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The differences between design managers and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a design manager, becoming an architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a design manager has an average salary of $102,637, which is higher than the $86,635 average annual salary of an architect.
The top three skills for a design manager include sketch, project management and visualization. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.
| Design Manager | Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $102,637 | $86,635 |
| Hourly rate | $49.34 | $41.65 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 61,273 | 94,621 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience. They coordinate with the creative team and present the design ideas to the management, ask for final approval, perform revisions as needed, and follow the budget goals. A design manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the design team's concerns and needs.
Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".
Design managers and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Manager | Architect | |
| Average salary | $102,637 | $86,635 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $150,000 | Between $54,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a design manager and an architect in terms of educational background:
| Design Manager | Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Architecture |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between design managers' and architects' demographics:
| Design Manager | Architect | |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 11.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 16.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 15% |