Kolesa Group presents the first study of the designer market in Kazakhstan and reveals the key trends, challenges and expectations of the participants. The material analyzes current data, offers a critical assessment and forecasts for market development.

Online survey and analysis of salary data. 228 specialists of different levels were interviewed, from junior to senior, including managers and team leaders.

Most of the designers are concentrated in two megacities – Almaty (66%) and Astana (20%). It is significant that 48% of specialists are young people under the age of 25.

The majority of the surveyed designers, both product and graphic designers, work in IT product companies (39%), which corresponds to the trend towards the development of local technology products. Another 18% are employed in the financial and banking sectors, and 12% in startups, where there is a high demand for creative solutions.

Middle specialists dominate (41%), but the high percentage of Senior designers is noteworthy (38%). Product designers earn twice as much as graphic designers, which is explained by the complexity of tasks and integration into business processes. The average salary of a product designer is 1,220,000 tenge, the median salary is 850,000 tenge, while that of a graphic designer is 580,000 tenge and 510,000 tenge, respectively.

*The average salary is calculated as the arithmetic value of all incomes, and the median shows the level below and above which an equal number of people earn, which makes it less sensitive to abnormally high or low values.

37% of designers work exclusively in the office, while hybrid and remote designers occupy 46%. Only 36% of companies have a grading system, which can be a growth point for many Kazakhstani companies — to standardize employee development within the company and make the process transparent.

The graphics reflect the main tasks of designers, but their range is much wider. Graphic designers are more likely to work with typography, social media, illustrations, and retouching. Product designers focus on UI, team interaction, prototyping, and market analysis. These data confirm the difference in the focus of the directions: graphics are focused on visual content, and product design is focused on user experience and strategy.

40% of product designers and 33% of graphic designers say that in addition to the salary level, one of the key factors in choosing an employer is the possibility of training. Career development also plays a crucial role – 44% of product designers and 50% of graphic designers see it as their main incentive. 48% of product designers and 41% of designers note the important and emotional climate in the team.

33% of professionals are inspired by the opportunity to constantly learn new things, which underscores the need to provide educational resources. 27% are motivated by a stable income, and 26% are motivated by benefits to society.

The design market in Kazakhstan is dynamic and full of challenges: the high percentage of young people, the uneven distribution of salaries and the predominance of product companies create competition for talent. The future belongs to specialists who are ready for continuous training, work in hybrid formats and a deep understanding of user needs. It is important for employers to offer clear growth opportunities, good conditions, and support employee development in order to attract and retain talented professionals.