Post job

Graphic design assistant vs associate graphic designer

The differences between graphic design assistants and associate graphic 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 design assistant and an associate graphic designer. Additionally, an associate graphic designer has an average salary of $52,393, which is higher than the $40,835 average annual salary of a graphic design assistant.

The top three skills for a graphic design assistant include graphic design, CAD and sketch. The most important skills for an associate graphic designer are graphic design, adobe creative suite, and powerpoint.

Graphic design assistant vs associate graphic designer overview

Graphic Design AssistantAssociate Graphic Designer
Yearly salary$40,835$52,393
Hourly rate$19.63$25.19
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs54,02145,173
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age3838
Years of experience1212

What does a graphic design assistant do?

Graphic Design Assistants help graphic designers in creating art, fulfilling orders, and managing the studio. They may be budding graphic designers looking for industry experience or creative professionals interested in getting into the graphic designing industry. They should be familiar with the different tools and concepts involved in graphic design. Graphic Design Assistants help lead graphic designers to complete different activities. They may assist by lining, coloring, rendering, and adding finishing touches to the designs. They may also be in charge of packaging physical art and booking shipments to buyers. Graphic Design Assistants should be able to showcase their creative prowess. They are welcome to pitch in designs, critique art, and provide input.

What does an associate graphic designer do?

Associate graphic designers are entry-level graphic designers. They may be fresh graduates or new to the field. Associate graphic designers should be creative and innovative. They should be able to think outside the box and bring fresh ideas to the company. They must also be trainable and willing to learn. Associate graphic designers may be asked to assist senior graphic designers in fulfilling orders or tasks. They may assist in creating drafts, rendering finished products, and reviewing orders. Once they have proven their skills, they may be assigned to do bigger tasks, create and fulfill orders, or even lead projects.

Graphic design assistant vs associate graphic designer salary

Graphic design assistants and associate graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Graphic Design AssistantAssociate Graphic Designer
Average salary$40,835$52,393
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $58,000Between $37,000 And $73,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkWashington
Best paying companyGoogleYahoo
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between graphic design assistant and associate graphic designer education

There are a few differences between a graphic design assistant and an associate graphic designer in terms of educational background:

Graphic Design AssistantAssociate Graphic Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Graphic design assistant vs associate graphic designer demographics

Here are the differences between graphic design assistants' and associate graphic designers' demographics:

Graphic Design AssistantAssociate Graphic Designer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 29.4% Female, 70.6%Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage13%13%

Differences between graphic design assistant and associate graphic designer duties and responsibilities

Graphic design assistant example responsibilities.

  • Administer company website using PHP coding and manage Instagram/Facebook profiles.
  • Approve lab dips, embroidery size and placement, strike offs, screen prints, and appliques.
  • Supervise production staff that used embroidery machines.
  • Produce: technical drawings, illustrations, animations, PowerPoint presentations and relate graphics for organization.
  • Design PowerPoint presentations with sound/video; replace low-resolution images with high-resolution images in presentations and client proposals.
  • Coordinate photography orders with vendors at direction of creative staff and negotiate image license contracts to maximize company profits.
  • Show more

Associate graphic designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage an in-house advertisement/mailer for a vendor.
  • Design and print business cards, flyers, banners, booklets and other printing materials.
  • Create slide show presentations using PowerPoint.
  • Design print and web advertisements, twitter page, and iPhone wallpaper.
  • Maintain office computer systems (mac and pc), and digital press equipment.
  • Work closely with web design team to create HTML coding for 120 web pages.
  • Show more

Graphic design assistant vs associate graphic designer skills

Common graphic design assistant skills
  • Graphic Design, 14%
  • CAD, 6%
  • Sketch, 5%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 5%
Common associate graphic designer skills
  • Graphic Design, 24%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Photography, 6%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 5%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 5%

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs