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The differences between graphic design managers and 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 graphic design manager and a designer. Additionally, a graphic design manager has an average salary of $66,975, which is higher than the $66,347 average annual salary of a designer.
The top three skills for a graphic design manager include graphic design, project management and customer service. The most important skills for a designer are sketch, customer service, and graphic design.
| Graphic Design Manager | Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,975 | $66,347 |
| Hourly rate | $32.20 | $31.90 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,269 | 52,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A graphic design manager is primarily in charge of leading and overseeing the efforts of a graphic design team, ensuring adherence to goals and deadlines. It is their duty to learn and analyze the purpose of design, coordinate staff, liaise with internal and external parties, set goals and objectives, manage schedules, and conceptualize plans. Furthermore, as a graphic design manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.
Graphic design managers and designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Design Manager | Designer | |
| Average salary | $66,975 | $66,347 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $91,000 | Between $45,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a graphic design manager and a designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Design Manager | Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between graphic design managers' and designers' demographics:
| Graphic Design Manager | Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| 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, 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 | 13% | 13% |