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The differences between art directors and producers 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 producer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $72,202 average annual salary of a producer.
The top three skills for an art director include graphic design, art direction and creative concepts. The most important skills for a producer are work ethic, video production, and client relationships.
| Art Director | Producer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,367 | $72,202 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $34.71 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 11,472 | 10,610 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
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 producer is an individual who is responsible for providing infrastructure, resources, and logistics in making a movie, television show, or stage production. Producers hire production staff such as director, crew, and sometimes actors to coordinate their activities throughout the production process. They support the creative team by conducting meetings to discuss the production's progress and ensure adherence to deadlines. Producers also travel often either to film on location for a movie or to tour with a theatre production.
Art directors and producers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Art Director | Producer | |
| Average salary | $88,367 | $72,202 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $135,000 | Between $43,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Nevada |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an art director and a producer in terms of educational background:
| Art Director | Producer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Communication |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between art directors' and producers' demographics:
| Art Director | Producer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% | Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |