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The differences between visual information specialists and visual 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 visual information specialist and a visual designer. Additionally, a visual designer has an average salary of $86,495, which is higher than the $65,085 average annual salary of a visual information specialist.
The top three skills for a visual information specialist include photography, video production and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Visual Information Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,085 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $31.29 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 66,802 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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 visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Visual information specialists and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Information Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $65,085 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $102,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Food and Drug Law Institute | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | Government | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a visual information specialist and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Visual Information Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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 visual designers' demographics:
| Visual Information Specialist | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.0% Female, 44.0% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| 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% |