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The differences between graphic design specialists and designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a graphic design specialist and a designer. Additionally, a designer has an average salary of $66,347, which is higher than the $55,925 average annual salary of a graphic design specialist.
The top three skills for a graphic design specialist include graphic design, adobe creative suite and visualization. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| Graphic Design Specialist | Designer | |
| Yearly Salary | $55,925 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $26.89 | $31.90 |
| Growth Rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number Of Jobs | 49,055 | 52,433 |
| Job Satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average Age | 38 | 38 |
| Years Of Experience | 12 | 12 |
A graphic design specialist utilizes their artistic expertise in creating imagery and designs that convey a particular message. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to determine their needs and goals, developing concepts and subjecting it for client approval, and revising designs as necessary. In a company setting, a graphic design specialist may work with a team, coordinating with them while sticking to budgets and deadlines. Furthermore, as a team member, it is essential to report to managers or supervisors, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.
Graphic design specialists and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Design Specialist | Designer | |
| Average Salary | $55,925 | $66,347 |
| Salary Range | Between $38,000 And $80,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest Paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest Paying State | Washington | Washington |
| Best Paying Company | Berkshire Hathaway | Meta |
| Best Paying Industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graphic design specialist and a designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Design Specialist | Designer | |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most Common Major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most Common College | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic design specialists' and designers' demographics:
| Graphic Design Specialist | Designer | |
| Average Age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender Ratio | Male, 50.0% Female, 50.0% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race Ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |