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The differences between concept artists and graphics specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a concept artist, becoming a graphics specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a concept artist has an average salary of $85,713, which is higher than the $56,007 average annual salary of a graphics specialist.
The top three skills for a concept artist include storyboards, maya and animation. The most important skills for a graphics specialist are graphic design, adobe illustrator, and adobe photoshop.
| Concept Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $85,713 | $56,007 |
| Hourly rate | $41.21 | $26.93 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 3,596 | 12,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
The job of a concept artist is to make visual representations of creatures, characters, environments, vehicles, and other artistic assets. You should know about the design and how to create one that needs to blend well with any creative project. Your typical job includes drawing or painting these creative assets and providing references for any ideas you need to illustrate. The general qualifications needed to become a successful concept artist include illustration skills, design understanding, and knowledge of Photoshop.
A graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
Concept artists and graphics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Concept Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $85,713 | $56,007 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $130,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | ZeniMax Media |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a concept artist and a graphics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Concept Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between concept artists' and graphics specialists' demographics:
| Concept Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 11% | 13% |