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The differences between graphic artists and graphics specialists 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 graphics specialist. Additionally, a graphics specialist has an average salary of $56,007, which is higher than the $54,900 average annual salary of a graphic artist.
The top three skills for a graphic artist include graphic design, adobe photoshop and adobe illustrator. The most important skills for a graphics specialist are graphic design, adobe illustrator, and adobe photoshop.
| Graphic Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,900 | $56,007 |
| Hourly rate | $26.39 | $26.93 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 8,752 | 12,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
Graphic artists and graphics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $54,900 | $56,007 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $84,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Parsons | ZeniMax Media |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a graphic artist and a graphics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic artists' and graphics specialists' demographics:
| Graphic Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| 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% |