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The differences between visual information specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a visual information specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a visual information specialist has an average salary of $65,085, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a visual information specialist include photography, video production and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Visual Information Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $65,085 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $31.29 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 66,802 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Visual information specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Information Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $65,085 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $102,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Food and Drug Law Institute | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a visual information specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Visual Information Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between visual information specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Visual Information Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.0% Female, 44.0% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 11% |