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The differences between design directors and senior 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 senior designer. Additionally, a design director has an average salary of $132,823, which is higher than the $102,058 average annual salary of a senior designer.
The top three skills for a design director include sketch, human centered design and product design. The most important skills for a senior designer are sketch, graphic design, and human centered design.
| Design Director | Senior Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $132,823 | $102,058 |
| Hourly rate | $63.86 | $49.07 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,337 | 47,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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.
Senior designers are typically in charge of realizing design solutions that adhere to the business goals and marketing strategies of an organization. They should be comfortable managing graphics designers and making decisions. They must have extensive knowledge of styles, layout techniques, and graphic design while also managing projects and people effectively. Senior designers have a variety of duties, which include delegating tasks to junior designers, maintaining high-quality standards, and collaborating to improve digital creativity standards.
Design directors and senior designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Director | Senior Designer | |
| Average salary | $132,823 | $102,058 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $212,000 | Between $72,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Proenza Schouler | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Media |
There are a few differences between a design director and a senior designer in terms of educational background:
| Design Director | Senior Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between design directors' and senior designers' demographics:
| Design Director | Senior Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% |
| 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% |