Career Overview
Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual productions and media, such as print, broadcasting, video, and film. Direct workers engaged in artwork or layout design.
Also Known As
- Art Director
- Creative Director (CD Director)
- Creative Services Director
- Design Director
Alternate Job Titles
- Art Administrator (Art Admin)
- Art Coordinator
- Art Director
- Art Manager
- Art Supervisor
- Artistic Director
- Brand Creative Director
- Creative Art Director
- Creative Design Director
- Creative Director (CD Director)
- Creative Manager
- Creative Operations Director (Creative Ops Director)
- Creative Services Director
- Creative Services Manager
- Design Director
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
- Present final layouts to clients for approval.
- Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
- Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
- Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
- Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
- Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Design
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Fine Arts
- Communications and Media
- Sales and Marketing
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Time Management
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Fluency of Ideas
- Originality
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Written Comprehension
- Visualization
- Problem Sensitivity
- Visual Color Discrimination
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Innovation
- Leadership Orientation
- Adaptability
- Self-Confidence
- Dependability
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- AJAX
- Apple macOS
- Atlassian Confluence
- Atlassian JIRA
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital still cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
- Sketching pencils
- Tablet computers
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Sitting
- Time Pressure
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $61,060 |
| Median | $111,040 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $211,410 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 50,370
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Graphic Designers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $61,300
Special Effects Artists and Animators
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,800
Producers and Directors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $83,480
Project Management Specialists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $100,750
Writers and Authors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $72,270
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.