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The differences between associate designers and graphic designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an associate designer and a graphic designer. Additionally, an associate designer has an average salary of $56,770, which is higher than the $49,450 average annual salary of a graphic designer.
The top three skills for an associate designer include sketch, CAD and customer service. The most important skills for a graphic designer are adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Associate Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,770 | $49,450 |
| Hourly rate | $27.29 | $23.77 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 47,571 | 45,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An Associate Designer helps in developing sketches on paper and in graphic design software. They usually are supervised by the junior staff and interns.
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.
Associate designers and graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $56,770 | $49,450 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $80,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an associate designer and a graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between associate designers' and graphic designers' demographics:
| Associate Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2% | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 13% | 13% |