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The differences between design directors and graphic artists 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 graphic artist. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $54,900 average annual salary of a graphic artist.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for a graphic artist are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.
| Design Director | Graphic Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $54,900 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $26.39 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 8,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
A graphic artist is either an illustrator or an animator who creates art work that will be used in graphic projects such as advertisements, posters, or even book covers. Although a graphic artist has his/her own style of artwork, he/she may be often commissioned to create art specifically for a particular project. A graphic artist may work with a graphic designer in order to convey the overall message of a project. The portfolio of a graphic artist includes cartoons, illustrations, and graphic novels.
Design directors and graphic artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Graphic Artist | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $54,900 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $35,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Proenza Schouler | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a design director and a graphic artist in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Graphic Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design directors' and graphic artists' demographics:
| Design Director | Graphic Artist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| 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% |