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The differences between lead graphic 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 graphic designer and a head designer. Additionally, a head designer has an average salary of $116,986, which is higher than the $76,009 average annual salary of a lead graphic designer.
The top three skills for a lead graphic designer include adobe photoshop, graphic design and design concepts. The most important skills for a head designer are product design, UI, and sketch.
| Lead Graphic Designer | Head Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,009 | $116,986 |
| Hourly rate | $36.54 | $56.24 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,260 | 53,876 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A lead graphic designer is responsible for creating, designing, and updating the company's visual aspects. The lead graphic designer works closely with the branding department alongside the advertising and marketing team. It is essential for the lead graphic designer must be creative, willing to think outside the box, and brave to dare novel ideas. The lead graphic designer is also responsible for leading the creative department in accomplishing assigned tasks from management.
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 graphic designers and head designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Graphic Designer | Head Designer | |
| Average salary | $76,009 | $116,986 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $131,000 | Between $71,000 And $191,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a lead graphic designer and a head designer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Graphic Designer | Head Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | 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 graphic designers' and head designers' demographics:
| Lead Graphic Designer | Head Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% | 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% |