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The differences between authors and graphics illustrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an author, becoming a graphics illustrator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an author has an average salary of $78,368, which is higher than the $64,943 average annual salary of a graphics illustrator.
The top three skills for an author include veterans, JAN and DOD. The most important skills for a graphics illustrator are adobe photoshop, graphic design, and adobe indesign.
| Author | Graphics Illustrator | |
| Yearly salary | $78,368 | $64,943 |
| Hourly rate | $37.68 | $31.22 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 953 | 2,854 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
An author is an individual individual responsible for developing creative stories published in formats such as books, movies, or television scripts. Authors conduct research of information that may be included in their works, whether they are fictional or non-fictional. Before publicly making their work available, authors must present a draft to editors for feedback and approval. Authors may work as self-employed or freelance and sell their written content to book publishers or advertising agencies.
A graphics illustrator is an artist that is skilled in drawing, painting, digital illustration, art history, and sometimes marketing. Your job as an illustrator is to create a visual representation of an idea or associated text. Unlike a graphic designer, a graphic illustrator does a lot more drawing, product package design, book illustrations, and graphic novels. As a graphics illustrator, you may be required to lead lots of projects that deal with advertising design and publishing initiatives. In addition to that, you may be expected to produce mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and design specifications.
Authors and graphics illustrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Author | Graphics Illustrator | |
| Average salary | $78,368 | $64,943 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $118,000 | Between $41,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | John Wiley & Sons | Uber Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an author and a graphics illustrator in terms of educational background:
| Author | Graphics Illustrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between authors' and graphics illustrators' demographics:
| Author | Graphics Illustrator | |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% 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 | 16% | 13% |