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The differences between freelance art directors and senior graphic designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a freelance art director, becoming a senior graphic designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a freelance art director has an average salary of $85,453, which is higher than the $73,921 average annual salary of a senior graphic designer.
The top three skills for a freelance art director include photography, strong work ethic and creative development. The most important skills for a senior graphic designer are sketch, adobe creative suite, and creative concepts.
| Freelance Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,453 | $73,921 |
| Hourly rate | $41.08 | $35.54 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 9,215 | 46,310 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
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.
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.
Freelance art directors and senior graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Freelance Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $85,453 | $73,921 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $142,000 | Between $51,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Practice Fusion |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a freelance art director and a senior graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Freelance Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between freelance art directors' and senior graphic designers' demographics:
| Freelance Art Director | Senior Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.1% Female, 40.9% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 13% |