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Visual merchandiser vs interior design assistant

The differences between visual merchandisers and interior design assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an interior design assistant has an average salary of $47,621, 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 an interior design assistant are space planning, in-home, and revit.

Visual merchandiser vs interior design assistant overview

Visual MerchandiserInterior Design Assistant
Yearly salary$38,037$47,621
Hourly rate$18.29$22.89
Growth rate10%1%
Number of jobs74,35146,701
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4042
Years of experience-4

What does a visual merchandiser do?

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.

What does an interior design assistant do?

Interior design assistants are professionals who are responsible for providing direct administrative support while assisting interior designers with various tasks. These assistants are required to run errands and contact clients through phones to obtain important information. They are required to visit stores or shop online to obtain a multitude of materials when working on a project. They must assist interior designers in moving furniture and taking photographs of spaces while measuring rooms and items. Interior design assistants must also manage important projects and ensure they are completed on time.

Visual merchandiser vs interior design assistant salary

Visual merchandisers and interior design assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Visual MerchandiserInterior Design Assistant
Average salary$38,037$47,621
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $53,000Between $34,000 And $66,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NY-
Highest paying stateNew York-
Best paying companyRH-
Best paying industryRetail-

Differences between visual merchandiser and interior design assistant education

There are a few differences between a visual merchandiser and an interior design assistant in terms of educational background:

Visual MerchandiserInterior Design Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorSpecialized Sales And MerchandisingInterior Design
Most common college-Cornell University

Visual merchandiser vs interior design assistant demographics

Here are the differences between visual merchandisers' and interior design assistants' demographics:

Visual MerchandiserInterior Design Assistant
Average age4042
Gender ratioMale, 27.3% Female, 72.7%Male, 17.9% Female, 82.1%
Race ratioBlack 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, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage17%23%

Differences between visual merchandiser and interior design assistant duties and responsibilities

Visual merchandiser example responsibilities.

  • Manage backroom/stock room inventory by organizing pallets, stacking and storing product inventory.
  • Provide support to all meeting and VTC rooms.
  • Merchandise mens, ladies, kids, and accessories departments.
  • Operate audio board, PowerPoint, camera, and video switcher.
  • Assist outside vendor merchandisers (NIKE) with execution of planograms.
  • Assist with prop development and production for the 5 NYC flagship stores.
  • Show more

Interior design assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the website and twitter page, write the blog posts and attend numerous fashion shows and sample sale rooms.
  • Create a presentation or sketch mapping out the space.
  • Work extensively on AutoCad, powerpoint, Microsoft suite.
  • Organize and make weekly PowerPoint presentations to local realtors.
  • Review and reply to RFI resulting in delivering successful projects.
  • Create digital 3D render spaces of client projects using Google SketchUp.
  • Show more

Visual merchandiser vs interior design assistant skills

Common visual merchandiser skills
  • Customer Service, 25%
  • Ladders, 17%
  • Sales Floor, 10%
  • Store Management, 6%
  • Drive Sales, 6%
  • Kids, 5%
Common interior design assistant skills
  • Space Planning, 9%
  • In-Home, 8%
  • Revit, 8%
  • Auto CAD, 8%
  • Administrative Tasks, 7%
  • Design Concepts, 6%

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