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The differences between lead designers and industrial designers 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 an industrial designer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a lead designer has an average salary of $110,001, which is higher than the $63,384 average annual salary of an industrial designer.
The top three skills for a lead designer include sketch, user experience and architecture. The most important skills for an industrial designer are industrial design, solidworks, and CAD.
| Lead Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $110,001 | $63,384 |
| Hourly rate | $52.89 | $30.47 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,423 | 54,012 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
Industrial Designers work with clients to conceptualize product ideas. They collaborate with clients in creating product blueprints, samples, and mock-ups. Industrial Designers create drafts based on the clients' ideas, keeping in mind the different requirements as well as aesthetic qualities that the clients envision. They usually specialize in a specific product category such as toys, furniture, and cars, among others. Industrial Designers also collaborate with other professionals such as manufacturers, materials experts, safety experts, and other product makers to ensure the feasibility and the product safety of the concepts they come up with.
Lead designers and industrial designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Average salary | $110,001 | $63,384 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $154,000 | Between $43,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead designer and an industrial designer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between lead designers' and industrial designers' demographics:
| Lead Designer | Industrial Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 1.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 10.1% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 8% |