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3d artist vs programmer

The differences between 3d artists and programmers 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 artist, becoming a programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a 3d artist has an average salary of $74,721, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of a programmer.

The top three skills for a 3d artist include animation, unity and zbrush. The most important skills for a programmer are java, javascript, and CSS.

3d artist vs programmer overview

3D ArtistProgrammer
Yearly salary$74,721$73,007
Hourly rate$35.92$35.10
Growth rate5%-7%
Number of jobs3,978234,565
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4047
Years of experience28

What does a 3d artist do?

A 3D Artist uses complex software to develop graphics and animations for use in various media, such as video games, television shows, and multimedia presentations. They often work in teams, dividing project workloads in accordance to strengths.

What does a programmer do?

Computer programmers provide assistance and services concerning computer applications and software programs. A computer programmer must be highly-knowledgeable on programming languages and operating systems to create projects and fix any malfunctions under minimal supervision. Computer programmers must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to analyze data and request assistance from a senior programmer as needed. They must also be keen on details to oversee possible faulty codes, troubleshooting problems, and upgrading systems to ensure that the program will perform smoothly and efficiently.

3d artist vs programmer salary

3d artists and programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.

3D ArtistProgrammer
Average salary$74,721$73,007
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $116,000Between $54,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABothell, WA
Highest paying stateNevadaWashington
Best paying companyMetaMayo Clinic
Best paying industryUtilitiesFinance

Differences between 3d artist and programmer education

There are a few differences between a 3d artist and a programmer in terms of educational background:

3D ArtistProgrammer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorAnimationComputer Science
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaMassachusetts Institute of Technology

3d artist vs programmer demographics

Here are the differences between 3d artists' and programmers' demographics:

3D ArtistProgrammer
Average age4047
Gender ratioMale, 83.9% Female, 16.1%Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 17.8% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between 3d artist and programmer duties and responsibilities

3d artist example responsibilities.

  • Create many MEL scripts to help automate routine daily tasks and improve overall productivity.
  • Write tools in Maxscript, MEL, javascript, python, and vbscript to automate repetitive processes.
  • Create high poly characters, props, and environments using organic and hard surface techniques in Zbrush and Maya.
  • Generate programs for CNC punch press.
  • Help team create nodes for nuke.
  • Contract as a 3D visualization designer & animator.
  • Show more

Programmer example responsibilities.

  • Create windows form application to manage flight and passenger information.
  • Utilize Jenkins to automate the building and deploying of these software units.
  • Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
  • Create and automate ETL package to import monthly utility data from several electric utilities using Perl, PHP, and PL/SQL.
  • Convert PowerBuilder payroll applications into Java applications emphasizing user interface and customer requirements.
  • Work directly with the project manager to implement advance HTML and JavaScript solutions design to accurately capture survey data.
  • Show more

3d artist vs programmer skills

Common 3d artist skills
  • Animation, 13%
  • Unity, 11%
  • ZBrush, 6%
  • Game Engine, 5%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 4%
  • Concept Art, 3%
Common programmer skills
  • Java, 9%
  • JavaScript, 8%
  • CSS, 6%
  • Object Oriented Programming, 6%
  • Python, 5%
  • Data Entry, 5%

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