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The differences between visual artists and photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a visual artist and a photographer. Additionally, a visual artist has an average salary of $81,873, which is higher than the $33,968 average annual salary of a photographer.
The top three skills for a visual artist include animation, maya and visual development. The most important skills for a photographer are adobe photoshop, customer service, and excellent time management.
| Visual Artist | Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,873 | $33,968 |
| Hourly rate | $39.36 | $16.33 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 7,209 | 1,772 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.67 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Visual artists are the type of artists that engage their audience through their eyes. This type of artist expresses their feelings in different ways. They can use any material to make their feelings known. Sometimes, they express their feelings using carved wood, digital imagery, and installations from objects they find randomly. They may use water vapor or bee pollen to let the world see their feelings, thoughts, and ideals. They can also choose to work independently or work with studios that produce cartoons, develop games, and have a fixed schedule to work on a project.
A photographer is an individual who focuses on the art of taking images with the use of a digital or traditional film camera. They are knowledgeable in the proper utilization and care of high-end cameras. They generally work as a freelancer and often hired to capture memories of unique clients. Some are also in exclusive partnerships with event-related industries in such settings as weddings, graduation, corporate events, and even commercial shoots. Apart from taking pictures, they also may be required to edit and prepare photographs to submit to clients or for publication.
Visual artists and photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Artist | Photographer | |
| Average salary | $81,873 | $33,968 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $127,000 | Between $22,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sparks, NV | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New York |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Jacobs Engineering Group |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a visual artist and a photographer in terms of educational background:
| Visual Artist | Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Fine Arts | Photography |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between visual artists' and photographers' demographics:
| Visual Artist | Photographer | |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |