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Lead piping designer vs design manager

The differences between lead piping designers and design managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a lead piping designer, becoming a design manager takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a lead piping designer has an average salary of $111,648, which is higher than the $102,637 average annual salary of a design manager.

The top three skills for a lead piping designer include autocad, equipment layout and p id. The most important skills for a design manager are sketch, project management, and visualization.

Lead piping designer vs design manager overview

Lead Piping DesignerDesign Manager
Yearly salary$111,648$102,637
Hourly rate$53.68$49.34
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs49,80261,273
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4148
Years of experience6-

What does a lead piping designer do?

A lead piping designer is primarily in charge of designing and drafting plans and layouts for developing and constructing pipe systems for water, gas, oil, petroleum, or sewage. Their job entails conducting extensive research and assessments, gathering and analyzing data, utilizing tools and software, coordinating with experts, and creating models for approval. Additionally, as a lead designer, it is essential to coordinate and lead junior designers in a joint effort to complete project goals while adhering to safety standards, policies, and regulations.

What does a design manager do?

A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience. They coordinate with the creative team and present the design ideas to the management, ask for final approval, perform revisions as needed, and follow the budget goals. A design manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the design team's concerns and needs.

Lead piping designer vs design manager salary

Lead piping designers and design managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead Piping DesignerDesign Manager
Average salary$111,648$102,637
Salary rangeBetween $78,000 And $158,000Between $69,000 And $150,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between lead piping designer and design manager education

There are a few differences between a lead piping designer and a design manager in terms of educational background:

Lead Piping DesignerDesign Manager
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorDrafting And DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Lead piping designer vs design manager demographics

Here are the differences between lead piping designers' and design managers' demographics:

Lead Piping DesignerDesign Manager
Average age4148
Gender ratioMale, 93.6% Female, 6.4%Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 11.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage5%9%

Differences between lead piping designer and design manager duties and responsibilities

Lead piping designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain CADWorx databases, verify data accuracy, and create reports and queries.
  • Provide client 3D progress presentations using Navisworks.
  • Initiate and complete final existing piping modifications (PRM) for new rack support installations throughout MPC refinery.
  • Serve as direct liaison between refinery personnel and WorleyParsons management.
  • Check completed projects and revise documentation affect by modifications to reflect as-built condition of plant.
  • Analyze stress systems using visual and AutoPIPE computer aid calculations.

Design manager example responsibilities.

  • Help achieve status of medical device manufacturer through the FDA.
  • Manage several consultants preparing contract documents on the various NYC let and NYS let projects.
  • Manage and collaborate with ASIC library/memory vendors.
  • Manage design, tooling, equipment implementations and process improvements for foundry/machining metalworking manufacturer of automotive OEM products.
  • Design blueprints, bills of materials, FEA as required.
  • Include producing FDA and ISO-9000 level documentation of the project.
  • Show more

Lead piping designer vs design manager skills

Common lead piping designer skills
  • Autocad, 13%
  • Equipment Layout, 10%
  • P Id, 6%
  • Refinery, 6%
  • Navisworks, 5%
  • Chemical Plant, 4%
Common design manager skills
  • Sketch, 8%
  • Project Management, 8%
  • Visualization, 5%
  • User Experience, 4%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Design Process, 4%

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