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Animator vs graphic design assistant

The differences between animators and graphic design assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an animator, becoming a graphic design assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an animator has an average salary of $76,853, which is higher than the $40,835 average annual salary of a graphic design assistant.

The top three skills for an animator include animation, motion capture and storyboards. The most important skills for a graphic design assistant are graphic design, CAD, and sketch.

Animator vs graphic design assistant overview

AnimatorGraphic Design Assistant
Yearly salary$76,853$40,835
Hourly rate$36.95$19.63
Growth rate5%3%
Number of jobs55154,021
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4038
Years of experience212

What does an animator do?

The animators are specialized artists who conceptualized ideas from their creative minds with technology applications. Animators cater to different specialties depending on their expertise. They used multiple techniques and tools to create a digital masterpiece. An animator is required to have an excellent time and project management skills to meet deadlines. They should also be detail-oriented and technology savvy to keep up with the latest trend in the digital market. Animators are required to have regular communication with the respective department for the updates or adjustments as needed.

What does a graphic design assistant do?

Graphic Design Assistants help graphic designers in creating art, fulfilling orders, and managing the studio. They may be budding graphic designers looking for industry experience or creative professionals interested in getting into the graphic designing industry. They should be familiar with the different tools and concepts involved in graphic design. Graphic Design Assistants help lead graphic designers to complete different activities. They may assist by lining, coloring, rendering, and adding finishing touches to the designs. They may also be in charge of packaging physical art and booking shipments to buyers. Graphic Design Assistants should be able to showcase their creative prowess. They are welcome to pitch in designs, critique art, and provide input.

Animator vs graphic design assistant salary

Animators and graphic design assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

AnimatorGraphic Design Assistant
Average salary$76,853$40,835
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $112,000Between $28,000 And $58,000
Highest paying CityLas Vegas, NVNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNevadaNew York
Best paying companyMetaGoogle
Best paying industryMediaFinance

Differences between animator and graphic design assistant education

There are a few differences between an animator and a graphic design assistant in terms of educational background:

AnimatorGraphic Design Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorAnimationGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Animator vs graphic design assistant demographics

Here are the differences between animators' and graphic design assistants' demographics:

AnimatorGraphic Design Assistant
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 71.9% Female, 28.1%Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.7% 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 Percentage11%13%

Differences between animator and graphic design assistant duties and responsibilities

Animator example responsibilities.

  • Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
  • Train & supervise newly appoint employee in achieving realistic looking effects and help integrating the effects in compositing with cg elements.
  • Create many logos for a YouTube sketch.
  • Sketch every seen multiple times utilizing several camera angles and character blocking.
  • Assist in the animation development of learning videos and nursery rhymes for YouTube.
  • Implement uniform display geometry to support texture artist and UV mapping artist, demonstrating advance UV mapping skills.
  • Show more

Graphic design assistant example responsibilities.

  • Administer company website using PHP coding and manage Instagram/Facebook profiles.
  • Approve lab dips, embroidery size and placement, strike offs, screen prints, and appliques.
  • Supervise production staff that used embroidery machines.
  • Produce: technical drawings, illustrations, animations, PowerPoint presentations and relate graphics for organization.
  • Design PowerPoint presentations with sound/video; replace low-resolution images with high-resolution images in presentations and client proposals.
  • Coordinate photography orders with vendors at direction of creative staff and negotiate image license contracts to maximize company profits.
  • Show more

Animator vs graphic design assistant skills

Common animator skills
  • Animation, 36%
  • Motion Capture, 7%
  • Storyboards, 5%
  • Motion Graphics, 5%
  • AAA, 3%
  • Graphic Design, 3%
Common graphic design assistant skills
  • Graphic Design, 14%
  • CAD, 6%
  • Sketch, 5%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 5%

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