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The differences between lead designers and visual 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 visual designer. Additionally, a lead designer has an average salary of $110,001, which is higher than the $86,495 average annual salary of a visual designer.
The top three skills for a lead designer include sketch, user experience and architecture. The most important skills for a visual designer are sketch, visual design, and graphic design.
| Lead Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $110,001 | $86,495 |
| Hourly rate | $52.89 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,423 | 46,815 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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.
A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Lead designers and visual designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average salary | $110,001 | $86,495 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $154,000 | Between $51,000 And $143,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | ByteDance |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a lead designer and a visual designer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lead designers' and visual designers' demographics:
| Lead Designer | Visual Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| 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% |