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The differences between creative specialists and freelance 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 creative specialist and a freelance designer. Additionally, a creative specialist has an average salary of $59,079, which is higher than the $57,260 average annual salary of a freelance designer.
The top three skills for a creative specialist include graphic design, digital marketing and marketing campaigns. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Creative Specialist | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $59,079 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $28.40 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 29,855 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Creative specialists and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Specialist | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $59,079 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $102,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Apple | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a creative specialist and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Creative Specialist | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between creative specialists' and freelance designers' demographics:
| Creative Specialist | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.7% Female, 58.3% | Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0% |
| 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% |