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The differences between graphic artists and graphic art 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 graphic artist and a graphic art designer. Additionally, a graphic artist has an average salary of $54,900, which is higher than the $42,598 average annual salary of a graphic art designer.
The top three skills for a graphic artist include graphic design, adobe photoshop and adobe illustrator. The most important skills for a graphic art designer are graphic design, web design, and design.
| Graphic Artist | Graphic Art Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,900 | $42,598 |
| Hourly rate | $26.39 | $20.48 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 8,752 | 47,181 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A graphic art designer specializes in conceptualizing and planning various art projects. They typically work at publishing companies, advertising agencies, tv and film industry, and other commercial art settings, together with graphic artists and other creators. Their responsibilities usually revolve around coordinating with the creative team, identifying the clients' preferences and projects' requirements, utilizing software and programs, developing layouts and drafts, presenting designs to clients, and performing revisions as necessary. Moreover, a graphic art designer must maintain an active communication line with team members for an efficient and smooth workflow.
Graphic artists and graphic art designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Artist | Graphic Art Designer | |
| Average salary | $54,900 | $42,598 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $84,000 | Between $25,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a graphic artist and a graphic art designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Artist | Graphic Art Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic artists' and graphic art designers' demographics:
| Graphic Artist | Graphic Art Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% | Male, 51.7% Female, 48.3% |
| 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% |