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The differences between production designers and motion graphics designers 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 designer and a motion graphics designer. Additionally, a motion graphics designer has an average salary of $62,558, which is higher than the $54,760 average annual salary of a production designer.
The top three skills for a production designer include sketch, graphic design and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a motion graphics designer are animation, style frames, and cinema.
| Production Designer | Motion Graphics Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,760 | $62,558 |
| Hourly rate | $26.33 | $30.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 96,682 | 44,960 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A production designer is responsible for monitoring the visual presentation of a media or theatre production, ensuring the set's adherence to the theme, and presenting visual elements according to the production requirements. Production designers research the current industry trends for creative ideas that would attract the audience, creating outstanding visual pictures throughout the production. In most cases, production designers also operate software systems and tools to suggest graphic effects and support the artistic team for deliverables. A production designer develops all visual plans within the budget goals and discusses adjustments to the production management team as needed.
A motion graphic designer specializes in producing artworks used in television, film, and web. Their responsibilities often revolve around submitting within a deadline, attending creative meetings, collaborating with fellow designers, following directives from clients, producing trial designs, and editing them in adherence to senior designers or clients' recommendations. There are also instances when a motion graphic designer must manage documentation, address inquiries and concerns, and report to higher-ranking personnel. Furthermore, one may choose to work for a company or independently.
Production designers and motion graphics designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Designer | Motion Graphics Designer | |
| Average salary | $54,760 | $62,558 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $82,000 | Between $44,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production designer and a motion graphics designer in terms of educational background:
| Production Designer | Motion Graphics Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between production designers' and motion graphics designers' demographics:
| Production Designer | Motion Graphics Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| 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% |