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Future Students

Careers

Graduates from the University of Washington's Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering find careers as designers and researchers who improve people's interactions with technology and with the world around them.

The department connects with corporations and businesses through a Corporate Affiliates Program to connect industry partners with HCDE students and faculty. Ongoing career events include workshops, panels, industry site visits, and an annual Career Fair.

Videos: HCDE alumni at work

Josh LaMar (MS '06)
Principal Design Research Manager, Microsoft

 

Andrea Chin (MS '14)
UX Researcher, McGraw-Hill Education

 

 

Alumni Directory

Find job information, as well as LinkedIn and portfolio links to HCDE alumni on the HCDE Alumni Directory.

Alumni career statistics: 2019 & 2020 graduates

In Winter 2021, the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering surveyed alumni across our degree programs who graduated in the years 2019 and 2020. The information below reflects the 118 responses we received to our survey; 

Employment statistics

88% of survey respondents were currently employed. Of those not currently employed, 3% were continuing education or taking time for their health, and 9% were seeking employment.

Job titles

The most common job titles of 2019 and 2020 graduates who took our survey were:

  • 37% User Experience (UX) Designer
  • 20% User Experience (UX) Researcher or User Researcher 
  • 5% Product manager

Other, less common job titles of our graduates include:

  • Content Strategist
  • Design Researcher
  • Experience Strategist
  • Instructional Designer
  • Interaction Designer
  • Product Manager
  • Program Manager
  • UI Designer
  • UX Architect
  • Web UX Designer

Industries

51% of respondents identified as working in the technology industry, employed at companies such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook. Find a longer list of companies that have employed HCDE graduates here »

Other common industries included:

  • Communications/Marketing/PR
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Information Technology
  • Retail

Salary

2019 and 2020 HCDE graduates who completed our survey reported the following salaries:

  • 36% more than $125,000 annually
  • 17% were making between $100,000 and $125,000 annually
  • 15% between $75,000 and $100,000 annually
  • 13% between 50,000 and $75,000 annually
  • 20% less than $50,000 annually

See Also