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The differences between interior designers and visual 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 a visual designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a visual designer has an average salary of $86,495, 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 visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Interior Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,482 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $25.23 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,020 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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.
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.
Interior designers and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $52,482 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | California |
| Best paying company | German International School New York | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an interior designer and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Interior Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between interior designers' and visual designers' demographics:
| Interior Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| 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, 3.4% 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% |