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The differences between graphic designers and 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 designer and a designer. Additionally, a designer has an average salary of $66,347, which is higher than the $49,450 average annual salary of a graphic designer.
The top three skills for a graphic designer include adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop and adobe illustrator. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| Graphic Designer | Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $49,450 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $23.77 | $31.90 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,625 | 52,433 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Graphic designers are visual communicators who create graphic ideas to deliver a message through art and images which inspire, inform, and motivate consumers with the use of computer software, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or by hand. They have the ability to design stunning illustrations that are easily understood, even without a lot of thinking or based on the demand of their clients. It is very crucial to them as well to be flexible and to stay on top of the design trends. They create websites, posters, packaging, logos, advertising, and marketing materials, depending on the nature of the business.
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.
Graphic designers and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Designer | Designer | |
| Average salary | $49,450 | $66,347 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $69,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graphic designer and a designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Designer | Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic designers' and designers' demographics:
| Graphic Designer | Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| 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% |