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The differences between design specialists and graphics specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a design specialist, becoming a graphics specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a design specialist has an average salary of $56,917, which is higher than the $56,007 average annual salary of a graphics specialist.
The top three skills for a design specialist include customer service, sketch and CAD. The most important skills for a graphics specialist are graphic design, adobe illustrator, and adobe photoshop.
| Design Specialist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $56,917 | $56,007 |
| Hourly rate | $27.36 | $26.93 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 68,347 | 12,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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.
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.
Design specialists and graphics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Specialist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $56,917 | $56,007 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $91,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | ZeniMax Media |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a design specialist and a graphics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Design Specialist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design specialists' and graphics specialists' demographics:
| Design Specialist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 23% | 13% |