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The differences between level designers and architectural 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 level designer and an architectural designer. Additionally, a level designer has an average salary of $96,455, which is higher than the $59,122 average annual salary of an architectural designer.
The top three skills for a level designer include unreal engine, unity and maya. The most important skills for an architectural designer are sketch, sketchup, and BIM.
| Level Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,455 | $59,122 |
| Hourly rate | $46.37 | $28.42 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,696 | 54,358 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A level designer is an expert at designing and developing gameplays, including its characters and obstacles. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with the creative and development teams, conceptualizing plans and diagrams, performing extensive research and analysis, studying client feedback and current market trends, constructing prototypes, and performing tests to ensure the efficiency of the game. Furthermore, as a level designer, it is essential to monitor the entire production process, coordinating with staff every step of the way for quality end products.
An Architectural Designer is specialized in planning and designing structures/urban landscapes. They ensure that company policies and standards are maintained when providing services to clients.
Level designers and architectural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Level Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Average salary | $96,455 | $59,122 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $148,000 | Between $45,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a level designer and an architectural designer in terms of educational background:
| Level Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Architecture |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between level designers' and architectural designers' demographics:
| Level Designer | Architectural Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 6% |