Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead artists and graphic design specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lead artist, becoming a graphic design specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a lead artist has an average salary of $83,041, which is higher than the $55,925 average annual salary of a graphic design specialist.
The top three skills for a lead artist include maya, animation and portfolio. The most important skills for a graphic design specialist are graphic design, adobe creative suite, and visualization.
| Lead Artist | Graphic Design Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $83,041 | $55,925 |
| Hourly rate | $39.92 | $26.89 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 4,799 | 49,055 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
The duties of a lead artist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to identify and meet their needs, coordinating with the creative staff in developing concepts and samples to present to the clients, conducting revisions, and submitting finished works according to the prescribed format and manner. Furthermore, as a lead artist, it is essential to spearhead the efforts and encourage the team to reach goals, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, including the clients' vision.
A graphic design specialist utilizes their artistic expertise in creating imagery and designs that convey a particular message. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to determine their needs and goals, developing concepts and subjecting it for client approval, and revising designs as necessary. In a company setting, a graphic design specialist may work with a team, coordinating with them while sticking to budgets and deadlines. Furthermore, as a team member, it is essential to report to managers or supervisors, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Lead artists and graphic design specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Artist | Graphic Design Specialist | |
| Average salary | $83,041 | $55,925 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $128,000 | Between $38,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Berkshire Hathaway |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead artist and a graphic design specialist in terms of educational background:
| Lead Artist | Graphic Design Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lead artists' and graphic design specialists' demographics:
| Lead Artist | Graphic Design Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% | Male, 50.0% Female, 50.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |