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The differences between artists and graphic designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an artist has an average salary of $68,690, which is higher than the $49,450 average annual salary of a graphic designer.
The top three skills for an artist include maya, adobe photoshop and customer service. The most important skills for a graphic designer are adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Artist | Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $68,690 | $49,450 |
| Hourly rate | $33.02 | $23.77 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 3,870 | 45,625 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
An Artist specializes in creating various artworks or prose; the audience can vary from individuals or the general public. An artist's responsibility depends on the industry, company, or position where they are assigned. However, most of the time, Artists are expected to work under specific guidelines, deliver materials in a required format within an allotted time and perform revisions according to what is preferred by an editor or client. Furthermore, independent artists may work freelance and receive commissions for their craft.
Graphic designers are visual communicators who create graphic ideas to deliver a message through art and images which inspire, inform, and motivate consumers with the use of computer software, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or by hand. They have the ability to design stunning illustrations that are easily understood, even without a lot of thinking or based on the demand of their clients. It is very crucial to them as well to be flexible and to stay on top of the design trends. They create websites, posters, packaging, logos, advertising, and marketing materials, depending on the nature of the business.
Artists and graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Artist | Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $68,690 | $49,450 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $110,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an artist and a graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Artist | Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Fine Arts | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between artists' and graphic designers' demographics:
| Artist | Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8% | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |