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The differences between design directors and interactive 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 an interactive designer. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $97,929 average annual salary of an interactive designer.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for an interactive designer are sketch, user experience, and UI.
| Design Director | Interactive Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $97,929 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $47.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 48,136 |
| 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.
An Interactive Designer takes the business product and transforms it into a product that the user interacts with perfectly. They support engineering efforts to develop designs and get the details right.
Design directors and interactive designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Interactive Designer | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $97,929 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $67,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Proenza Schouler | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a design director and an interactive designer in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Interactive 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 interactive designers' demographics:
| Design Director | Interactive Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% |
| 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% |