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The differences between operating system 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 an operating system designer and a freelance designer. Additionally, an operating system designer has an average salary of $58,414, which is higher than the $57,260 average annual salary of a freelance designer.
The top three skills for an operating system designer include co-op, CAD and facebook. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Operating System Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,414 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $28.08 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 68,084 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
OS Designers are responsible for creating and developing customized operating systems geared to cater to a specific task type. These tasks may range from business management to medical-related applications to government and military defense systems. An operating system is the foundation and soul of any computer-based program, so OS designers apply computer science and analysis to develop these operating systems for efficiency and functionality. A typical OS Designer earns an average of $47,865 per year.
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.
Operating system designers and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operating System Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $58,414 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $98,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an operating system designer and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Operating System Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between operating system designers' and freelance designers' demographics:
| Operating System Designer | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% | 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% |