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The differences between interior designers and design specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an interior designer and a design specialist. Additionally, a design specialist has an average salary of $56,917, which is higher than the $52,482 average annual salary of an interior designer.
The top three skills for an interior designer include revit, space planning and sketch. The most important skills for a design specialist are customer service, sketch, and CAD.
| Interior Designer | Design Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,482 | $56,917 |
| Hourly rate | $25.23 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 48,020 | 68,347 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A design specialist is responsible for creating engaging visual images and digital content to improve customers' brand awareness about the organization's products and services. Design specialists may also work for media production, creating graphic animations for viewers depending on production requirements and media demands. A design specialist must have excellent knowledge of utilizing various software tools and programs, coordinating with the whole design team on adjusting plans, improving layouts according to budget limitations, and submitting deliverables within the set deadlines.
Interior designers and design specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Designer | Design Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,482 | $56,917 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $35,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | New York |
| Best paying company | German International School New York | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Construction | - |
There are a few differences between an interior designer and a design specialist in terms of educational background:
| Interior Designer | Design Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between interior designers' and design specialists' demographics:
| Interior Designer | Design Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% |
| 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, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 23% |