What Is the Difference Between UI and UX Design?

Q: Which career pays more—UI or UX design?

Salaries vary by country and experience, but generally UX roles are slightly higher-paying because they involve strategy, research, and product planning. However, both UI and UX designers are in high demand.

Editorial Team
Published 21-Sep-2025

Placements after Pursuing B.Des/M.Des in Communication Design

Table of Contents:

What Is UX Design?
What Is UI Design?
How Do UI and UX Work Together?
UI vs UX Design Differences
Why Students Should Care About UI and UX Design
Study Communication Design at Pearl Academy
Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered why some apps feel effortless to use while others frustrate you, the answer lies in UI and UX design. These two terms are often used together, but they’re not the same thing. For students exploring careers in communication design, understanding the difference is the first step to figuring out which path excites you the most.

Become future-ready with our Communication Design Programs

Know More

What Is UX Design?

Think of UX design (User Experience design) as everything that happens behind the scenes to make your interaction with a product smooth. UX designers study how people use websites or apps, research their needs, create wireframes, test prototypes, and make sure the journey feels easy and enjoyable.

For example, when you order food online, the fact that you can find your favourite dish quickly, track your order, and pay securely—all of that is thanks to UX design.

What Is UI Design?

On the other hand, UI design (User Interface design) is all about how things look and feel on the screen. It’s the colours, buttons, fonts, and layout that you actually see and click on. UI designers make sure everything is visually appealing and consistent with the brand.

Using the same food app example: the tempting images of dishes, the “Add to Cart” button, and the clean layout—all are crafted by a UI designer.

How Do UI and UX Work Together?

Here’s the easiest way to remember it: UX is the experience, UI is the interface. UX makes sure the app works well; UI makes sure it looks great. One without the other doesn’t work—because even the most beautiful design will fail if it’s confusing, and even the most practical design will fail if it looks dull. A clean concept of both, constant improvement of design skills, along with the needed exposure sure can bring a wonderful amalgamation of UI and UX design!

UI vs UX Design Differences

Although often used interchangeably, UI and UX are distinct from one another. It is essential to understand the distinction between the two. Read the table below to clarify the differences:

Aspect	UI Design	UX Design
Focus	Visual elements like colours, typography, buttons	User journey, flow, and functionality
Goal	Make the product attractive and easy to interact with	Make the product useful, smooth, and enjoyable
Tools	Figma, Adobe XD, Photoshop	Wireframes, prototypes, user testing
Outcome	High-fidelity screens and style guides	Research insights, flows, usability reports

Why Students Should Care About UI and UX Design

Today, everything is digital—from shopping and banking to studying and socialising. If you’re thinking about becoming a UI or UX designer, you’ll need a mix of UI-UX Designer Skills. Companies need skilled UI and UX designers to create products that people actually enjoy using. That means this field is full of opportunities, whether you dream of working with a tech startup, a big brand, or even freelancing across industries.

B. Des. in Communication Design

Know More

M. Des. in Communication Design

Know More

Study Communication Design at Pearl Academy

If you’re excited about the world of UI and UX design, Pearl Academy’s B.Des. in Communication Design is a great place to start. You’ll learn design thinking, digital storytelling, interaction design, and get hands-on experience with industry tools. The programme also prepares you with internships and global exposure, so by the time you graduate, you’re job ready.

Student Guidance Center: Our Counselors are Just a Click Away.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s the difference between UI and UX design? UX is about how something works, UI is about how it looks. Together, they create the digital products you can’t live without. If you’re a student passionate about creativity, technology, and solving real problems, this is your chance to shape the future of design.

FAQs About UI and UX Design

Q1- Do UI designers need to code?

Ans- Not always. While UI designers don’t need to be expert coders, knowing the basics of HTML, CSS, or responsive design can help them communicate better with developers.

Q2- Is UX design more about psychology than design?

Ans- In many ways, yes. UX design studies user behaviour, emotions, and motivations to create experiences that feel natural. It’s as much about empathy and problem-solving as it is about design.

Q3- Can one person do both UI and UX design?

Ans- Absolutely! Many designers start by learning both. Later, you can specialise in one area or continue as a hybrid UI/UX designer depending on your interest and career goals.

Q4- Which career pays more—UI or UX design?

Ans- Salaries vary by country and experience, but generally, UX roles are slightly higher-paying because they involve strategy, research, and product planning. However, both UI and UX designers are in high demand.

Q5- How do I know if I’m better for UI or UX?

Ans- If you love colours, typography, and layouts, you may lean toward UI. If you enjoy problem-solving, research, and improving user journeys, UX might suit you better.