The fancy ads that we view daily, over the internet or television, require specific skills to make. Creative Manager leads and directs the design and production of visual and audio materials and media used for advertising, broadcast, and web communications. The job is to maintain a cohesive look and feel of a project, be it an advertising campaign, fashion line, video game, or magazine, by ensuring the visuals and interactive and motion designs are on point.

A creative manager position usually requires a bachelor's degree or master's degree in a specific creative field, such as marketing, graphic design, or fine arts. Besides creativity, you need humility, perspective, openness, and resolution. Knowledge of art history, design history, pop culture, and counterculture can prove beneficial as well. The rewards for the position are massive.

A creative manager can earn over $40 an hour. That equates to over $84,000 per year. The position is likely to experience growth in the coming years, upwards of 8%, resulting in massive job opportunities being created all over the United States.

What Does a Creative Manager Do

There are certain skills that many creative managers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed organizational skills, analytical skills and creativity.

Learn more about what a Creative Manager does

How To Become a Creative Manager

If you're interested in becoming a creative manager, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 79.6% of creative managers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.1% of creative managers have master's degrees. Even though most creative managers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Creative Manager

Creative Manager Career Paths

Average Salary for a Creative Manager

Creative Managers in America make an average salary of $87,130 per year or $42 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $122,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $61,000 per year.
Average Creative Manager Salary
$87,130 Yearly
$41.89 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Creative Manager

The role of a creative manager includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general creative manager responsibilities:

  • Manage large multi-disciplinary teams and direct multiple projects from concept to completion plan
  • A seasoned, experienced professional with a full understanding of area of specialization; resolves a wide range of issues in creative ways. Serves as a subject matter expert on fhp's visual brand identity, ensuring consistency
  • Manage the agile marketing team meetings

There are several types of creative manager, including:

Marketing Manager

Role:

A Marketing Manager is a key person with many responsibilities when it comes to finding customers for a product. They contribute to creating and consistently maintaining an identity for the products a company sells and oversees the communication and placement of this brand on the market. They create growth strategies for the business, based on data analysis; organize efforts to promote products, generate revenues, and secure a steady pool of satisfied customers.

Marketing managers find ways to make sure the reputation of their company is impeccable. They design and implement marketing campaigns and track, analyze, and evaluate their performance.

They are creative thinkers who deploy sophisticated technologies to understand the most hidden desires of consumers and are able to frame a product in a way that creates desire, while discovering the channels of communication that hit the nail on the head.
  • Average Salary: $104,550
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Creative Director

Role:

Creative directors are key personnel in marketing and advertising agencies. They design media strategies and monitor communication campaigns for brands and products. They oversee the work of copywriters and graphic designers, revise presentations and coordinate the work of the creative team, making the final calls in creating advertisements.

The job of creative directors is essentially to whittle down the creative chaos their team generates into the most efficient, witty, and spot-on ad solutions. A good creative director will know how to motivate and inspire his/her or her team, bring the best out of the people they work with, and give space for great ideas to grow.

Advertising is a highly competitive and lucrative business for anyone involved, and creative directors are certainly not the ones to miss out on the financial perks. There are a lot of opportunities to show your worth, and as a creative director, you can make anything between $87,869 to $169,072 a year, depending on your location, the size and reputation of your agency, your experience in the field, and the results your work brings.

  • Average Salary: $137,779
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Development Manager

Role:

Are you looking for a career where development comes with the title? If you have a passion to be the best, enjoy building relationships, and thinking of strategic ways to do things, then the development manager could be the start of a rewarding new career for you. In general, Development Managers are high-level professionals that steer their companies in the right direction to increase business and revenue. This is the profession that offers you a high earning potential and a fast-paced work environment. In this role, you can expect to earn a median annual salary of $108,290, which is significantly higher than the $33,840 median annual salary that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports for all occupations.

Working as a development manager, you'll be in charge of developing business solutions and helping your company grow. The primary objective of your job as a development manager is to bring on board the new customers, in addition to this, you'll identify, plan, and lead activities to further the development of your company or organization. In this position, your role is likely a strategic opportunist who'll lead company growth both internally and externally. Since development managers are needed in almost every sector, you'll get the opportunity to work in a wide range of businesses, from accountancy to recruitment and from education to manufacturing firms, you can get employed in all types of businesses and organizations. You'll usually work 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, though on occasion you may have to work longer to meet a project deadline or when attending a conference or event. Working as a development manager, you may have part-time and flexible working opportunities too. Typically, you'll work in an indoor office setting but may travel frequently for face-to-face meetings with customers and new clients.

One of the best things about the development manager role is that it doesn't set any entry requirements - there are several routes you could take to help you pursue this career. You could complete a university or college course, an apprenticeship, or apply directly to an employer's work. Most employers look for applicants with previous experience in sales, business management, or marketing. In terms of personality traits, employers generally look for people who are articulate, polished, self-motivated, and professional, who have a knack for negotiation, strategic thinking, and good business sense. Above all other benefits of the development manager career is its financial rewards, which means you'll get bonus-related pay in this position. As you'll be the driving force behind generating new partnerships and contacts for your company, you'll be paid large bonuses, sometimes matching your annual salary. Being a senior development analyst, you may get additional benefits, such as health insurance, pension, vacation, or sick time. The advantages of becoming a development manager are countless - this is the most competitive and rewarding post that brings plenty of flexibility and benefits with professional and financial stability. This is the position, where you'll enjoy the satisfaction of expanding business opportunities and boosting profits. Here you'll get unlimited chances of progression as the more experience and credibility you gain over time in the development manager role, the more you potentially make.

  • Average Salary: $110,678
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Creative Manager Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active creative manager jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where creative managers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Creative Manager Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California6,841$109,099
2New York2,987$91,745
3Texas2,400$83,495
4Illinois2,240$71,643
5Massachusetts1,825$86,246
6Washington1,721$99,262
7Florida1,649$84,113
8New Jersey1,407$106,373
9Pennsylvania1,348$92,335
10Georgia1,346$77,041
11North Carolina1,215$101,197
12Virginia1,140$95,204
13Ohio917$86,804
14Minnesota909$84,543
15Oregon846$91,664
16Colorado830$78,312
17Maryland698$95,343
18Arizona651$86,326
19Michigan636$80,535
20Utah570$72,885
21Wisconsin520$72,118
22Indiana490$90,165
23Missouri483$75,075
24Connecticut476$97,116
25Tennessee472$79,628
26Kansas260$64,168
27Kentucky243$72,747
28South Carolina242$73,853
29Arkansas213$75,160
30Nevada208$86,400
31Iowa202$70,314
32Alabama202$70,144
33Idaho185$78,265
34New Hampshire180$78,290
35Nebraska176$63,238
36Rhode Island156$103,628
37Louisiana153$73,385
38Delaware135$80,175
39Montana127$70,937
40New Mexico124$80,363
41Oklahoma116$65,926
42Maine107$70,010
43Vermont98$70,247
44Mississippi79$77,715
45Hawaii75$73,347
46North Dakota66$94,226
47South Dakota45$68,369
48West Virginia40$87,836
49Alaska39$76,993
50Wyoming33$67,238

Creative Manager Education

Creative Manager Majors

Creative Manager Degrees

Bachelors

79.6 %

Associate

10.9 %

Masters

6.1 %

Top Colleges for Creative Managers

1. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Psychology
Communication
Marketing
Fine Arts
Journalism

2. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Public Relations
Marketing
Journalism

3. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Communication
Computer Applications
Liberal Arts
Marketing

4. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Communication
Marketing
English

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Public Relations
Liberal Arts
Psychology
Communication

6. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Psychology
Communication
Marketing

7. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Education
Business
Communication
Fine Arts
Marketing

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Journalism
Marketing
English

9. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Public Relations
Psychology
Business
Marketing
Education

10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Education
Business
Communication
Psychology

Top Skills For a Creative Manager

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 6.9% of creative managers listed project management on their resume, but soft skills such as organizational skills and analytical skills are important as well.

  • Project Management, 6.9%
  • Digital Marketing, 6.6%
  • Graphic Design, 6.3%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 4.8%
  • Creative Strategy, 4.5%
  • Other Skills, 70.9%

Choose From 10+ Customizable Creative Manager Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Creative Manager templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Creative Manager resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Creative Manager Demographics

Creative Manager Gender Distribution

Male
Male
54%
Female
Female
46%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among creative managers, 46.4% of them are women, while 53.6% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among creative managers is White, which makes up 74.6% of all creative managers.

  • The most common foreign language among creative managers is Spanish at 42.0%.

Online Courses For Creative Manager That You May Like

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1. Creativity Toolkit II: Creative Collaboration

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Creativity requires us to collaborate with others, and this course helps you be a better creative collaborator. We need to be able to pitch our creative ideas so that others are excited rather than baffled or dismissive by them. We need to be able to evaluate the ideas of others so we identify rather than miss creative solutions. We need to be able to work with our teams such that creativity thrives rather than is suppressed. This course addresses each of these needs, identifying challenges and...

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2. Creativity And Entrepreneurship

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Creativity & Entrepreneurship will help you tap into your inner creativity and learn how to leverage it for career development or business innovation. Presented by Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship founder Panos Panay, this course features interviews with world renown entrepreneurs, innovators, songwriters, producers, creative directors, educators, performers, visual artists and chefs as they discuss parallels between the creative and entrepreneurial journeys. The course...

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3. Artificial Creativity

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Artificial Creativity explores the emerging field of creativity in artificial intelligence (AI) from a design perspective, bringing together insights from computer science and creative disciplines. In this course, you will survey the history and theories behind today's creative AI, analyze the unorthodox approaches that have advanced the field, and experience cutting-edge creative AI tools. At the same time, you will learn design thinking research methods, how to implement them for your...

See More on Coursera
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Best States For a Creative Manager

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a creative manager. The best states for people in this position are California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and North Carolina. Creative managers make the most in California with an average salary of $109,099. Whereas in New Jersey and Rhode Island, they would average $106,373 and $103,628, respectively. While creative managers would only make an average of $101,197 in North Carolina, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. California

Total Creative Manager Jobs: 6,841
Highest 10% Earn:
$168,000
Location Quotient:
1.74

2. Washington

Total Creative Manager Jobs: 1,721
Highest 10% Earn:
$148,000
Location Quotient:
1.75

3. New Jersey

Total Creative Manager Jobs: 1,407
Highest 10% Earn:
$154,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Full List Of Best States For Creative Managers

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Top Creative Manager Employers

Most Common Employers For Creative Manager

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Meta$138,500$66.594
2Citi$118,611$57.024
3Macy's$117,624$56.554
4Mattel$116,161$55.855
5JCPenney$115,725$55.644
6Amazon$112,446$54.065
7The Walt Disney Company$109,944$52.866
8Ralph Lauren$107,038$51.466
9Walmart$105,427$50.6910
10Toys"R"Us$103,007$49.526

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