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The differences between art directors and marketing directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an art director, becoming a marketing director takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a marketing director has an average salary of $114,906, which is higher than the $88,367 average annual salary of an art director.
The top three skills for an art director include graphic design, art direction and creative concepts. The most important skills for a marketing director are digital marketing, marketing campaigns, and market research.
| Art Director | Marketing Director | |
| Yearly salary | $88,367 | $114,906 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $55.24 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 11,472 | 93,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 10 |
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.
Marketing directors are responsible for the overall branding and marketing direction of the company. They are in charge of identifying goals and strategies related to marketing. They create strategies that cater to the target market of the organization's products and services to help with sales. They lead the company's marketing department and create the company's brand promise. They ensure that all marketing collateral is in line with the rest of the marketing campaigns of the organization. They should be updated on all the current trends in the marketing world.
Art directors and marketing directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Art Director | Marketing Director | |
| Average salary | $88,367 | $114,906 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $135,000 | Between $68,000 And $193,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Brookfield Properties |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an art director and a marketing director in terms of educational background:
| Art Director | Marketing Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between art directors' and marketing directors' demographics:
| Art Director | Marketing Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| 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, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |