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The differences between exhibition designers and visual merchandisers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an exhibition designer has an average salary of $62,371, which is higher than the $38,037 average annual salary of a visual merchandiser.
The top three skills for an exhibition designer include CAD, design concepts and concept development. The most important skills for a visual merchandiser are customer service, ladders, and sales floor.
| Exhibition Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Yearly salary | $62,371 | $38,037 |
| Hourly rate | $29.99 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 45,425 | 74,351 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
An exhibition designer creates appealing and creative display stands, meeting the practical, budgetary, and aesthetic requirements. Besides organizing and participating in meetings, explaining design issues, and producing competitive and realistic quotes, exhibition designers also respond to clients' queries and transport their display 'stands' to the required exhibition venues. They deliver finished display stands to clients for reviewing, erecting, and dismantling the stands at different locations and create sketches and 3D computer-produced images. Also, they negotiate and agree on time-scales and budgets.
A visual merchandiser is responsible for arranging product displays at retail outlets, attracting customers to purchase the items. Visual merchandisers should be updated with the latest trends in the market to prioritize retail displays and floor plans. They must also be knowledgeable on product information to assist customers with their inquiries and concerns. Visual merchandisers should be creative in setting up the uniformity of the store's visuals within the budget goals. The designs must be appealing enough to drive the customers around the premises, potentially generating revenues and increasing profitability.
Exhibition designers and visual merchandisers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Exhibition Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Average salary | $62,371 | $38,037 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $99,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | RH |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Retail |
There are a few differences between an exhibition designer and a visual merchandiser in terms of educational background:
| Exhibition Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Specialized Sales And Merchandising |
| Most common college | Harvard University | - |
Here are the differences between exhibition designers' and visual merchandisers' demographics:
| Exhibition Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 11.4% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 17% |