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The differences between interior designers and visual merchandisers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an interior designer has an average salary of $52,482, which is higher than the $38,037 average annual salary of a visual merchandiser.
The top three skills for an interior designer include revit, space planning and sketch. The most important skills for a visual merchandiser are customer service, ladders, and sales floor.
| Interior Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Yearly salary | $52,482 | $38,037 |
| Hourly rate | $25.23 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 48,020 | 74,351 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 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 visual merchandiser is responsible for arranging product displays at retail outlets, attracting customers to purchase the items. Visual merchandisers should be updated with the latest trends in the market to prioritize retail displays and floor plans. They must also be knowledgeable on product information to assist customers with their inquiries and concerns. Visual merchandisers should be creative in setting up the uniformity of the store's visuals within the budget goals. The designs must be appealing enough to drive the customers around the premises, potentially generating revenues and increasing profitability.
Interior designers and visual merchandisers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Average salary | $52,482 | $38,037 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | New York |
| Best paying company | German International School New York | RH |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Retail |
There are a few differences between an interior designer and a visual merchandiser in terms of educational background:
| Interior Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Specialized Sales And Merchandising |
| Most common college | Cornell University | - |
Here are the differences between interior designers' and visual merchandisers' demographics:
| Interior Designer | Visual Merchandiser | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 17% |