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The differences between lead designers and head 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 lead designer and a head designer. Additionally, a head designer has an average salary of $116,986, 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 head designer are product design, UI, and sketch.
| Lead Designer | Head Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $110,001 | $116,986 |
| Hourly rate | $52.89 | $56.24 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,423 | 53,876 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
The Head Designer is the overall command over the creative team's design and the entire company. The heads of the organization look toward the head designer to provide insights into the artistic path the company will take to achieve a unique brand in the market. The head designer is highly-creative, good in management, and can articulate abstract ideas clearly and relay them to company administrators, customers, and clients. A head designer's responsibilities are to handle the creative team, train each member, and provide guidance in every part of the designing process.
Lead designers and head designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Designer | Head Designer | |
| Average salary | $110,001 | $116,986 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $154,000 | Between $71,000 And $191,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a lead designer and a head designer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Designer | Head Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lead designers' and head designers' demographics:
| Lead Designer | Head Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 50.1% Female, 49.9% |
| 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% |