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The differences between animation artists and graphics specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an animation artist, becoming a graphics specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an animation artist has an average salary of $80,929, which is higher than the $56,007 average annual salary of a graphics specialist.
The top three skills for an animation artist include animation, maya and character animation. The most important skills for a graphics specialist are graphic design, adobe illustrator, and adobe photoshop.
| Animation Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $80,929 | $56,007 |
| Hourly rate | $38.91 | $26.93 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 3,822 | 12,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Animation artists or animators are skilled professionals who create multiple images that form animation, which can be seen in movies, commercials, television programs, and video games. To produce those illusions of movements, animation artists must use several animation software such as Maya, AfterEffects, and Photoshop. They must collaborate with graphic designers and editors to create animations for the entire show. Animation artists must also create high-quality animations by producing expressive characters that can portray a wide range of emotions.
A graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
Animation artists and graphics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animation Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $80,929 | $56,007 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $125,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | ZeniMax Media |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between an animation artist and a graphics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Animation Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Animation | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between animation artists' and graphics specialists' demographics:
| Animation Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.4% Female, 23.6% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.9% 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% |