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The differences between home designers and architectural designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a home designer, becoming an architectural designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a home designer has an average salary of $66,541, which is higher than the $59,122 average annual salary of an architectural designer.
The top three skills for a home designer include in-home, customer service and design solutions. The most important skills for an architectural designer are sketch, sketchup, and BIM.
| Home Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,541 | $59,122 |
| Hourly rate | $31.99 | $28.42 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 86,223 | 54,358 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A home designer is responsible for executing creative designs for house furnishing according to clients' requirements and specifications. Home designers assess the clients' best interests to make decisions about layouts and structure. They also select the best materials and equipment that go along with the house's designs, customizing decors, and emphasize the elements of the residential space. A home designer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in creating cost and expenses reports for the client's preference.
An Architectural Designer is specialized in planning and designing structures/urban landscapes. They ensure that company policies and standards are maintained when providing services to clients.
Home designers and architectural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Home Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Average salary | $66,541 | $59,122 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $114,000 | Between $45,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alameda, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Best Buy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a home designer and an architectural designer in terms of educational background:
| Home Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Architecture |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between home designers' and architectural designers' demographics:
| Home Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.6% Female, 46.4% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 6% |