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The differences between senior computer aided design designers and art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior computer aided design designer and an art director. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $72,604 average annual salary of a senior computer aided design designer.
The top three skills for a senior computer aided design designer include autocad, and . The most important skills for an art director are graphic design, art direction, and creative concepts.
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $72,604 | $88,367 |
| Hourly rate | $34.91 | $42.48 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 91,006 | 11,472 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Computer-Aided Designer is focused on creating designs for the organization using specialized computer-based applications. They draft drawings according to industry standards.
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.
Senior computer aided design designers and art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Art Director | |
| Average salary | $72,604 | $88,367 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $121,000 | Between $57,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior computer aided design designer and an art director in terms of educational background:
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior computer aided design designers' and art directors' demographics:
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Art Director | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 12.1% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 5% | 11% |