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The differences between multimedia designers and art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a multimedia designer, becoming an art director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $61,468 average annual salary of a multimedia designer.
The top three skills for a multimedia designer include graphic design, video production and animation. The most important skills for an art director are graphic design, art direction, and creative concepts.
| Multimedia Designer | Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $61,468 | $88,367 |
| Hourly rate | $29.55 | $42.48 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 45,329 | 11,472 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A multimedia designer is responsible for creating graphic content and animations for digital platforms and media advertisements. Multimedia designers produce high-quality visual materials according to business requirements and budget limitations. They coordinate with the whole design team for the accuracy of deliverables and modifications as needed. A multimedia designer must be highly technical and creative, especially in utilizing various software applications and programs to develop graphic animations that adhere to quality standards and ensuring its appeal to the target audience.
An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign. Most of the time, it is an art director's call to conceptualize and bring a vision to completion and take the lead in coordinating with various artists and creative staff. Furthermore, an art director must oversee the progress of workflow and workforce, develop plans and strategies, and approve or provide suggestions in every creative output from staff.
Multimedia designers and art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Multimedia Designer | Art Director | |
| Average salary | $61,468 | $88,367 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $83,000 | Between $57,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Technology |
There are a few differences between a multimedia designer and an art director in terms of educational background:
| Multimedia Designer | Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between multimedia designers' and art directors' demographics:
| Multimedia Designer | Art Director | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 11% |