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The differences between digital designers and art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a digital designer, becoming an art director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $72,987 average annual salary of a digital designer.
The top three skills for a digital designer include sketch, digital marketing and graphic design. The most important skills for an art director are graphic design, art direction, and creative concepts.
| Digital Designer | Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $72,987 | $88,367 |
| Hourly rate | $35.09 | $42.48 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 61,109 | 11,472 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A digital designer is an individual who is responsible for creating digital assets for multimedia and graphic projects that can include mobile applications, video games, and interactive displays. Digital designers must collaborate with project managers, design teams, and content experts to interpret the team's concepts into a design that will deliver an effective user experience. They must be experts in using computer software and applications to create digital designs and convert data to a graphical interface such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Digital designers must also have a bachelor's degree in graphic design or fine arts.
An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign. Most of the time, it is an art director's call to conceptualize and bring a vision to completion and take the lead in coordinating with various artists and creative staff. Furthermore, an art director must oversee the progress of workflow and workforce, develop plans and strategies, and approve or provide suggestions in every creative output from staff.
Digital designers and art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Designer | Art Director | |
| Average salary | $72,987 | $88,367 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $114,000 | Between $57,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lyft | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a digital designer and an art director in terms of educational background:
| Digital Designer | Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between digital designers' and art directors' demographics:
| Digital Designer | Art Director | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 11% |