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The differences between visual merchandisers and freelance designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a freelance designer has an average salary of $57,260, which is higher than the $38,037 average annual salary of a visual merchandiser.
The top three skills for a visual merchandiser include customer service, ladders and sales floor. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Visual Merchandiser | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $38,037 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 74,351 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A visual merchandiser is responsible for arranging product displays at retail outlets, attracting customers to purchase the items. Visual merchandisers should be updated with the latest trends in the market to prioritize retail displays and floor plans. They must also be knowledgeable on product information to assist customers with their inquiries and concerns. Visual merchandisers should be creative in setting up the uniformity of the store's visuals within the budget goals. The designs must be appealing enough to drive the customers around the premises, potentially generating revenues and increasing profitability.
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Visual merchandisers and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Merchandiser | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $38,037 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | RH | - |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between a visual merchandiser and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Visual Merchandiser | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between visual merchandisers' and freelance designers' demographics:
| Visual Merchandiser | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% | Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 17% | 13% |