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Head designer vs project and design lead

The differences between head designers and project and design leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a head designer, becoming a project and design lead takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a head designer has an average salary of $116,986, which is higher than the $89,305 average annual salary of a project and design lead.

The top three skills for a head designer include product design, UI and sketch. The most important skills for a project and design lead are CAD, construction drawings, and solidworks.

Head designer vs project and design lead overview

Head DesignerProject And Design Lead
Yearly salary$116,986$89,305
Hourly rate$56.24$42.94
Growth rate3%2%
Number of jobs53,87655,086
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age3841
Years of experience126

Head designer vs project and design lead salary

Head designers and project and design leads have different pay scales, as shown below.

Head DesignerProject And Design Lead
Average salary$116,986$89,305
Salary rangeBetween $71,000 And $191,000Between $67,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CARedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyAirbnbEli Lilly and Company
Best paying industryHospitalityFinance

Differences between head designer and project and design lead education

There are a few differences between a head designer and a project and design lead in terms of educational background:

Head DesignerProject And Design Lead
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorGraphic DesignMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaMichigan Technological University

Head designer vs project and design lead demographics

Here are the differences between head designers' and project and design leads' demographics:

Head DesignerProject And Design Lead
Average age3841
Gender ratioMale, 50.1% Female, 49.9%Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9%
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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage13%5%

Differences between head designer and project and design lead duties and responsibilities

Head designer example responsibilities.

  • Help manage e-commerce website with adding new product to the site and uploading of website banners, and photography.
  • Create HTML files and CSS style sheets for integration with JavaScript.
  • Create interface mock-ups out of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for integration into the broader, web-base application.
  • Sketch, design artwork, develop tech packs and communicate overseas to assure the understanding of the details of garment.
  • Provide production level UI design tweaks need for development.
  • Produce video cassette labels, brochures, newsletters and advertisements.
  • Show more

Project and design lead example responsibilities.

  • Deliver high-level n-tier architecture design, managing project expectations and timetables throughout all phases of development process.
  • Identify key areas for FPGA design improvement while isolating testing gaps in VHDL.
  • Request enhancements to the PLM product.
  • Work with composite materials, molds and SolidWorks.
  • Work with a 3rd party to utilize Solidworks EPDM software.
  • Develop requirements for customization of PLM product to suit Chrysler business processes.
  • Show more

Head designer vs project and design lead skills

Common head designer skills
  • Product Design, 12%
  • UI, 9%
  • Sketch, 9%
  • User Experience, 8%
  • Product Development, 6%
  • Lead Design, 5%
Common project and design lead skills
  • CAD, 12%
  • Construction Drawings, 8%
  • Solidworks, 6%
  • Design Concepts, 5%
  • R, 5%
  • QA, 5%

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