization:

Create intuitive interfaces for complex workflows

Enterprise/Federal:

Design accessible interactions for critical systems

Product Designer

$12,000 – $16,000/month

Takes a holistic approach to product design and user experience.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Product Designers (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) take a holistic approach to federal health IT product design, ensuring end-to-end user experience excellence while meeting regulatory requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • End-to-end product design and strategy
  • User research and market analysis
  • Feature prioritization and product roadmap
  • Cross-platform design consistency
  • Product metrics and success measurement

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Access comprehensive product design expertise

Medium Organization:

Develop cohesive product experiences

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure federal compliance and user-centered design

Architecture & Systems Roles

Roles focused on system architecture, design systems, and technical implementation

Information Architect

$11,000 – $14,000/month

Designs information structures and navigation systems for complex digital products.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Information Architects (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) design intuitive information structures for federal health IT systems, ensuring users can efficiently navigate complex healthcare workflows.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Information architecture and site mapping
  • Navigation design and user flow optimization
  • Content organization and taxonomy development
  • Search functionality and findability optimization
  • Information hierarchy and labeling systems

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Organize complex information for better user experience

Medium Organization:

Optimize navigation and content structure

Enterprise/Federal:

Design scalable information architecture for complex systems

UX/UI Developer

$11,000 – $14,000/month

Bridges design and development with technical implementation skills.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX/UI Developers (NAICS 541512, 541511, SOC 15-1255) implement accessible, compliant interfaces for federal health IT systems, ensuring technical feasibility while maintaining design integrity.

NAICS: 541512, 541511 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-2210

  • Interactive prototyping and front-end development
  • Design system implementation and maintenance
  • Performance optimization and accessibility
  • Design-to-development handoff optimization
  • Technical feasibility assessment and guidance

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Bridge design and development for faster delivery

Medium Organization:

Implement design systems and maintain consistency

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure federal compliance and technical excellence

Design Operations Manager

$13,000 – $17,000/month

Manages design operations and optimizes design team workflows.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Design Operations Managers (NAICS 541611, 541618, SOC 13-1111) optimize design operations for federal health IT teams, ensuring efficient delivery while maintaining quality and compliance standards.

NAICS: 541611, 541618 | SOC: 13-1111 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Design operations strategy and optimization
  • Design team workflow and process management
  • Design tool and system administration
  • Design quality assurance and standards
  • Design team performance and metrics

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Optimize design processes for efficiency

Medium Organization:

Scale design operations and maintain quality

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure federal compliance and operational excellence

Specialized Roles

Roles with specialized expertise in accessibility, usability, content, and analytics

Accessibility Specialist

$10,000 – $13,000/month

Ensures digital products are accessible to users with disabilities.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Accessibility Specialists (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) ensure federal health IT systems meet WCAG standards and Section 508 compliance requirements.

NAICS: 541611, 541512 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • WCAG compliance testing and remediation
  • Accessibility audit and evaluation
  • Assistive technology testing and optimization
  • Accessibility training and education
  • Inclusive design consultation and guidance

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Ensure accessibility compliance for all users

Medium Organization:

Meet legal requirements and expand user base

Enterprise/Federal:

Achieve federal compliance and inclusive design

UX Content Strategist

$9,000 – $12,000/month

Develops content strategies that enhance user experience.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our UX Content Strategists (NAICS 541611, SOC 15-1255) develop user-centered content strategies for federal health IT systems, ensuring clear communication of critical healthcare information.

NAICS: 541611 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0343

  • Content strategy and information architecture
  • Content audit and optimization
  • User-centered content design
  • Content governance and standards
  • Content performance measurement

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Create clear, user-friendly content

Medium Organization:

Develop content strategies that support user goals

Enterprise/Federal:

Ensure federal compliance and clear communication

Usability Engineer

$11,000 – $14,000/month

Specializes in usability testing and user experience optimization.

Federal Health IT Focus: Our Usability Engineers (NAICS 541512, 541990, SOC 15-1255) conduct comprehensive usability testing for federal health IT systems, ensuring compliance with human factors standards and regulatory requirements.

NAICS: 541512, 541990 | SOC: 15-1255 | GS Series: GS-0855

  • Usability testing and evaluation
  • Heuristic evaluation and expert review
  • User interface optimization
  • Usability metrics and measurement
  • Usability training and best practices

Benefits by Organization Size:

Small Business:

Validate usability and identify improvement opportunities

Medium Organization:

Ensure user-friendly interfaces and workflows

Enterprise/Federal:

Meet federal usability standards and compliance

Federal Classification Reference

Federal agencies and clients may search for UX services using specific codes. Our services align with the following classifications:

NAICS Codes

541511:

Custom Computer Programming Services

541512:

Computer Systems Design Services

541611:

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

541618:

Other Management Consulting Services

541990:

All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

SOC Codes

15-1255:

Web and Digital Interface Designers

15-2051:

Data Scientists

13-1111:

Management Analysts

GS Series

GS-0343:

Management and Program Analyst

GS-2210:

Information Technology Management

GS-0855:

Electronics Engineering

Note: Federal UX and HCD roles are often classified under the GS-0343 (Management and Program Analyst) series, especially for roles like UX Strategist, Service Designer, and Program Manager.

Ready to Find Your Perfect UX Professional?

Our embedded UX professionals work as an extension of your team, providing the expertise you need to deliver exceptional user experiences. Contact us to discuss your specific needs and get matched with the right UX professional.

Get Matched with UX Talent