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The differences between 3d animators and designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a 3d animator, becoming a designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a 3d animator has an average salary of $73,596, which is higher than the $66,347 average annual salary of a designer.
The top three skills for a 3d animator include animation, storyboards and visualization. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| 3D Animator | Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,596 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $35.38 | $31.90 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 571 | 52,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A 3D animator specializes in designing and developing 3D animation materials, adhering to the program or project's needs. They typically work together with a team of animators and producers in studios or offices. Most of the time, their responsibilities involve performing extensive research, creating drafts and storyboards, consulting with team members and editors, and performing revisions as needed. Furthermore, as a 3D animator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
3d animators and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| 3D Animator | Designer | |
| Average salary | $73,596 | $66,347 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $108,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Media | Technology |
There are a few differences between a 3d animator and a designer in terms of educational background:
| 3D Animator | Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Animation | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between 3d animators' and designers' demographics:
| 3D Animator | Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 11% | 13% |