Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between layout designers and freelance designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a layout designer and a freelance designer. Additionally, a layout designer has an average salary of $94,509, which is higher than the $57,260 average annual salary of a freelance designer.
The top three skills for a layout designer include CAD, CMOS and layout design. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Layout Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,509 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $45.44 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 43,997 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A layout designer is responsible for designing and creating attractive layouts for publications and marketing materials. Layout designers utilize various software design applications and systems, requiring them to have excellent computer skills for efficient navigation. They work closely with the whole design and graphic teams for content consistency and adherence to quality standards and requirements. A layout designer evaluates the current market trends to identify media elements and modify designs that meet public demands and interests.
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Layout designers and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Layout Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $94,509 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $149,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Apple | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a layout designer and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Layout Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between layout designers' and freelance designers' demographics:
| Layout Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 13% | 13% |