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The differences between graphic designers and senior technician specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a graphic designer, becoming a senior technician specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior technician specialist has an average salary of $96,650, 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 senior technician specialist are patients, customer service, and project management.
| Graphic Designer | Senior Technician Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,450 | $96,650 |
| Hourly rate | $23.77 | $46.47 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 45,625 | 56,304 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
Senior technician specialists are technicians in the office who specialize in a specific activity or task. They are more tenured than entry-level employees and, at times, given bigger responsibilities than their junior counterparts. They may even be asked to lead specific projects. Senior technician specialists are usually involved in the technical or technological needs of the organization. As such, they should be familiar with the different equipment, fixtures, and infrastructure in the office. They are expected to perform installations, repairs, updates, and maintenance. Senior technician specialists should also be able to provide support to office employees on technical and technological aspects.
Graphic designers and senior technician specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Designer | Senior Technician Specialist | |
| Average salary | $49,450 | $96,650 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $69,000 | Between $68,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graphic designer and a senior technician specialist in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Designer | Senior Technician Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic designers' and senior technician specialists' demographics:
| Graphic Designer | Senior Technician Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% | Male, 44.6% Female, 55.4% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 12% |