UX design is one of the most high-in-demand jobs in the USA, securing 14^th position in CNN’s top 100 job list. Labelled as one of the most well-paying jobs in the States, UX designing offers the much sought-after work-life balance and outstanding growth prospects in the long run. With this popular profession creating so many employment opportunities in the USA, many aspirants tend to have this question in mind whether they need to have a professional degree to work as a UX designer.

While it is not essential to have a degree to work as a UX designer, there are many benefits of having a professional degree that cannot be ignored. A degree program can help improve an individual’s all-round skills, which can go a long way in establishing a successful career in any industry or field.

The Significance of a Professional Degree

It does benefit you as a designer if you have completed your professional degree from a reputable institute. Several employers prefer graduates from well-reputed universities for major positions at their design departments. However, this does not mean that you do not stand a chance to land your dream job in UX design without having a degree.

A professional degree program can be an excellent source of training for a successful professional life ahead. During the degree program, instructors typically allow students to express themselves through several academic drills such as PowerPoint group presentations, report writing and technical project planning. Such real-life experiences can help develop a skillset that can prove to be a valuable asset at several important stages of an individual’s professional career.

Secondly, you tend to grow a network during your degree program that can have a great significance in your professional life. A lot of your mates will be joining different organizations or starting their own businesses post-graduation and you might get a much-needed recommendation at an important stage of your career as a UX designer.

Recommendations do matter a great deal in professional life as they can often act as a catalyst to take onboard capable professionals at major positions. Several employers give significant importance to recommendations and referrals from within the company to find suitable candidates.

I Don’t have a Professional Degree! Can I still Become a Professional UX Designer?

The answer is yes, however, the road might be a bit longer than what you can expect after obtaining a professional degree. With a passion for designing and the right attitude towards learning and adapting to new trends, you can find several employment opportunities even if you have not acquired a professional degree.

The scope of learning in recent times has tilted towards interactive form of learning, with vocational training programs and online bootcamps becoming more relevant than ever before. If you do not have a professional degree, but still want to have a successful career as a UX designer, you should enroll in an online professional bootcamp without wasting any time.

What Does a Professional Bootcamp Offer?

A professional bootcamp can provide you with a head start in your career by developing the most high-in-demand professional skills. In addition to this, a professional bootcamp can also help in improving one’s skillset in a specific profession. If you have not acquired a degree in a graduate program, you do not need to worry as you can easily enroll in a professional bootcamp and work on your skills under the supervision of the most reputable instructors.

As part of a bootcamp, you will get a chance to learn the most sought-after UX designing skills within just a few weeks. The emphasis on developing and enhancing your core skillset in UX design will help you identify your actual potential as a professional designer.

The interactive journey from learning the fundamentals of designing to developing a successful portfolio at the end of the bootcamp will help you find your dream job or make it easier to get a well-deserved promotion.

What is a Typical Career Path as a UX Designer?

Typically, it can take 3 to 5 years for a UX designer to be promoted to a senior role such as the product manager or creative head of an organization. One should ideally start as a generalist and work on establishing a strong portfolio that can help land an entry-level job. After acquiring knowledge about the fundamentals of designing and through hands-on experience at an entry-level job, the road towards becoming a successful UX designer becomes smooth and convenient.

The process of learning should never stop as it is essential for a UX designer to adapt to the evolving trends in the UX industry. Regardless of whether you have a professional degree in UX designing or not, you will need a bit of luck, sheer hard work and a lot of passion to be successful in this highly competitive and fast-growing industry.