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The differences between design directors and owner & 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 owner & designer. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $48,688 average annual salary of an owner & designer.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for an owner & designer are customer service, graphic design, and website design.
| Design Director | Owner & Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $48,688 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $23.41 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 91,490 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
Owners/designers are responsible for the overall creation of their designs, including the marketing campaigns to boost their brand image, and hiring people to help them execute the production for desired results. They also reach out to potential clients to offer their services, negotiate contract terms and payments, and work within the clients' specifications and timeframe. Owners/designers must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on enforcing critical business decisions that would define the owner's strategies and market performance.
Design directors and owner & designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Owner & Designer | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $48,688 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $32,000 And $72,000 |
| 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 an owner & designer in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Owner & Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design directors' and owner & designers' demographics:
| Design Director | Owner & Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| 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% |