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The differences between graphics illustrators and user experience 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 graphics illustrator and a user experience designer. Additionally, a user experience designer has an average salary of $91,159, which is higher than the $64,943 average annual salary of a graphics illustrator.
The top three skills for a graphics illustrator include adobe photoshop, graphic design and adobe indesign. The most important skills for a user experience designer are sketch, UI, and user research.
| Graphics Illustrator | User Experience Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $64,943 | $91,159 |
| Hourly rate | $31.22 | $43.83 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 2,854 | 52,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A graphics illustrator is an artist that is skilled in drawing, painting, digital illustration, art history, and sometimes marketing. Your job as an illustrator is to create a visual representation of an idea or associated text. Unlike a graphic designer, a graphic illustrator does a lot more drawing, product package design, book illustrations, and graphic novels. As a graphics illustrator, you may be required to lead lots of projects that deal with advertising design and publishing initiatives. In addition to that, you may be expected to produce mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and design specifications.
A User Experience (UX) designer is an individual who measures and optimizes applications to improve the experience of end-users. His/Her or her duties and responsibilities include considering a design's human-computer interaction element, defining interaction models, and working with creative directors and designers. The key skills for UX designers include strong mathematical and problem-solving skills and excellent information technology and programming skills. Having a bachelor's degree in a design or computing-related subject is an advantage to qualify for the UX designer position.
Graphics illustrators and user experience designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphics Illustrator | User Experience Designer | |
| Average salary | $64,943 | $91,159 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $101,000 | Between $65,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Uber Technologies | BitGo |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a graphics illustrator and a user experience designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphics Illustrator | User Experience Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphics illustrators' and user experience designers' demographics:
| Graphics Illustrator | User Experience Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| 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, 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% |