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Digital designer vs senior graphic designer

The differences between digital designers and senior graphic 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 digital designer and a senior graphic designer. Additionally, a senior graphic designer has an average salary of $73,921, 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 a senior graphic designer are sketch, adobe creative suite, and creative concepts.

Digital designer vs senior graphic designer overview

Digital DesignerSenior Graphic Designer
Yearly salary$72,987$73,921
Hourly rate$35.09$35.54
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs61,10946,310
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age3838
Years of experience1212

What does a digital designer do?

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.

What does a senior graphic designer do?

A senior graphic designer oversees all of the designing operations in a company, from conceptualization to production. One of their primary responsibilities is to ensure that all designs produced are according to a client's preference and brand. They also encourage fresh ideas from the team, communicate with clients or representatives, and manage the schedules to meet all deadlines. Furthermore, as a senior graphic designer, they are responsible for leading and mentoring a team of graphic designers, all in the joint effort to reach project goals.

Digital designer vs senior graphic designer salary

Digital designers and senior graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Digital DesignerSenior Graphic Designer
Average salary$72,987$73,921
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $114,000Between $51,000 And $105,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyLyftPractice Fusion
Best paying industryAutomotiveTechnology

Differences between digital designer and senior graphic designer education

There are a few differences between a digital designer and a senior graphic designer in terms of educational background:

Digital DesignerSenior Graphic Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Digital designer vs senior graphic designer demographics

Here are the differences between digital designers' and senior graphic designers' demographics:

Digital DesignerSenior Graphic Designer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 60.0% Female, 40.0%Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage13%13%

Differences between digital designer and senior graphic designer duties and responsibilities

Digital designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage various clients and projects as a sole proprietor, specializing in creative design, animation, and illustration.
  • Use ASP.NET and XML to automate common workflow tasks due to extremely high volume of designs to be create.
  • Manage website redesign including copywriting and updating all website content.
  • Work in SharePoint, Dreamweaver, HTML5, CSS, wireframes, storyboards, and WordPress.
  • Create weekly HTML email campaigns to generate a marketing presence and drive traffic to their social media and web sites.
  • Make clickable prototypes using InVision.
  • Show more

Senior graphic designer example responsibilities.

  • Create and manage license product lines from concept sketch to production sample.
  • Manage front-end development of company website, ordering system, and JavaScript presentations.
  • Create ads, manage copywriting, respond to customer inquiries, generate brand unity, establish clear company identity.
  • Perform front-end development, navigation, IA, UI, analysis, visual design, and SEO.
  • Produce and maintain sales literature, posters, trade show materials, print ads and marketing promotional materials for print media.
  • Design and execute production of marketing collateral; including annual catalogs, brochures, and a special contest information package
  • Show more

Digital designer vs senior graphic designer skills

Common digital designer skills
  • Sketch, 12%
  • Digital Marketing, 7%
  • Graphic Design, 7%
  • Digital Design, 6%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 5%
  • UI, 4%
Common senior graphic designer skills
  • Sketch, 7%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 7%
  • Creative Concepts, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Art Direction, 4%
  • HTML, 4%

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