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Designer vs motion graphics designer

The differences between designers and motion graphics 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 designer and a motion graphics designer. Additionally, a designer has an average salary of $66,347, which is higher than the $62,558 average annual salary of a motion graphics designer.

The top three skills for a designer include sketch, customer service and graphic design. The most important skills for a motion graphics designer are animation, style frames, and cinema.

Designer vs motion graphics designer overview

DesignerMotion Graphics Designer
Yearly salary$66,347$62,558
Hourly rate$31.90$30.08
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs52,43344,960
Job satisfaction55
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age3838
Years of experience1212

What does a designer do?

A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.

What does a motion graphics designer do?

A motion graphic designer specializes in producing artworks used in television, film, and web. Their responsibilities often revolve around submitting within a deadline, attending creative meetings, collaborating with fellow designers, following directives from clients, producing trial designs, and editing them in adherence to senior designers or clients' recommendations. There are also instances when a motion graphic designer must manage documentation, address inquiries and concerns, and report to higher-ranking personnel. Furthermore, one may choose to work for a company or independently.

Designer vs motion graphics designer salary

Designers and motion graphics designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

DesignerMotion Graphics Designer
Average salary$66,347$62,558
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $97,000Between $44,000 And $87,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyMetaApple
Best paying industryTechnologyTechnology

Differences between designer and motion graphics designer education

There are a few differences between a designer and a motion graphics designer in terms of educational background:

DesignerMotion Graphics Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Designer vs motion graphics designer demographics

Here are the differences between designers' and motion graphics designers' demographics:

DesignerMotion Graphics Designer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 56.9% Female, 43.1%Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage13%13%

Differences between designer and motion graphics designer duties and responsibilities

Designer example responsibilities.

  • Lead & design all creative content stemming from apparel design to web identity.
  • Manage various PCB designs utilizing state of the art DFM techniques and comply with company standards.
  • Utilize CSS, DHTML, HTML, and JavaScript for cross browser, cross platform compatibility and consistency.
  • Develop different kinds of functions globally, locally for the development of forms using JavaScript, CSS.
  • Transform customer specifications into usable SolidWorks 3D models and assemblies from which all manufacturing are derived.
  • Process ECR's and ECO's using Windchill.
  • Show more

Motion graphics designer example responsibilities.

  • Lead team brainstorming sessions to solve creative problems.
  • Lead team of motion designers which include brainstorming, mood boards, creation of mock-ups and presentations to clients and stakeholders.
  • Train & supervise newly appoint employee in achieving realistic looking effects and help integrating the effects in compositing with cg elements.
  • Design and build interactive digital content for musicians including photography, video and custom HTML, CSS & JavaScript development.
  • Create brochures, fliers, posters, and other print materials for conferences, special events, and non-profit functions.
  • Code flash banners with XML, HTML, and ActionScript.
  • Show more

Designer vs motion graphics designer skills

Common designer skills
  • Sketch, 10%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Graphic Design, 6%
  • CSS, 5%
  • HTML, 4%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
Common motion graphics designer skills
  • Animation, 23%
  • Style Frames, 15%
  • Cinema, 7%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 4%
  • Sketch, 4%
  • Video Content, 3%

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