Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between graphic design managers and freelance 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 freelance designer. Additionally, a graphic design manager has an average salary of $66,975, which is higher than the $57,260 average annual salary of a freelance designer.
The top three skills for a graphic design manager include graphic design, project management and customer service. The most important skills for a freelance designer are sketch, CSS, and HTML.
| Graphic Design Manager | Freelance Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,975 | $57,260 |
| Hourly rate | $32.20 | $27.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,269 | 45,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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.
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Graphic design managers and freelance designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graphic Design Manager | Freelance Designer | |
| Average salary | $66,975 | $57,260 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $91,000 | Between $39,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a graphic design manager and a freelance designer in terms of educational background:
| Graphic Design Manager | Freelance Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 freelance designers' demographics:
| Graphic Design Manager | Freelance Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% | Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0% |
| 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% |