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The differences between creative specialists and design specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a creative specialist, becoming a design specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a creative specialist has an average salary of $59,079, which is higher than the $56,917 average annual salary of a design specialist.
The top three skills for a creative specialist include graphic design, digital marketing and marketing campaigns. The most important skills for a design specialist are customer service, sketch, and CAD.
| Creative Specialist | Design Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,079 | $56,917 |
| Hourly rate | $28.40 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 29,855 | 68,347 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Creative specialists are professionals who are responsible for enhancing the effectiveness of their online content by improving the layout of their web page using graphic design and layout techniques. These specialists must possess skills in using various software such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Creative Suite to be used for their web page development, online media, and graphic design. Creative specialists are also hired by marketing companies to assist them in developing the online presence of their advertising campaigns.
A design specialist is responsible for creating engaging visual images and digital content to improve customers' brand awareness about the organization's products and services. Design specialists may also work for media production, creating graphic animations for viewers depending on production requirements and media demands. A design specialist must have excellent knowledge of utilizing various software tools and programs, coordinating with the whole design team on adjusting plans, improving layouts according to budget limitations, and submitting deliverables within the set deadlines.
Creative specialists and design specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Specialist | Design Specialist | |
| Average salary | $59,079 | $56,917 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $102,000 | Between $35,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a creative specialist and a design specialist in terms of educational background:
| Creative Specialist | Design Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between creative specialists' and design specialists' demographics:
| Creative Specialist | Design Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.7% Female, 58.3% | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% |
| 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, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 23% |