Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between operating system designers and graphic 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 graphic designer. Additionally, an operating system designer has an average salary of $58,414, which is higher than the $49,450 average annual salary of a graphic designer.
The top three skills for an operating system designer include co-op, CAD and facebook. The most important skills for a graphic designer are adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Operating System Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,414 | $49,450 |
| Hourly rate | $28.08 | $23.77 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 68,084 | 45,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
Graphic designers are visual communicators who create graphic ideas to deliver a message through art and images which inspire, inform, and motivate consumers with the use of computer software, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or by hand. They have the ability to design stunning illustrations that are easily understood, even without a lot of thinking or based on the demand of their clients. It is very crucial to them as well to be flexible and to stay on top of the design trends. They create websites, posters, packaging, logos, advertising, and marketing materials, depending on the nature of the business.
Operating system designers and graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operating System Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $58,414 | $49,450 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $98,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an operating system designer and a graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Operating System Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 graphic designers' demographics:
| Operating System Designer | Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% |
| 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% |