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The differences between senior designers and computer aided design designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior designer, becoming a computer aided design designer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior designer has an average salary of $102,058, which is higher than the $60,150 average annual salary of a computer aided design designer.
The top three skills for a senior designer include sketch, graphic design and human centered design. The most important skills for a computer aided design designer are auto cad, revit, and aided design.
| Senior Designer | Computer Aided Design Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,058 | $60,150 |
| Hourly rate | $49.07 | $28.92 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 47,503 | 92,503 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Associate Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Senior designers are typically in charge of realizing design solutions that adhere to the business goals and marketing strategies of an organization. They should be comfortable managing graphics designers and making decisions. They must have extensive knowledge of styles, layout techniques, and graphic design while also managing projects and people effectively. Senior designers have a variety of duties, which include delegating tasks to junior designers, maintaining high-quality standards, and collaborating to improve digital creativity standards.
A computer-aided design (CAD) designer is responsible for creating plan outlines and project designs for a specific business need. A CAD designer utilizes various technologies and software applications to generate graphic illustrations. CAD designers must have strong knowledge of the technology designs, software management, engineering standards, and the construction industry fundamentals. CAD designers label their works with appropriate dimensions and specifications, performing necessary adjustments to meet the clients' needs. A CAD designer requires excellent critical-thinking and analytical skills to manage design structures and creative solutions.
Senior designers and computer aided design designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Designer | Computer Aided Design Designer | |
| Average salary | $102,058 | $60,150 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $143,000 | Between $40,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Lyft | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Media | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior designer and a computer aided design designer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Designer | Computer Aided Design Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Associate Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | LeTourneau University |
Here are the differences between senior designers' and computer aided design designers' demographics:
| Senior Designer | Computer Aided Design Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| 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, 3.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 6% |