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The differences between color and materials 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 a color and materials designer and a graphic designer. Additionally, a color and materials designer has an average salary of $83,086, which is higher than the $49,450 average annual salary of a graphic designer.
The top three skills for a color and materials designer include photoshop, apparel and CMF. The most important skills for a graphic designer are adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Color And Materials Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,086 | $49,450 |
| Hourly rate | $39.95 | $23.77 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,032 | 45,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
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.
Color and materials designers and graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Color And Materials Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $83,086 | $49,450 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $117,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a color and materials designer and a graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Color And Materials Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | 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 color and materials designers' and graphic designers' demographics:
| Color And Materials Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% | 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% |