Is a Google UX Design Certificate Worth It? (Tested & Reviewed by UX Designers)

For those without a degree or previous experience looking to work in UX design, the Google UX Design Certificate has emerged as an affordable and accessible option to get a career started or turbocharged.

The field of user experience (UX) design is rapidly growing with over 138,000 open jobs in the U.S. and a median entry-level salary of $112,000.

This fully online program was created by Google to prepare beginners for UX roles like UI/UX designer, interaction designer, and more.

In this article, we share the most relevant details about this training program including how much it costs.

How much can a user experience (UX) professional expect to earn upon receiving a certificate, and what other alternatives are out there in case you are still not convinced that this is the right program for you.

Google UX Design Certificate in a Nutshell

The Google UX Design Certificate is designed to train professionals to create incredible web and mobile interfaces that people can enjoy and keep using.

Both large and small corporations in the tech space benefit from the services provided by professionals in this field to enhance their systems and user-facing software.

Here is a summary of the most relevant characteristics of the Google UX Design Certificate:

• Coursework: The certificate consists of 7 courses that teach skills like user research, UI/UX design, responsive web design, and portfolio building. Students will complete hands-on projects by using design tools like Figma and Adobe XD.
• Jobs: The program prepares students for entry-level UX jobs like UX designer, UI designer, and interaction designer. The median salary for these roles is $112,000.
• Duration: The program can be completed in under 6 months. It includes over 200 hours of instruction.
• Cost: The subscription to Coursera costs $59/month. The total cost depends on how long the student takes to finish the program. Financial aid is available.
• Requirements: No degree or prior experience is required. The program is designed for beginners.
• What you’ll learn: User-centered design process, UX research methods, accessibility and equity in design, and building a professional portfolio, among other subjects.
• Projects: Includes 3 end-to-end projects – a mobile app, website, and cross-platform experience.
• Job support: Graduates can directly apply to UX jobs at Google and 150+ other employers. 75% report positive career outcomes within 6 months.

What Are Google Career Certificates?

Google Career Certificates are a series of online training programs created by Google (GOOG) to prepare people for high-demand jobs in technology fields. The certificates are designed for beginners and don’t require prior experience or a degree.

The certificate courses are delivered completely online through Coursera. Students can access video lectures, readings, quizzes, and hands-on projects on their own schedule.

The programs aim to provide flexible, self-paced learning that can be completed in 3-6 months with about 10 hours of study per week.

Currently, certificates are available in areas such as Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design, IT Support, and Android Development. The coursework equips students with job-ready skills in each field through real-world projects and exposure to popular tools and platforms. For example, the UX Design certificate teaches Figma, Adobe XD, user research, accessibility, and more.

The certificates cost $59/month. This subscription gives students access to all learning materials. There are no additional fees and financial assistance is available for qualifying learners.

Upon completion, students gain exclusive access to CareerCircle, which provides career coaching, resume help, mock interviews, and a job board with openings from over 150 top employers.

These include Google, Deloitte, Target, Sprint, and more. Within six months, 75% of graduates report positive career outcomes like finding a new job, getting a promotion, or raising their salary.

What Is the Google UX Design Certificate?

If you are interested in starting a career that involves designing online user experiences, the Google UX Design Certificate can be a great starting point. In this section, we provide a more thorough description of the most relevant aspects of the program such as the coursework, duration, and cost.

What Kind of Coursework Is Required?

The certificate consists of 7 courses focused on teaching beginners the end-to-end UX design process. Through a mix of video lectures, readings, hands-on activities, and projects, students gain skills in user research, UI design, rapid prototyping, and usability testing.

This is the list of courses that the Google UX Design Certificate is made up of:

1. Foundations of Users Experience (UX) Design.
2. Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate.
3. Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes.
4. Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts.
5. Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma.
6. Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD.
7. Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs.

Google recommends that students take the courses in this specific order but they can choose to do it differently.

The courses provide exposure to key UX concepts like user-centered design, accessibility, equity-focused design, and design critique. Students learn to empathize with users, define pain points, ideate solutions, and test concepts. They work with popular tools like Figma, Adobe XD, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.

These are some of the things that students will learn across the 7 courses:

• Conduct user interviews, usability studies, and A/B tests to understand user needs
• Create storyboards, sitemaps, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes
• Design responsive web pages and mobile app interfaces
• Apply visual design principles like typography, color, layout
• Build a professional portfolio with 3 end-to-end projects
• Prepare for UX job interviews and freelancing

The certificate is built and taught by Google employees. It’s available globally in English right now, with plans to expand to other languages soon. No prior experience is required to enroll. Within 6 months of completing the program, 75% of graduates report positive career outcomes like getting hired or promoted.

How Long Does It Take to Complete the Google UX Design Certificate?

It takes a total of 236 academic hours to complete all of the 7 courses required to obtain a Google UX Design Certificate. Assuming that students take two to four hours worth of classes every day, it would take them between 118 and 59 days to complete the courses.

How Much Does the Google UX Design Certificate Cost?

The cost of the Google UX Design Certificate is $59 per month on Coursera. The subscription comes with a 7-day free trial. Taking too long to complete the course will increase the cost of the program. Google incentivizes students to complete the courses rapidly as every additional month they take to do it will cost them an additional $59.

As per the company’s estimates, it should take a student less than 6 months to obtain a Google UX Design Certificate, meaning that the program costs $300 or less depending on how fast the courses are completed.

This price is for US and Canada-based students. In some countries, the Coursera subscription may be lower.

Also read: Quick Guide to Invest in Adobe Stock in 2023

What Jobs Might Ask for the Google UX Design Certificate?

Completing the Google UX Design Certificate opens up exciting career opportunities for graduates. Here is an overview of the job prospects:

• UX designer.
• UI designer.
• Interaction designer.
• Visual designer.
• UX researcher.

Nearly every company needs UX designers today. Graduates can work in tech, e-commerce, finance, healthcare, education, government, and more.

Google provides extensive career support:

• Graduates get access to CareerCircle which includes 1-on-1 coaching, resume help, mock interviews, and job listings.
• They can connect directly with over 150 employers in the Google Career Certificate Employer Consortium, including companies like Deloitte, Target, Sprint, and Google.
• Within 6 months, 75% of graduates report positive outcomes like finding a new job, raising their salary, or getting promoted.

The certificate gives graduates a competitive edge by teaching in-demand skills like:

• Conducting user research.
• Rapid prototyping in Figma and Adobe XD.
• Responsive web and mobile app design.
• Building a professional portfolio.
• Preparing for UX job interviews.

However, the program does not guarantee employment. Graduates can expect competition when applying for entry-level roles. Gaining work experience via freelancing or volunteering is recommended.

The career outlook for UX designers is very strong. Employment in related roles is projected to grow 8% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than average. The skills taught in this certificate will continue to be in high demand.

Alternatives to the Google UX Design Certificate

There are other programs available online that those who want to pursue a career in UX design can complete. Here are three alternatives to the Google UX Design Certificate that our readers can take into account before making a decision.

Interaction Design Foundation UX/UI Design Certificate

The Interaction Design Foundation offers a self-paced UX/UI design certificate through pre-recorded video lessons and quizzes.

Coursework: Covers UX fundamentals, HCI, UI design, prototyping, responsive design, design thinking, usability testing, and more across 440+ hours of content. Includes capstone project.

Cost: The Professional membership costs $16 per month and provides access to all courses within the platform.

Duration: Self-paced, usually takes around 6 weeks to complete the basic course.

Pros

• Comprehensive program covering a wide range of topics.
• Self-paced and flexible schedule.
• Lower monthly cost than Google certificate.

Cons

• Not as hands-on as a Google certificate.
• No direct career services support.
• Less name recognition than Google.

Springboard UX Design Certificate

Springboard offers a 9-month UX design boot camp with 1-on-1 mentorship and career coaching.

Coursework: Focused on developing a professional portfolio. Covers UX research, information architecture, interaction design, visual design, usability testing, and more.

Cost: The tuition cost at Springboard is $11,900.

Duration: 9 months studying part-time (15 to 20 hours a week).

Pros

• In-depth program with mentorship.
• Career coaching and interview prep.
• Build a robust UX portfolio.

Cons

• High upfront cost.
• Rigid schedule with weekly commitments.
• Less flexibility than self-paced programs.

Coursera UX/UI Design Specialization from CalArts

Apart from the Google UX Certificate, Coursera offers a beginner UX/UI design certificate from the California Institute of the Arts on principles, processes, and tools.

Coursework: 4 courses covering prototyping, evaluating designs, information architecture, visual hierarchy, etc. Taught via video lectures.

Cost: $49/month Coursera subscription.

Duration: Self-paced, it takes approximately 3 to 6 months to complete.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly introduction.
• Lower cost than Google certificate.
• Self-paced with a flexible schedule.

Cons

• No hands-on projects.
• No career services support.

Is the Google UX Design Certificate Worth It for My Career?

For those looking to break into the field of UX design without formal training or a college degree, the Google UX Design Certificate presents an affordable and respected option.

Through seven courses and hands-on projects using industry-standard tools like Figma, the program equips beginners with in-demand skills in user research, UI design, prototyping, and more.

Backed and designed by Google, it connects graduates to exclusive career support and openings at over 150 top employers.

Within six months, more than third-quarters of certificate holders report positive career impacts like finding a new job. While it does not guarantee employment, the Google UX Design Certificate provides crucial training and portfolio pieces to set up aspiring designers for entry-level roles.

For UX design hopefuls starting from zero, the program can jumpstart practical skills, knowledge, and connections to land initial work experience.

Given the high employer demand, competitive pay, and ample career opportunities in UX design, the Google UX Design Certificate offers an accessible on-ramp for beginners to gain relevant abilities and make their resumes stand out.

For those committed to breaking into the field, the reasonable price tag and credibility make it a worthwhile investment.

References:

• Google UX Design Certificate on Coursera
• Google Career Certificates