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The differences between design directors and head 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 head designer. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $116,986 average annual salary of a head designer.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for a head designer are product design, UI, and sketch.
| Design Director | Head Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $116,986 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $56.24 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 53,876 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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.
The Head Designer is the overall command over the creative team's design and the entire company. The heads of the organization look toward the head designer to provide insights into the artistic path the company will take to achieve a unique brand in the market. The head designer is highly-creative, good in management, and can articulate abstract ideas clearly and relay them to company administrators, customers, and clients. A head designer's responsibilities are to handle the creative team, train each member, and provide guidance in every part of the designing process.
Design directors and head designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Head Designer | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $116,986 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $71,000 And $191,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Proenza Schouler | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a design director and a head designer in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Head Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design directors' and head designers' demographics:
| Design Director | Head Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 50.1% Female, 49.9% |
| 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% |