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The differences between freelance art directors and junior art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a freelance art director and a junior art director. Additionally, a junior art director has an average salary of $86,890, which is higher than the $85,453 average annual salary of a freelance art director.
The top three skills for a freelance art director include photography, strong work ethic and creative development. The most important skills for a junior art director are graphic design, adobe creative suite, and creative concepts.
| Freelance Art Director | Junior Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $85,453 | $86,890 |
| Hourly rate | $41.08 | $41.77 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 9,215 | 20,105 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
As a freelance art director, you will work hand-in-hand with the production designer to procure works of art for your organization. Note that your duties will depend on your particular industry. Generally, though, you will determine the artistic tone of various projects and use visuals to give life to magazines, websites, ad campaigns, and lots more. You may also lead a team of artists, evaluate the art, and approve copies. In this role, it is very likely you will work for an advertising agency, publisher, or media production company.
The job of a junior art director is to plan, assist, and execute the design and creative projects, including websites, emails, magazines, and ad campaigns. Duties may vary but typically include creating presentations and layouts, working closely with other departments on current projects, and organizing and conducting training on branding and design concepts. Additionally, you will be responsible for creating logos, brand standards, and corporate marketing. You are also responsible for creating graphic standards and communication guidelines.
Freelance art directors and junior art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Freelance Art Director | Junior Art Director | |
| Average salary | $85,453 | $86,890 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $142,000 | Between $50,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a freelance art director and a junior art director in terms of educational background:
| Freelance Art Director | Junior Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between freelance art directors' and junior art directors' demographics:
| Freelance Art Director | Junior Art Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.1% Female, 40.9% | Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |