4 ms·

DISCLAIMER: I'm a both UI Designer and rubyist I remember when I would ask for $50/hour for design work, people would without hesitation go for it, some startu

by hajrice 16y ago

DISCLAIMER: I'm a both UI Designer and rubyist I remember when I would ask for $50/hour for design work, people would without hesitation go for it, some startups even asked why I charge so low....eh, I didn't know better. While I don't have much experience with rails consulting, from what I've heard, people who can do both rails and ui design can EASILY go for $100/hour. Then again, I have a friend who just landed an ~$80/hour work doing some simple joomla/php work. To be honest, it sorta made more sense to me(even though I'm both a designer and rubyist) that designers made more. My belief is that it's more common for designers to be much more unique than a rubyist. What do I mean? My theory is that it's easier to become another kick-ass designer who has a lot of people digging his work than it is to become a "popular" rubyist(I'd consider the guy who created will_paginate to be popular in the ruby world). Am I the only one thinking in this way? ... it might sound a little ridiculous to some people. :)

emef 16y ago
Yeah I think it's usually easier to point someone to a visual portfolio of your work (as a designer) than it is to link to projects you've worked on (as a developer). Definitely seems harder to get noticed for being an awesome developer, but designers can easily show off.
spitfire 16y ago
If you're skilled at solving a customers problem, $100/hr is far underselling yourself. For a skilled (very rare) designer who can solve a customers problem $300-500/hr is perfectly acceptable. Mind you the vast majority of "designers" out there are artistés designing whatever trendy bubblegum is fashionable this minute rather than solve a customers real problems.
- joshwa 16y ago
  The vast majority of "design jobs" out there are from marketing types wanting whatever trendy bubblegum is fashionable this minute rather than solving customers' real problems.
- ncbutters 16y ago
  Im sorry...but I, being a designer who has done both consulting and full-time work and 'likes to think' he tries to solve the customer's problem first and foremost, find this rate of $300-500/hr extremely high. Has anyone else heard of numbers like this being made, be that full-time or consulting?
  - spitfire 16y ago
    move upmarket. A small dotcom may now be able to pay $300/hr but when you're setting up an independently regulated financial utopia (See the independent finance centre of the americas) a few shekels for design is nothing. I have no doubt sites like national geographics website cost over a million. Just like a good iphone app costs $200K+ good design costs, and is exceedingly rare. example: winkreative
  - richcollins 16y ago
    That's probably charging by the project, not by the hour. The /hr is an effective rate.
  - ThomPete 16y ago
    I am up around there, so it is possible
rdouble 16y ago
I know designers in NYC who make a lot of money, but they have to work freelance and hustle. On the other hand, I'm just an average Ruby programmer and have been through total softball phone interviews ("what is M-V-C?") where companies wanted to hire me for $120,000 + options. I guess I'm more wondering if companies are really paying designers 6 figs + equity for salaried positions. Or if it's really early stage startup, if the design salaries achieve parity with the programmer salaries.

by hajrice 16y ago

emef 16y ago

Yeah I think it's usually easier to point someone to a visual portfolio of your work (as a designer) than it is to link to projects you've worked on (as a developer). Definitely seems harder to get noticed for being an awesome developer, but designers can easily show off.

spitfire 16y ago

If you're skilled at solving a customers problem, $100/hr is far underselling yourself. For a skilled (very rare) designer who can solve a customers problem $300-500/hr is perfectly acceptable. Mind you the vast majority of "designers" out there are artistés designing whatever trendy bubblegum is fashionable this minute rather than solve a customers real problems.

joshwa 16y ago
The vast majority of "design jobs" out there are from marketing types wanting whatever trendy bubblegum is fashionable this minute rather than solving customers' real problems.
ncbutters 16y ago
Im sorry...but I, being a designer who has done both consulting and full-time work and 'likes to think' he tries to solve the customer's problem first and foremost, find this rate of $300-500/hr extremely high. Has anyone else heard of numbers like this being made, be that full-time or consulting?
- spitfire 16y ago
  move upmarket. A small dotcom may now be able to pay $300/hr but when you're setting up an independently regulated financial utopia (See the independent finance centre of the americas) a few shekels for design is nothing. I have no doubt sites like national geographics website cost over a million. Just like a good iphone app costs $200K+ good design costs, and is exceedingly rare. example: winkreative
- richcollins 16y ago
  That's probably charging by the project, not by the hour. The /hr is an effective rate.
- ThomPete 16y ago
  I am up around there, so it is possible

rdouble 16y ago

I know designers in NYC who make a lot of money, but they have to work freelance and hustle. On the other hand, I'm just an average Ruby programmer and have been through total softball phone interviews ("what is M-V-C?") where companies wanted to hire me for $120,000 + options. I guess I'm more wondering if companies are really paying designers 6 figs + equity for salaried positions. Or if it's really early stage startup, if the design salaries achieve parity with the programmer salaries.