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Designers

How to become a Web Designer

Also called: Homepage designer, Web creator

Plans and designs websites for companies, schools, government offices and others.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university or vocational college (senmon gakko) is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but basic design knowledge and skills are needed. Gaining this knowledge at university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college) is an advantage. Mid-career hires include people from related jobs such as DTP designers and programmers, as well as people from the IT and advertising industries. People join a company specialising in planning and making websites and start by making materials, such as editing photos and images. As they gain experience and ability, they gradually move on to designing whole pages. The job depends on your personal skill at making sites that users like, so some build a track record and go freelance. A related qualification is the web design technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Above all, website design needs strong powers of expression. You also need the skill to express what you want to say in ways that make the most of the internet.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

Related jobs

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Web Designer?

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but basic design knowledge and skills are needed. Gaining this knowledge at university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college) is an advantage. Mid-career hires include people from related jobs such as DTP designers and programmers, as well as people from the IT and advertising industries. People join a company specialising in planning and making websites and start by making materials, such as editing photos and images. As they gain experience and ability, they gradually move on to designing whole pages. The job depends on your personal skill at making sites that users like, so some build a track record and go freelance. A related qualification is the web design technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Above all, website design needs strong powers of expression. You also need the skill to express what you want to say in ways that make the most of the internet.

How much does a Web Designer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,395,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Designers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Web Designer?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 46% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定); Vocational college (専門学校) course: Design.

Will AI change the work of a Web Designer?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026