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The differences between color and materials designers and senior 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 senior graphic designer. Additionally, a color and materials designer has an average salary of $83,086, which is higher than the $73,921 average annual salary of a senior graphic designer.
The top three skills for a color and materials designer include photoshop, apparel and CMF. The most important skills for a senior graphic designer are sketch, adobe creative suite, and creative concepts.
| Color And Materials Designer | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,086 | $73,921 |
| Hourly rate | $39.95 | $35.54 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,032 | 46,310 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 senior graphic designer oversees all of the designing operations in a company, from conceptualization to production. One of their primary responsibilities is to ensure that all designs produced are according to a client's preference and brand. They also encourage fresh ideas from the team, communicate with clients or representatives, and manage the schedules to meet all deadlines. Furthermore, as a senior graphic designer, they are responsible for leading and mentoring a team of graphic designers, all in the joint effort to reach project goals.
Color and materials designers and senior graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Color And Materials Designer | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $83,086 | $73,921 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $117,000 | Between $51,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Practice Fusion |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a color and materials designer and a senior graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Color And Materials Designer | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 senior graphic designers' demographics:
| Color And Materials Designer | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| 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% |