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The differences between art directors and associate art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an art director and an associate art director. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $82,664 average annual salary of an associate art director.
The top three skills for an art director include graphic design, art direction and creative concepts. The most important skills for an associate art director are graphic design, photography, and adobe creative suite.
| Art Director | Associate Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $88,367 | $82,664 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $39.74 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 11,472 | 8,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign. Most of the time, it is an art director's call to conceptualize and bring a vision to completion and take the lead in coordinating with various artists and creative staff. Furthermore, an art director must oversee the progress of workflow and workforce, develop plans and strategies, and approve or provide suggestions in every creative output from staff.
Associate art directors are professionals who assist art directors in performing creative-driven tasks such as producing graphic design for brands, layouts, and advertisements. These associate art directors are required to stay updated on the latest techniques using computer-aided design software such as PhotoShop, AutoCAD, and After Effects. They must organize photoshoots and work with PR managers and agents to coordinate the schedules of their models. Associate art directors must also establish a graphic design studio team and provide training for their designers and interns.
Art directors and associate art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Art Director | Associate Art Director | |
| Average salary | $88,367 | $82,664 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $135,000 | Between $49,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Levi Strauss & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Media |
There are a few differences between an art director and an associate art director in terms of educational background:
| Art Director | Associate Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between art directors' and associate art directors' demographics:
| Art Director | Associate Art Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% | Male, 46.7% Female, 53.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |