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The differences between owner & designers and lead graphic designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an owner & designer and a lead graphic designer. Additionally, a lead graphic designer has an average salary of $76,009, which is higher than the $48,688 average annual salary of an owner & designer.
The top three skills for an owner & designer include customer service, graphic design and website design. The most important skills for a lead graphic designer are adobe photoshop, graphic design, and design concepts.
| Owner & Designer | Lead Graphic Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $48,688 | $76,009 |
| Hourly rate | $23.41 | $36.54 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 91,490 | 46,260 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Owners/designers are responsible for the overall creation of their designs, including the marketing campaigns to boost their brand image, and hiring people to help them execute the production for desired results. They also reach out to potential clients to offer their services, negotiate contract terms and payments, and work within the clients' specifications and timeframe. Owners/designers must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on enforcing critical business decisions that would define the owner's strategies and market performance.
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.
Owner & designers and lead graphic designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner & Designer | Lead Graphic Designer | |
| Average salary | $48,688 | $76,009 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $72,000 | Between $44,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an owner & designer and a lead graphic designer in terms of educational background:
| Owner & Designer | Lead Graphic Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | 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 owner & designers' and lead graphic designers' demographics:
| Owner & Designer | Lead Graphic Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% |
| 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% |