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The differences between associate designers and lead designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an associate designer and a lead designer. Additionally, a lead designer has an average salary of $110,001, which is higher than the $56,770 average annual salary of an associate designer.
The top three skills for an associate designer include sketch, CAD and customer service. The most important skills for a lead designer are sketch, user experience, and architecture.
| Associate Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,770 | $110,001 |
| Hourly rate | $27.29 | $52.89 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 47,571 | 45,423 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An Associate Designer helps in developing sketches on paper and in graphic design software. They usually are supervised by the junior staff and interns.
A lead designer is responsible for addressing the clients' needs of digital content and coordinating with the design team for the planning and innovation of the visual design and concept. Lead designers conduct the initial layout of frameworks and collaborate with the art staff for the specifications and outputs using various software applications and digital boards. They regularly update the client of the project's status, including adjustment and design recommendations, ensuring that the plan meets the client's budget goals. A lead designer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on running diagnostic tests to improve optimal performance.
Associate designers and lead designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average salary | $56,770 | $110,001 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $80,000 | Between $78,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an associate designer and a lead designer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between associate designers' and lead designers' demographics:
| Associate Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |