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The differences between contract designers and lead designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a contract designer, becoming a lead designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a lead designer has an average salary of $110,001, which is higher than the $58,458 average annual salary of a contract designer.
The top three skills for a contract designer include assembly drawings, sketch and web banners. The most important skills for a lead designer are sketch, user experience, and architecture.
| Contract Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,458 | $110,001 |
| Hourly rate | $28.10 | $52.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,980 | 45,423 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
The primary duty of a Contract Designer is to deliver creative strategies and design concepts that meet the objectives of the company's project. They work with members of the sales team and/or marketing designers.
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.
Contract designers and lead designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average salary | $58,458 | $110,001 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $86,000 | Between $78,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a contract designer and a lead designer in terms of educational background:
| Contract Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between contract designers' and lead designers' demographics:
| Contract Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 13% |