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The differences between interior designers and assistant designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an interior designer, becoming an assistant designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an interior designer has an average salary of $52,482, which is higher than the $52,475 average annual salary of an assistant designer.
The top three skills for an interior designer include revit, space planning and sketch. The most important skills for an assistant designer are sketch, tech packs, and adobe illustrator.
| Interior Designer | Assistant Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,482 | $52,475 |
| Hourly rate | $25.23 | $25.23 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,020 | 47,598 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
An interior designer helps people decorate their rooms and spaces, creating the most functional and beautiful area as possible. They sit with clients to plan desired goals, visualize the space's functions, and sketch the design plan. Then, they pick and order materials and furnishings needed for the project. Additionally, they create a project timeline, estimate cost, and supervise the construction and installation. They follow-up with clients to guarantee their satisfaction once the project is completed. Interior designers should have an understanding of building and construction as well as public safety and security. They must be flexible in their time since they work to meet client needs.
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.
Interior designers and assistant designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Designer | Assistant Designer | |
| Average salary | $52,482 | $52,475 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $37,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Washington |
| Best paying company | German International School New York | PVH |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between an interior designer and an assistant designer in terms of educational background:
| Interior Designer | Assistant Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between interior designers' and assistant designers' demographics:
| Interior Designer | Assistant Designer | |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 13% |