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The differences between senior graphic designers and lead designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a senior graphic designer and a lead designer. Additionally, a lead designer has an average salary of $110,001, which is higher than the $73,921 average annual salary of a senior graphic designer.
The top three skills for a senior graphic designer include sketch, adobe creative suite and creative concepts. The most important skills for a lead designer are sketch, user experience, and architecture.
| Senior Graphic Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,921 | $110,001 |
| Hourly rate | $35.54 | $52.89 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,310 | 45,423 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A senior graphic designer oversees all of the designing operations in a company, from conceptualization to production. One of their primary responsibilities is to ensure that all designs produced are according to a client's preference and brand. They also encourage fresh ideas from the team, communicate with clients or representatives, and manage the schedules to meet all deadlines. Furthermore, as a senior graphic designer, they are responsible for leading and mentoring a team of graphic designers, all in the joint effort to reach project goals.
A lead designer is responsible for addressing the clients' needs of digital content and coordinating with the design team for the planning and innovation of the visual design and concept. Lead designers conduct the initial layout of frameworks and collaborate with the art staff for the specifications and outputs using various software applications and digital boards. They regularly update the client of the project's status, including adjustment and design recommendations, ensuring that the plan meets the client's budget goals. A lead designer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on running diagnostic tests to improve optimal performance.
Senior graphic designers and lead designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Graphic Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average salary | $73,921 | $110,001 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $105,000 | Between $78,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Practice Fusion | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior graphic designer and a lead designer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Graphic Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior graphic designers' and lead designers' demographics:
| Senior Graphic Designer | Lead Designer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| 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% |