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The differences between lead graphic designers and junior 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 junior designer. Additionally, a lead graphic designer has an average salary of $76,009, which is higher than the $53,349 average annual salary of a junior designer.
The top three skills for a lead graphic designer include adobe photoshop, graphic design and design concepts. The most important skills for a junior designer are sketch, graphic design, and adobe creative suite.
| Lead Graphic Designer | Junior Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,009 | $53,349 |
| Hourly rate | $36.54 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,260 | 58,152 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| 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.
A junior designer is an entry-level professional who is responsible for creating high-quality designs according to the requirements of clients. Under the supervision of senior designers, junior designers must understand project requirements and projects and use various techniques to create drafts, models, and prototypes. They collaborate with team members to pitch in creative ideas and produce final design solutions that can include banners or logos. Junior designers must also take on specially design tasks and use feedback from other designers to improve.
Lead graphic designers and junior designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Graphic Designer | Junior Designer | |
| Average salary | $76,009 | $53,349 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $131,000 | Between $43,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead graphic designer and a junior designer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Graphic Designer | Junior Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | 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 graphic designers' and junior designers' demographics:
| Lead Graphic Designer | Junior Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| 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, 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% |