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The differences between associate art directors and senior creative 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 associate art director and a senior creative director. Additionally, a senior creative director has an average salary of $141,259, which is higher than the $82,664 average annual salary of an associate art director.
The top three skills for an associate art director include graphic design, photography and adobe creative suite. The most important skills for a senior creative director are creative direction, brand development, and graphic design.
| Associate Art Director | Senior Creative Director | |
| Yearly salary | $82,664 | $141,259 |
| Hourly rate | $39.74 | $67.91 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 8,646 | 9,886 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A senior creative director spearheads the visual aspects of a company's marketing and advertising departments. They manage creative teams and lead the efforts from conceptualizing to executing projects and campaigns. As a senior creative director, their responsibilities typically include setting goals and budgets, establishing guidelines, coordinating departments, delegating tasks to managers, researching new business opportunities, liaising with internal and external parties, and developing strategies to optimize procedures. Furthermore, they must serve as a mentor to junior directors and staff, promoting and enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
Associate art directors and senior creative directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Art Director | Senior Creative Director | |
| Average salary | $82,664 | $141,259 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $139,000 | Between $73,000 And $271,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | California | Illinois |
| Best paying company | Levi Strauss & Co. | Sally Beauty Holdings |
| Best paying industry | Media | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an associate art director and a senior creative director in terms of educational background:
| Associate Art Director | Senior Creative Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between associate art directors' and senior creative directors' demographics:
| Associate Art Director | Senior Creative Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.7% Female, 53.3% | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.2% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |