I purchased a toaster oven from a garage sale for 3$ and burnt several pieces of clay. I bought an oven thermometer and some ceramic tiles from suggestions on the sit and tried to get the temp to range between 265-275.
According to this analysis by Dashburst, average UX/UI Design salaries in the top 20 metros range from $62,000 and $117,000. An article by Chron lists the top 10 tech cities in the United States, and expands on why these cities take the top slots.
Historical Data. The chart below shows average salaries in the US (adjusted for inflation) for various design categories between 2006 and 2011. While many salaries have remained flat, the need for interaction/UX designers as well as design managers has increased over time, reflected by their increased earnings.