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The differences between operating system designers and visual 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 visual designer. Additionally, a visual designer has an average salary of $86,495, which is higher than the $58,414 average annual salary of an operating system designer.
The top three skills for an operating system designer include co-op, CAD and facebook. The most important skills for a visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Operating System Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,414 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $28.08 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 68,084 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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.
A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Operating system designers and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operating System Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $58,414 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $98,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an operating system designer and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Operating System Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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 visual designers' demographics:
| Operating System Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| 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, 3.4% 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% |