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The differences between front end developers and designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a front end developer, becoming a designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a front end developer has an average salary of $92,147, which is higher than the $66,347 average annual salary of a designer.
The top three skills for a front end developer include javascript, front-end and html css. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| Front End Developer | Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,147 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $44.30 | $31.90 |
| Growth rate | 13% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 124,876 | 52,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Front-end developers architect and develop applications and websites through web technologies. They are responsible for the implementation of visual elements that every user sees and interacts with on web applications. They are often supported by the back-end web developers who are in charge of server application logic and integration. They must know CSS or HTML. They should be equipped with CSS processing skills, browser developer tools, version control, JavaScript framework, and responsive design skills.
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.
Front end developers and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Front End Developer | Designer | |
| Average salary | $92,147 | $66,347 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $124,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lifetime | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a front end developer and a designer in terms of educational background:
| Front End Developer | Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between front end developers' and designers' demographics:
| Front End Developer | Designer | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 15.8% White, 58.9% 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 | 9% | 13% |