Kiln Impact
Report 2026

Explore the outcomes and the real impact Kiln had on advancing our Pro members' careers.

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* Based on data collected from 1,247 Kiln Pro members.

Two designers collaborating at a desk — photo by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels
Median annual salary increase
$6,184
Higher promotion rate*
28.4%
Total Pro members
23K+

* 14.9% of Kiln members reported receiving a promotion, against an 11.6% industry average, according to the Harlow Workforce Trend Index.

Fast-track your career growth

Kiln Pro membership has helped designers across the globe get promoted, raise their salary and improve their long-term career prospects.

Median at the beginning of 2025
Median after receiving a promotion
+$6,184*
12.3%
$52,470$46,286
Median
+$8,150
9%
$88.4K$80.2K
USA
+$5,700
11%
$69K$63.3K
Canada
+$7,940
14%
$55.8K$47.9K
Germany
+$6,120
12%
$49.6K$43.5K
France

* This number represents a 4,120% ROI on a Kiln Pro membership.

28.4% higher promotion rate

14.9% of Kiln Pro members reported receiving a promotion or salary increase, compared with the industry average of 11.6%, according to the Harlow Workforce Trend Index.

* The chart shows the types of promotion Pro members reported. Overall, 36% of members reported receiving some form of promotion during 2025.

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38%Got a promotion/
salary increase
37%Landed freelance/
contract work
25%Landed a new
job in UX

84% of members credit Kiln with a positive turn in their careers

Become a Pro member
Career impact
Significant47%
Positive37%
No impact16%

Join a broad community of design professionals

Pro members work at some of the most demanding product companies in the world, in roles that run from junior UX writer to lead product designer.


Become a Pro member

23K+ Pro members love Kiln

Thousands of members worldwide, from more than 90 companies across 130+ countries, love advancing their design careers with us.

Marcus Ellery at his home studio desk — photo by Ron Lach on Pexels

With Kiln I finally stopped guessing in client conversations.

Marcus Ellery Product Designer · 12+ years in design
Yuki Tamura smiling to camera — photo by Lee Trinh on Pexels

Kiln got me from junior to senior in one review cycle.

Yuki Tamura UX/UI Designer · 7+ years in design
Devin Roscoe at his desk — photo by Joao Valverde on Pexels

Kiln carried me through a full career change.

Devin Roscoe UX Designer & Writer · 6+ years in design
Priya Nandan in her studio — photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels

Kiln gave my portfolio an argument, not just visuals.

Priya Nandan Design Lead · 9+ years in design

I want to congratulate the Kiln team on how these courses are built. Learning from real cases, in a format that never feels like homework, suits me perfectly.

Portrait of Rowan Aguirre — photo by Korede Adenola on Pexels
Rowan AguirreProduct Designer @ Designful
G

The professional network for UX. Kiln is an all-in-one service for user experience professionals and for people just starting out — training, testing, even certifying the knowledge, all in one place. The profile pages are an easy way to showcase a UX-focused CV. There is more: companies search here for their next UXers, so calling it the career home for UX is not a stretch. Great service.

Portrait of Altug Gurkaynak — photo by Ben Khatry on Pexels
Altuğ GürkaynakUX/UI Designer

Kiln really is the language app of UX/UI. It makes it very easy to learn in chunks on a daily basis, and it is interactive and genuinely fun. The content is extremely helpful — I have learned tons already. Very well invested money and time.

Portrait of Dinara Mancia — photo by Jake Nackos on Unsplash
Dinara MancíaProduct Designer at Aventine

I have been using Kiln for just over a year and it is one of the best ways of learning design I have found. We learn in a fun and unhurried way.

Portrait of Paula Vianne Kietzer — photo by Thanh Xuan Nguyen Ly on Pexels
Paula Vianne KietzerProduct Designer @ Halyard
P

Kiln is a great study platform, a lot of fun, and it is still possible to test your knowledge in different categories.

Portrait of Jonathan Andrade — photo by Prince on Pexels
Jonathan AndradeSenior UX/UI Designer @ Northgate
G

A wonderful UX learning platform. The courses are well structured, the information is well organised and condensed — you don't need to spend a lot of time trying to understand a topic. Good job!

Portrait of Isaach Gonzalez Elizarraras — photo by Korede Adenola on Pexels
Isaach González ElizarrarásLead Product Designer

So enthusiastic to share my latest achievements on the Kiln app with you all. Six streaks and counting.

Portrait of Nadia Brandt — photo by Foto Sushi on Pexels
Nadia BrandtInteraction Designer
G

It actually made learning UX design easy. I find a number of valuable and practical tips that help designers learn crucial aspects in the most addictive way. Great job, Kiln team.

Portrait of Theo Marchand — photo by Ben Khatry on Pexels
Théo MarchandUX Researcher @ Palisade
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A career investment that pays for itself 41x over

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How does Kiln Pro membership help advance my career?
Pro gives you the full course library, skill assessments that map to real role expectations, and a verified profile that hiring teams can search. Members who finish two tracks report a promotion or salary increase within eleven months on average.
How much does it cost?
Pro is $17 a month billed annually, or $29 month to month. Teams of five or more move to Kiln for Teams pricing with shared reporting.
Does Kiln provide a job guarantee?
No. We publish outcome data instead of promises — 38% of members reported a promotion or raise, and the design job board surfaces roles that match your assessed skill level.
I have no experience with design. Is Kiln for me?
Yes. The foundations track assumes nothing and takes about six weeks at four short lessons a week. Roughly a third of new members join with no prior design background.
I've been working in design for a few years — is Kiln Pro for me?
Most Pro members have five or more years of experience. They use assessments to find the gaps that block a senior title, then work the advanced tracks on research, systems and design writing.
Can I expense my membership to my employer?
Yes — we generate an itemised invoice and a one-page learning-budget request you can forward to your manager. Around 41% of Pro members are reimbursed.