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The differences between design directors and freelance designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a design director and a freelance designer. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $57,260 average annual salary of a freelance designer.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Design Director | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A design director spearheads and oversees design projects in a company or organization. They typically have the authority to lead the creative and design teams, make significant decisions, delegate responsibilities, set goals and schedules, manage budgets and resources, and direct the project's cycle from planning to execution. They also coordinate with clients and solve issues when any arise. Additionally, a design director leads and encourages teams to reach goals, all while implementing standards and policies, developing new ones when necessary.
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Design directors and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Proenza Schouler | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a design director and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design directors' and freelance designers' demographics:
| Design Director | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0% |
| 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% |