What are the main factors that influence a Lead Creative Designer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lead Creative Designer's salary?

A Lead Creative Designer's salary grows with experience: a Graphic Design Specialist II (2-4 years)earns $70,209, a Graphic Design Specialist III (4-7 years)earns $85,241, a Lead Creative Designer (7+ years)earns $105,288, a Graphic Design Specialist V (7-10 years)earns $123,735, a Graphic Design Supervisor (10+ years)earns $100,297,

What are the highest paying states for a Lead Creative Designer?

Lead Creative Designer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lead Creative Designer roles are District of Columbia $115,839, California $115,399, Massachusetts $113,861. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lead Creative Designer roles make?

Salaries for Lead Creative Designer level roles vary by specialization: Electrical Lead Designer: $152,310; Associate Creative Director Designer: $148,045; Fashion Designer Lead: $135,450; Creative Lead: $124,262; Lead UX Designer: $118,988.

How do different companies affect a Lead Creative Designer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lead Creative Designer roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Lead Creative Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Creative Designer make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Creative Designer in the United States is $104,623 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $50.

However, a Lead Creative Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $121,439
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,035 to $113,425
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $86,306

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Lead Creative Designer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$113,425	$9,452	$2,181	$55
Average	$104,623	$8,719	$2,012	$50
25th Percentile	$95,035	$7,920	$1,828	$46

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Creative Designer Salaries

A Lead Creative Designer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Creative Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Creative Designer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $70,209
Early Career (1-2 years): $85,241
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $105,288
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $123,735
Expert (over 8 years): $100,297

Levels	Salary
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$70,209
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$85,241
Lead Crea... Level Lead Creative Designer	$105,288
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$123,735
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$100,297

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Creative Designer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Creative Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $115,839.
California: $115,399.
Massachusetts: $113,861.

District of Columbia $115,839

California $115,399

Massachusetts $113,861

Washington $113,443

New Jersey $113,401

Alaska $113,254

Connecticut $111,811

New York $111,225

Hawaii $109,352

Rhode Island $108,473

Maryland $107,877

Minnesota $107,061

Colorado $106,747

Illinois $106,642

Oregon $106,245

Delaware $105,952

New Hampshire $105,768

Virginia $105,355

Pennsylvania $104,152

Nevada $103,545

North Dakota $103,347

Michigan $103,033

Wisconsin $102,918

Vermont $102,687

Texas $102,049

Maine $102,007

Arizona $101,945

Ohio $101,871

Georgia $100,909

Indiana $100,428

Wyoming $100,333

Utah $100,187

Iowa $100,124

Kansas $99,622

Louisiana $99,476

North Carolina $99,423

Missouri $99,402

Florida $98,994

Montana $98,775

Nebraska $98,565

Kentucky $98,450

South Carolina $98,032

Tennessee $97,770

Idaho $97,666

New Mexico $96,902

Oklahoma $96,734

Alabama $96,117

South Dakota $95,081

Arkansas $94,516

West Virginia $94,213

Mississippi $93,303

Top Paying Cities for Lead Creative Designers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $131,961
San Francisco: $130,664
Oakland: $127,766

San Jose, CA $131,961

San Francisco, CA $130,664

Oakland, CA $127,766

New York, NY $121,248

Queens Village, NY $120,463

Paramus, NJ $119,626

Passaic, NJ $119,521

Bergenfield, NJ $119,417

Stamford, CT $119,260

Huntington, NY $119,155

Newark, NJ $118,475

Bridgeport, CT $118,266

New Brunswick, NJ $117,921

Vallejo, CA $117,701

Middlesex, NJ $117,638

Somerset, NJ $117,544

Petaluma, CA $117,303

Santa Cruz, CA $116,895

Boston, MA $116,686

Monterey, CA $116,163

Fairbanks, AK $116,090

Los Angeles, CA $115,891

Washington, DC $115,839

Seattle, WA $115,650

Santa Rosa, CA $115,629

Juneau, AK $115,326

Orange, CA $114,981

Anchorage, AK $114,792

Anaheim, CA $114,719

Santa Ana, CA $114,562

Nassau, NY $114,499

Long Beach, CA $114,458

Danbury, CT $114,426

Santa Maria, CA $114,070

Everett, WA $114,050

Bremerton, WA $113,537

Trenton, NJ $113,338

Sacramento, CA $113,296

San Diego, CA $113,244

Brockton, MA $113,202

Tacoma, WA $113,160

Santa Barbara, CA $113,014

Lowell, MA $112,595

New Suffolk, NY $112,553

Nashua, NH $112,428

Lompoc, CA $112,260

Ventura, CA $112,156

Stockton, CA $112,124

New Haven, CT $111,915

Atlantic City, NJ $111,643

Hartford, CT $111,413

Modesto, CA $111,361

Poughkeepsie, NY $111,131

New Britain, CT $111,078

Olympia, WA $110,932

Kennewick, WA $110,932

New London, CT $110,911

Norwich, CT $110,879

Lawrence, MA $110,827

Bakersfield, CA $110,534

Riverside, CA $110,388

New Bedford, MA $110,388

Richland, WA $110,283

Portsmouth, NH $110,199

Vineland, NJ $110,178

San Bernardino, CA $110,095

Boulder, CO $109,802

Worcester, MA $109,718

Portland, OR $109,624

Saint Paul, MN $109,498

Minneapolis, MN $109,498

Philadelphia, PA $109,352

Honolulu, HI $108,797

Springfield, MA $108,431

Providence, RI $108,421

Chicago, IL $108,117

Bellingham, WA $107,992

Baltimore, MD $107,877

Chico, CA $107,615

Wilmington, DE $107,437

Pittsfield, MA $107,333

Manchester, NH $107,134

Spokane, WA $106,674

Denver, CO $106,663

Albany, NY $106,171

Troy, NY $106,130

Schenectady, NY $105,910

Burlington, VT $105,680

Portland, ME $105,314

Salem, OR $105,230

Yakima, WA $105,209

Ann Arbor, MI $105,178

Rochester, MN $104,885

Fresno, CA $104,832

Reno, NV $104,832

Milwaukee, WI $104,738

Detroit, MI $104,633

Allentown, PA $104,602

Carson City, NV $104,592

Houston, TX $104,435

Colorado Springs, CO $104,424

Syracuse, NY $104,372

Eugene, OR $104,173

Bismarck, ND $104,048

Gary, IN $104,048

Galveston, TX $104,048

Springfield, OR $103,964

Medford, OR $103,713

Fort Collins, CO $103,671

Austin, TX $103,587

Mesa, AZ $103,368

Phoenix, AZ $103,347

Dallas, TX $103,315

Reading, PA $103,252

Saint Cloud, MN $103,211

Concord, NH $103,116

Madison, WI $103,075

Utica, NY $102,792

Raleigh, NC $102,708

Las Vegas, NV $102,698

Rochester, NY $102,625

Des Moines, IA $102,614

Atlanta, GA $102,447

Battle Creek, MI $102,415

Salt Lake City, UT $102,384

Lancaster, PA $102,227

Champaign, IL $102,206

Harrisburg, PA $102,081

Durham, NC $101,987

Kansas City, MO $101,976

Kansas City, KS $101,955

Fort Worth, TX $101,945

Boca Raton, FL $101,903

Cleveland, OH $101,892

Columbus, OH $101,871

Pittsburgh, PA $101,861

Richmond, VA $101,819

Indianapolis, IN $101,798

Cincinnati, OH $101,662

Petersburg, VA $101,505

Billings, MT $101,275

Lansing, MI $101,275

Huntsville, AL $101,275

Lebanon, PA $101,265

Dayton, OH $101,254

Pueblo, CO $101,254

Appleton, WI $101,223

Buffalo, NY $101,181

Racine, WI $101,129

Charlotte, NC $101,118

Saint Louis, MO $101,087

Springfield, IL $101,045

Elkhart, IN $101,024

York, PA $101,024

Gastonia, NC $101,014

Benton Harbor, MI $101,014

Beaumont, TX $100,951

Lorain, OH $100,930

Toledo, OH $100,888

Binghamton, NY $100,836

Rock Hill, SC $100,825

Rockford, IL $100,773

Fargo, ND $100,721

Elyria, OH $100,721

Flagstaff, AZ $100,647

Fort Lauderdale, FL $100,585

Miami, FL $100,522

Duluth, MN $100,354

Bangor, ME $100,218

Cedar Rapids, IA $100,103

Louisville, KY $100,051

Grand Rapids, MI $100,030

Hialeah, FL $100,020

Casper, WY $99,873

Scranton, PA $99,748

New Orleans, LA $99,716

Virginia Beach, VA $99,706

Akron, OH $99,653

Peoria, IL $99,517

Sarasota, FL $99,496

Green Bay, WI $99,423

Baton Rouge, LA $99,371

Charleston, SC $99,350

Nashville, TN $99,319

Jamestown, NY $99,298

Davenport, IA $99,298

Tucson, AZ $99,245

Cheyenne, WY $99,214

Saint Petersburg, FL $99,183

Tampa, FL $99,162

Omaha, NE $99,141

Port Arthur, TX $99,099

Evansville, IN $99,099

Bradenton, FL $99,057

Santa Fe, NM $98,869

Orlando, FL $98,764

Clearwater, FL $98,649

Canton, OH $98,429

La Crosse, WI $98,429

Grand Forks, ND $98,398

Albuquerque, NM $98,367

Tulsa, OK $98,367

Newport News, VA $98,356

High Point, NC $98,325

Ogden, UT $98,283

Corpus Christi, TX $98,199

Laramie, WY $98,136

Norfolk, VA $98,136

Rock Island, IL $98,074

Saginaw, MI $98,053

Jacksonville, FL $98,042

Salisbury, NC $98,021

Memphis, TN $98,000

Moline, IL $97,948

Fort Myers, FL $97,917

Waterloo, IA $97,781

Spartanburg, SC $97,676

Lincoln, NE $97,624

Fort Wayne, IN $97,603

Birmingham, AL $97,488

Cedar Falls, IA $97,467

Provo, UT $97,456

Springfield, OH $97,446

San Antonio, TX $97,425

Greensboro, NC $97,383

South Bend, IN $97,373

Winston Salem, NC $97,362

Boise, ID $97,331

Savannah, GA $97,258

Muskegon, MI $97,069

Lima, OH $96,944

Lake Charles, LA $96,902

Anderson, IN $96,881

Lexington, KY $96,850

Augusta, GA $96,818

Greenville, SC $96,818

Wichita, KS $96,724

Tuscaloosa, AL $96,724

Columbia, SC $96,630

Bloomington, IN $96,368

Roanoke, VA $96,305

Asheville, NC $96,169

Knoxville, TN $95,992

Shreveport, LA $95,981

Wilmington, NC $95,845

Frankfort, KY $95,646

Oklahoma City, OK $95,573

Chillicothe, OH $95,531

Longview, TX $95,521

Topeka, KS $95,489

Mobile, AL $95,332

Terre Haute, IN $95,291

Erie, PA $95,280

Altoona, PA $95,228

Melbourne, FL $95,196

Amarillo, TX $95,155

Killeen, TX $95,123

Fayetteville, AR $95,040

Sioux Falls, SD $94,966

Chattanooga, TN $94,904

Idaho Falls, ID $94,893

Gainesville, FL $94,673

Portsmouth, OH $94,621

Little Rock, AR $94,600

Lynchburg, VA $94,600

Lafayette, LA $94,558

Youngstown, OH $94,558

Temple, TX $94,516

Daytona Beach, FL $94,495

Clarksville, TN $94,485

Pensacola, FL $94,475

Hopkinsville, KY $94,161

Charleston, WV $94,150

Florence, SC $94,098

Sioux City, IA $94,035

Macon, GA $93,732

Tallahassee, FL $93,721

Fayetteville, NC $93,700

Waco, TX $93,679

Wichita Falls, TX $93,679

Pine Bluff, AR $93,638

Vincennes, IN $93,439

Lubbock, TX $93,397

Great Falls, MT $93,334

Alamogordo, NM $93,324

Abilene, TX $93,240

Rapid City, SD $93,104

Monroe, LA $93,104

Albany, GA $93,041

Huntington, WV $93,031

Jackson, MS $93,020

Greenville, MS $93,010

Parkersburg, WV $92,905

Montgomery, AL $92,884

Johnstown, PA $92,863

Springfield, MO $92,780

Biloxi, MS $92,727

Sumter, SC $92,508

Columbus, GA $92,497

Twin Falls, ID $92,434

Pascagoula, MS $92,298

Kingsport, TN $92,026

Gulfport, MS $91,995

Alexandria, LA $91,650

Fort Smith, AR $91,388

El Paso, TX $91,106

Helena, MT $90,970

Las Cruces, NM $90,635

Harlingen, TX $90,342

Pocatello, ID $90,248

Florence, AL $90,216

Brownsville, TX $90,195

Dothan, AL $90,028

Mcallen, TX $89,976

Columbus, MS $89,202

Altus, OK $88,720

Lawton, OK $88,522

Pierre, SD $88,145

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Creative Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Presentation (Mentioned in 4.32% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
Adobe Illustrator (Mentioned in 3.07% Job Postings): Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Graphic designers use Illustrator to create vector graphics. You can produce logos, detailed illustrations, web page designs and many more.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.61% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Presentation	4.32%
Adobe Illustrator	3.07%
Microsoft Office	1.61%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Creative Designer's salary.

Advertising: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
Packaging: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Advertising	$130,779	25%
Packaging	$118,224	13%
Integrity	$116,132	11%
Digital Design	$116,132	11%
Digital Marketing	$116,132	11%
Adobe Creative Suite	$114,039	9%

Get Latest Data

Lead Creative Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Creative Designer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on March 01, 2026

$95,035

Average $104,623/year

$113,425

$7,920

Average $8,719/month

$9,452

$1,828

Average $2,012/week

$2,181

$46

Average $50/hour

$55

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$113,425	$9,452	$2,181	$55
Average	$104,623	$8,719	$2,012	$50
25th Percentile	$95,035	$7,920	$1,828	$46

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Creative Designer

Salary Trends for Lead Creative Designer

Salaries for a Lead Creative Designer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $111,166 in 2023 to around $106,538 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Creative Designer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Creative Designer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$111,166

2024

$108,833

2025

$106,538

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$111,166
2024	$108,833
2025	$106,538
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lead Creative Designer

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