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The differences between art directors and curators 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 a curator. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $47,923 average annual salary of a curator.
The top three skills for an art director include graphic design, art direction and creative concepts. The most important skills for a curator are facebook, historical research, and exhibit design.
| Art Director | Curator | |
| Yearly salary | $88,367 | $47,923 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $23.04 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 11,472 | 432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| 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.
A curator is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing exhibits and collections in art museums and similar establishments. Their responsibilities include handling acquisition procedures, conceptualizing plans, designing exhibits and presentations, liaising with internal and external parties, setting goals and timelines, managing the budgets and fundraisers, and developing strategies to market the museum's events. Furthermore, as a curator, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals, all while implementing the organization's policies and regulations.
Art directors and curators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Art Director | Curator | |
| Average salary | $88,367 | $47,923 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $135,000 | Between $26,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an art director and a curator in terms of educational background:
| Art Director | Curator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Fine Arts |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between art directors' and curators' demographics:
| Art Director | Curator | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% | Male, 40.4% Female, 59.6% |
| 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, 5.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 13% |