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The differences between digital media designers and layout 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 digital media designer and a layout designer. Additionally, a layout designer has an average salary of $94,509, which is higher than the $56,476 average annual salary of a digital media designer.
The top three skills for a digital media designer include digital marketing, graphic design and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a layout designer are CAD, CMOS, and layout design.
| Digital Media Designer | Layout Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,476 | $94,509 |
| Hourly rate | $27.15 | $45.44 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 67,696 | 43,997 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A digital media designer specializes in designing and developing visual materials for advertisements, campaigns, film, television, and print using special computer programs. They typically work as a member of a design team and create materials such as images, effects, or even animation. As a digital media designer, their responsibilities include understanding and identifying project needs and requirements, developing drafts for client approval, revising designs as necessary, and maintaining records of all transactions. Moreover, a digital media designer must keep an open communication line with team members for an efficient workflow.
A layout designer is responsible for designing and creating attractive layouts for publications and marketing materials. Layout designers utilize various software design applications and systems, requiring them to have excellent computer skills for efficient navigation. They work closely with the whole design and graphic teams for content consistency and adherence to quality standards and requirements. A layout designer evaluates the current market trends to identify media elements and modify designs that meet public demands and interests.
Digital media designers and layout designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Media Designer | Layout Designer | |
| Average salary | $56,476 | $94,509 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $76,000 | Between $59,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | FNB | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | - |
There are a few differences between a digital media designer and a layout designer in terms of educational background:
| Digital Media Designer | Layout Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between digital media designers' and layout designers' demographics:
| Digital Media Designer | Layout Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% |
| 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% |