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The differences between lead designers and creative directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a lead designer, becoming a creative director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a creative director has an average salary of $137,779, which is higher than the $110,001 average annual salary of a lead designer.
The top three skills for a lead designer include sketch, user experience and architecture. The most important skills for a creative director are graphic design, creative concepts, and creative direction.
| Lead Designer | Creative Director | |
| Yearly salary | $110,001 | $137,779 |
| Hourly rate | $52.89 | $66.24 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 45,423 | 11,610 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A lead designer is responsible for addressing the clients' needs of digital content and coordinating with the design team for the planning and innovation of the visual design and concept. Lead designers conduct the initial layout of frameworks and collaborate with the art staff for the specifications and outputs using various software applications and digital boards. They regularly update the client of the project's status, including adjustment and design recommendations, ensuring that the plan meets the client's budget goals. A lead designer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on running diagnostic tests to improve optimal performance.
A creative director is an individual who creates and maintains a vision for a company's products and branding through digital, print, and film installations. Creative directors supervise and innovative staff team such as graphic designers and artists to discuss and plan the vision's layout and visuals. They also meet with clients or marketing and advertising departments to create designs and make the necessary changes to the systems. Most creative directors must have a bachelor's degree in fine arts and should build work portfolios while starting their careers as graphic designers or photographers.
Lead designers and creative directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Designer | Creative Director | |
| Average salary | $110,001 | $137,779 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $154,000 | Between $82,000 And $228,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead designer and a creative director in terms of educational background:
| Lead Designer | Creative Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between lead designers' and creative directors' demographics:
| Lead Designer | Creative Director | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 11% |