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The differences between graphics specialists and visual 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 specialist and a visual designer. Additionally, a visual designer has an average salary of $86,495, which is higher than the $56,007 average annual salary of a graphics specialist.
The top three skills for a graphics specialist include graphic design, adobe illustrator and adobe photoshop. The most important skills for a visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Graphics Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,007 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $26.93 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 12,267 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Graphics specialists and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphics Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $56,007 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $81,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | ZeniMax Media | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a graphics specialist and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphics Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphics specialists' and visual designers' demographics:
| Graphics Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| 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% |