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The differences between visual merchandisers and graphic designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a graphic designer has an average salary of $49,450, 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 graphic designer are adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Visual Merchandiser | Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $38,037 | $49,450 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $23.77 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 74,351 | 45,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
Graphic designers are visual communicators who create graphic ideas to deliver a message through art and images which inspire, inform, and motivate consumers with the use of computer software, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign or by hand. They have the ability to design stunning illustrations that are easily understood, even without a lot of thinking or based on the demand of their clients. It is very crucial to them as well to be flexible and to stay on top of the design trends. They create websites, posters, packaging, logos, advertising, and marketing materials, depending on the nature of the business.
Visual merchandisers and graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Merchandiser | Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $38,037 | $49,450 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | RH | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a visual merchandiser and a graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Visual Merchandiser | Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between visual merchandisers' and graphic designers' demographics:
| Visual Merchandiser | Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% | Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2% |
| 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% |