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The differences between freelancers and graphic artists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a freelancer and a graphic artist. Additionally, a freelancer has an average salary of $59,367, which is higher than the $54,900 average annual salary of a graphic artist.
The top three skills for a freelancer include customer service, web content and video production. The most important skills for a graphic artist are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Freelancer | Graphic Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,367 | $54,900 |
| Hourly rate | $28.54 | $26.39 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 2,088 | 8,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A freelancer is a self-employed individual that provides services for multiple clients at one time and usually earns money on a per-job basis. Often known as independent contractors, freelancers usually set their schedules while running their own business and have a flexible lifestyle. They have the liberty to choose their clients that may be less confined to specific markets or sectors. Freelancers usually find work within the creative industries such as graphic design, copywriting, or photography.
A graphic artist is either an illustrator or an animator who creates art work that will be used in graphic projects such as advertisements, posters, or even book covers. Although a graphic artist has his/her own style of artwork, he/she may be often commissioned to create art specifically for a particular project. A graphic artist may work with a graphic designer in order to convey the overall message of a project. The portfolio of a graphic artist includes cartoons, illustrations, and graphic novels.
Freelancers and graphic artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Freelancer | Graphic Artist | |
| Average salary | $59,367 | $54,900 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $86,000 | Between $35,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | - | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a freelancer and a graphic artist in terms of educational background:
| Freelancer | Graphic Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between freelancers' and graphic artists' demographics:
| Freelancer | Graphic Artist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| 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% |