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The differences between graphic designer/illustrators and production 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 graphic designer/illustrator and a production artist. Additionally, a production artist has an average salary of $61,870, which is higher than the $45,124 average annual salary of a graphic designer/illustrator.
The top three skills for a graphic designer/illustrator include adobe illustrator, adobe photoshop and logo design. The most important skills for a production artist are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe creative suite.
| Graphic Designer/Illustrator | Production Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $45,124 | $61,870 |
| Hourly rate | $21.69 | $29.75 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 44,853 | 59,103 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
As a graphic designer or illustrator, your job involves working with images to create visual displays for clients. If you work as a graphic designer, you may be required to create layouts using computer software. As a graphic illustrator, your job responsibility may revolve around drawing or painting images and uploading them to make digital copies. As a graphic designer/ illustrator, your job duties revolve around understanding the needs of your clients and being able to identify your target audience.
A production artist is responsible for managing digital content, meeting clients' standard specifications and requests for successful project completion. Production artists must have computer proficiency, especially on utilizing various software tools and applications to create illustrations and layouts. They also work closely with the creative team, cooperating in brainstorming sessions to ensure the consistency for each assigned task. A production artist should be keen on details, adjusting outputs as needed to maintain the highest quality for the actual presentation.
Graphic designer/illustrators and production artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Designer/Illustrator | Production Artist | |
| Average salary | $45,124 | $61,870 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $63,000 | Between $40,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a graphic designer/illustrator and a production artist in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Designer/Illustrator | Production Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic designer/illustrators' and production artists' demographics:
| Graphic Designer/Illustrator | Production Artist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.1% Female, 39.9% | Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8% |
| 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% |