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Graphic designer/production vs assistant designer

The differences between graphic designer/productions and assistant 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/production and an assistant designer. Additionally, an assistant designer has an average salary of $52,475, which is higher than the $48,619 average annual salary of a graphic designer/production.

The top three skills for a graphic designer/production include graphic design, adobe photoshop and adobe illustrator. The most important skills for an assistant designer are sketch, tech packs, and adobe illustrator.

Graphic designer/production vs assistant designer overview

Graphic Designer/ProductionAssistant Designer
Yearly salary$48,619$52,475
Hourly rate$23.37$25.23
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs95,83147,598
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age3838
Years of experience1212

What does a graphic designer/production do?

A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.

What does an assistant designer do?

Assistant designers act as administrative support to senior designers in creating innovative designs by negotiating with the vendors about the prices of decoration materials. They are keen and up-to-date to the latest fashion and trends by conducting surveys and research. They are exceptionally creative and innovative and have excellent IT skills as they use illustration, typography, and photography layouts in the design process. However, being an assistant designer, career development relies on his/her /her specialism, reputation, and experience depending on how its opportunities are influenced by the company he/she works for.

Graphic designer/production vs assistant designer salary

Graphic designer/productions and assistant designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Graphic Designer/ProductionAssistant Designer
Average salary$48,619$52,475
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $67,000Between $37,000 And $73,000
Highest paying CityMenlo Park, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateMarylandWashington
Best paying companyOptimum NutritionPVH
Best paying industryTechnologyConstruction

Differences between graphic designer/production and assistant designer education

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

Graphic Designer/ProductionAssistant Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Graphic designer/production vs assistant designer demographics

Here are the differences between graphic designer/productions' and assistant designers' demographics:

Graphic Designer/ProductionAssistant Designer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 57.0% Female, 43.0%Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%
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 designer/production and assistant designer duties and responsibilities

Graphic designer/production example responsibilities.

  • Manage production of products; custom banners, t-shirts, satin flags, from concept to final product.
  • Manage various publications including catalogs, catalog inserts, brochures, mailers and advertising material.
  • Develop and update conference materials, including PowerPoint presentations, posters, handouts, badges, table tents, and folders.
  • Produce corporate identity systems and collateral print materials, print advertising, product/capabilities brochures, direct mail and newsletters.
  • Produce daily, weekly and monthly newsletters in both print and HTML.
  • Create cleaner HTML email templates and help others within the group improve their HTML skills.
  • Show more

Assistant designer example responsibilities.

  • Develop marketing and brand awareness initiatives through social media outlets; create and manage company Facebook and Houzz profiles.
  • Direct yarn development team.- propose PLM transitional initiatives.- Collaboratively work to evaluate and elevate in-house design process efficiency.
  • Work in mac format adobe suite programs and pc format u4ia.
  • Generate and update style numbers and BOM's in WebPDM system BlueCherry.
  • Research fashion, textile, make up, accessory, and footwear trends.
  • Acquire in depth training in the PLM and used this system on a daily basis.
  • Show more

Graphic designer/production vs assistant designer skills

Common graphic designer/production skills
  • Graphic Design, 14%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 9%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 8%
  • Art Direction, 6%
  • Adobe Indesign, 5%
  • Signage, 5%
Common assistant designer skills
  • Sketch, 15%
  • Tech Packs, 9%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 7%
  • Line Sheets, 5%
  • Trend Research, 4%
  • Garment Construction, 4%

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