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The differences between color and materials designers and freelancers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a color and materials designer and a freelancer. Additionally, a color and materials designer has an average salary of $83,086, which is higher than the $59,367 average annual salary of a freelancer.
The top three skills for a color and materials designer include photoshop, apparel and CMF. The most important skills for a freelancer are customer service, web content, and video production.
| Color And Materials Designer | Freelancer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,086 | $59,367 |
| Hourly rate | $39.95 | $28.54 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,032 | 2,088 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Color and materials designers are skilled professionals who are responsible for conceiving and executing designs related to colors and materials used to produce the finished products. These designers must create graphics such as icons and logos by using programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. In the apparel industry, color, and materials, designers must learn the technical aspects of construction techniques and fabrications for all types of apparel. They must also work with various vendors to perform screen printing on t-shirts and produce textile designs for sales representatives.
A freelancer is a self-employed individual that provides services for multiple clients at one time and usually earns money on a per-job basis. Often known as independent contractors, freelancers usually set their schedules while running their own business and have a flexible lifestyle. They have the liberty to choose their clients that may be less confined to specific markets or sectors. Freelancers usually find work within the creative industries such as graphic design, copywriting, or photography.
Color and materials designers and freelancers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Color And Materials Designer | Freelancer | |
| Average salary | $83,086 | $59,367 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $117,000 | Between $40,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | - |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a color and materials designer and a freelancer in terms of educational background:
| Color And Materials Designer | Freelancer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between color and materials designers' and freelancers' demographics:
| Color And Materials Designer | Freelancer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% | Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3% |
| 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% |