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The differences between product designers and lighting designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a product designer and a lighting designer. Additionally, a product designer has an average salary of $102,033, which is higher than the $53,542 average annual salary of a lighting designer.
The top three skills for a product designer include sketch, visual design and UI. The most important skills for a lighting designer are revit, photoshop, and light fixtures.
| Product Designer | Lighting Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,033 | $53,542 |
| Hourly rate | $49.05 | $25.74 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 98,465 | 46,203 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A product designer's key responsibilities are to perform design research, selecting the best materials, and develop user storyboards for the client and users' best interest. Product designers usually work with a whole design team, documenting suggestions to deliver high-quality outputs or improve existing products to match the market trends. They must also communicate with other skilled professionals to enhance their ideas and consult clients for any necessary adjustments that would affect the total user experience. A product designer should also have extensive knowledge of the consumer's preference to make the design more appealing and engaging.
Lighting Designers are responsible for developing and implementing electrical and lighting systems. They are responsible for conducting site assessment and analysis, liaise with clients and engineers to determine technical specifications, design lighting plans, create budget reports for a project initiated, track progress targets, install electrical and lighting systems and ensures installation adheres to local energy regulation as well as building codes. Lighting designers work in commercial, industrial, or residential spaces and must demonstrate computer software proficiency such as AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Suites.
Product designers and lighting designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Designer | Lighting Designer | |
| Average salary | $102,033 | $53,542 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $152,000 | Between $34,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a product designer and a lighting designer in terms of educational background:
| Product Designer | Lighting Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Theatre |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product designers' and lighting designers' demographics:
| Product Designer | Lighting Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% | Male, 65.0% Female, 35.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 10.1% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 10.1% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |