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The differences between production artists and graphics specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a production artist and a graphics specialist. Additionally, a production artist has an average salary of $61,870, which is higher than the $56,007 average annual salary of a graphics specialist.
The top three skills for a production artist include graphic design, adobe photoshop and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a graphics specialist are graphic design, adobe illustrator, and adobe photoshop.
| Production Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,870 | $56,007 |
| Hourly rate | $29.75 | $26.93 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 59,103 | 12,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A production artist is responsible for managing digital content, meeting clients' standard specifications and requests for successful project completion. Production artists must have computer proficiency, especially on utilizing various software tools and applications to create illustrations and layouts. They also work closely with the creative team, cooperating in brainstorming sessions to ensure the consistency for each assigned task. A production artist should be keen on details, adjusting outputs as needed to maintain the highest quality for the actual presentation.
A graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
Production artists and graphics specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,870 | $56,007 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $94,000 | Between $38,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | ZeniMax Media |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a production artist and a graphics specialist in terms of educational background:
| Production Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between production artists' and graphics specialists' demographics:
| Production Artist | Graphics Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8% | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% |
| 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% |