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The differences between animators and visual designers 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 visual designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a visual designer has an average salary of $86,495, which is higher than the $76,853 average annual salary of an animator.
The top three skills for an animator include animation, motion capture and storyboards. The most important skills for a visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Animator | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,853 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $36.95 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 551 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Animators and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animator | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $76,853 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $112,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | Media | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an animator and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Animator | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Animation | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between animators' and visual designers' demographics:
| Animator | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| Race ratio | Black 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 Percentage | 11% | 13% |