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The differences between visual information specialists and graphic artists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a visual information specialist and a graphic artist. Additionally, a visual information specialist has an average salary of $65,085, which is higher than the $54,900 average annual salary of a graphic artist.
The top three skills for a visual information specialist include photography, video production and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a graphic artist are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Visual Information Specialist | Graphic Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $65,085 | $54,900 |
| Hourly rate | $31.29 | $26.39 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 66,802 | 8,752 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A visual information specialist is in charge of developing visual materials in adherence to the needs of a company or business. In a company setting, their responsibilities include coordinating with different departments to gather and analyze data, come up with designs and layouts, plan materials based on the purpose and availability of resources, and work together with the creative team. Furthermore, as a visual information specialist, it is essential to maintain active communication with teammates for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A graphic artist is either an illustrator or an animator who creates art work that will be used in graphic projects such as advertisements, posters, or even book covers. Although a graphic artist has his/her own style of artwork, he/she may be often commissioned to create art specifically for a particular project. A graphic artist may work with a graphic designer in order to convey the overall message of a project. The portfolio of a graphic artist includes cartoons, illustrations, and graphic novels.
Visual information specialists and graphic artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Information Specialist | Graphic Artist | |
| Average salary | $65,085 | $54,900 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $102,000 | Between $35,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Food and Drug Law Institute | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a visual information specialist and a graphic artist in terms of educational background:
| Visual Information Specialist | Graphic Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between visual information specialists' and graphic artists' demographics:
| Visual Information Specialist | Graphic Artist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.0% Female, 44.0% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| 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% |