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 $85,239, a Lead Creative Designer (7+ years)earns $105,278, a Graphic Design Specialist V (7-10 years)earns $123,739, a Graphic Design Supervisor (10+ years)earns $100,315,

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 $115,829, California $115,389, Massachusetts $113,851. 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: $152,305; Associate Creative Director Designer: $148,048; Fashion Designer Lead: $135,460; Creative Lead: $124,280; Lead UX Designer: $118,984.

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 May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Creative Designer in the United States is $104,614 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): $121,393
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,045 to $113,397
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $86,333

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Lead Creative Designer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$113,397	$9,450	$2,181	$55
Average	$104,614	$8,718	$2,012	$50
25th Percentile	$95,045	$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): $85,239
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $105,278
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $123,739
Expert (over 8 years): $100,315

Levels	Salary
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$70,209
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$85,239
Lead Crea... Level Lead Creative Designer	$105,278
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$123,739
Graphic D... Level Lead Creative Designer	$100,315

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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: $115,829.
California: $115,389.
Massachusetts: $113,851.

District of Columbia $115,829

California $115,389

Massachusetts $113,851

Washington $113,433

New Jersey $113,391

Alaska $113,245

Connecticut $111,801

New York $111,215

Hawaii $109,343

Rhode Island $108,464

Maryland $107,867

Minnesota $107,052

Colorado $106,738

Illinois $106,633

Oregon $106,236

Delaware $105,943

New Hampshire $105,758

Virginia $105,346

Pennsylvania $104,143

Nevada $103,536

North Dakota $103,338

Michigan $103,024

Wisconsin $102,909

Vermont $102,679

Texas $102,040

Maine $101,999

Arizona $101,936

Ohio $101,863

Georgia $100,900

Indiana $100,419

Wyoming $100,325

Utah $100,178

Iowa $100,116

Kansas $99,613

Louisiana $99,467

North Carolina $99,415

Missouri $99,394

Florida $98,986

Montana $98,766

Nebraska $98,557

Kentucky $98,442

South Carolina $98,023

Tennessee $97,762

Idaho $97,657

New Mexico $96,893

Oklahoma $96,726

Alabama $96,109

South Dakota $95,073

Arkansas $94,508

West Virginia $94,205

Mississippi $93,295

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: $131,950
San Francisco: $130,505
Oakland: $127,755

San Jose, CA $131,950

San Francisco, CA $130,505

Oakland, CA $127,755

New York, NY $120,452

Paramus, NJ $118,987

Queens Village, NY $118,982

Passaic, NJ $118,882

Bergenfield, NJ $118,873

Stamford, CT $118,643

Huntington, NY $118,600

Newark, NJ $117,827

Bridgeport, CT $117,606

Vallejo, CA $117,398

New Brunswick, NJ $117,356

Petaluma, CA $117,293

Middlesex, NJ $117,094

Somerset, NJ $117,021

Santa Cruz, CA $116,885

Boston, MA $116,247

Monterey, CA $115,880

Seattle, WA $115,640

Santa Rosa, CA $115,619

Los Angeles, CA $115,588

Juneau, AK $115,316

Washington, DC $115,201

Orange, CA $114,829

Santa Ana, CA $114,552

Long Beach, CA $114,448

Anaheim, CA $114,427

Anchorage, AK $114,374

Santa Maria, CA $114,061

Everett, WA $114,040

Danbury, CT $113,671

Bremerton, WA $113,527

Tacoma, WA $113,151

New Suffolk, NY $113,148

Sacramento, CA $113,119

Santa Barbara, CA $113,004

Trenton, NJ $112,889

San Diego, CA $112,889

Brockton, MA $112,774

Fairbanks, AK $112,518

Lompoc, CA $112,251

Lowell, MA $112,166

Ventura, CA $112,146

Nashua, NH $112,125

Stockton, CA $112,115

Modesto, CA $111,351

Poughkeepsie, NY $111,121

Olympia, WA $110,922

Kennewick, WA $110,922

New Haven, CT $110,880

Lawrence, MA $110,504

Hartford, CT $110,399

Riverside, CA $110,378

New Bedford, MA $110,274

Richland, WA $110,274

Bakersfield, CA $110,127

San Bernardino, CA $110,085

New Britain, CT $110,075

Atlantic City, NJ $110,075

New London, CT $110,033

Norwich, CT $110,002

Portsmouth, NH $109,981

Boulder, CO $109,759

Portland, OR $109,615

Worcester, MA $109,604

Minneapolis, MN $109,280

Philadelphia, PA $109,133

Honolulu, HI $108,788

Saint Paul, MN $108,738

Vineland, NJ $108,715

Providence, RI $108,411

Chicago, IL $108,108

Bellingham, WA $107,983

Springfield, MA $107,899

Baltimore, MD $107,867

Chico, CA $107,606

Pittsfield, MA $107,324

Manchester, NH $107,125

Spokane, WA $106,664

Denver, CO $106,654

Albany, NY $106,162

Troy, NY $106,120

Nassau, NY $106,009

Schenectady, NY $105,901

Wilmington, DE $105,817

Burlington, VT $105,671

Salem, OR $105,629

Portland, ME $105,304

Yakima, WA $105,200

Rochester, MN $104,876

Reno, NV $104,823

Fresno, CA $104,823

Milwaukee, WI $104,729

Detroit, MI $104,624

Ann Arbor, MI $104,607

Allentown, PA $104,593

Colorado Springs, CO $104,415

Syracuse, NY $104,363

Carson City, NV $104,363

Houston, TX $104,216

Eugene, OR $104,164

Gary, IN $104,039

Springfield, OR $103,955

Bismarck, ND $103,934

Galveston, TX $103,861

Medford, OR $103,704

Fort Collins, CO $103,662

Concord, NH $103,610

Austin, TX $103,578

Mesa, AZ $103,359

Reading, PA $103,348

Phoenix, AZ $103,338

Dallas, TX $103,306

Saint Cloud, MN $103,206

Madison, WI $103,066

Utica, NY $102,783

Rochester, NY $102,616

Des Moines, IA $102,605

Raleigh, NC $102,595

Atlanta, GA $102,438

Battle Creek, MI $102,407

Salt Lake City, UT $102,375

Lancaster, PA $102,218

Harrisburg, PA $102,072

Kansas City, MO $101,967

Champaign, IL $101,946

Kansas City, KS $101,946

Fort Worth, TX $101,936

Columbus, OH $101,918

Boca Raton, FL $101,894

Pittsburgh, PA $101,852

Richmond, VA $101,810

Indianapolis, IN $101,789

Cleveland, OH $101,779

Las Vegas, NV $101,653

Cincinnati, OH $101,653

Petersburg, VA $101,497

Huntsville, AL $101,340

Lansing, MI $101,269

Lebanon, PA $101,256

Pueblo, CO $101,245

Appleton, WI $101,214

Buffalo, NY $101,172

Dayton, OH $101,141

Racine, WI $101,120

Charlotte, NC $101,109

Saint Louis, MO $101,078

York, PA $101,015

Elkhart, IN $101,015

Gastonia, NC $100,995

Billings, MT $100,970

Beaumont, TX $100,942

Lorain, OH $100,921

Benton Harbor, MI $100,900

Toledo, OH $100,879

Binghamton, NY $100,827

Rock Hill, SC $100,817

Rockford, IL $100,764

Springfield, IL $100,722

Elyria, OH $100,712

Fargo, ND $100,712

Flagstaff, AZ $100,639

Fort Lauderdale, FL $100,576

Duluth, MN $100,513

Miami, FL $100,513

Cheyenne, WY $100,440

Grand Forks, ND $100,440

Bangor, ME $100,210

Cedar Rapids, IA $100,095

Durham, NC $100,051

Louisville, KY $100,042

Grand Rapids, MI $100,021

Hialeah, FL $100,011

Casper, WY $99,865

Scranton, PA $99,739

New Orleans, LA $99,708

Virginia Beach, VA $99,697

Akron, OH $99,645

Peoria, IL $99,509

Sarasota, FL $99,488

Nashville, TN $99,415

Omaha, NE $99,415

Green Bay, WI $99,415

Baton Rouge, LA $99,362

Charleston, SC $99,341

Jamestown, NY $99,289

Davenport, IA $99,289

Tucson, AZ $99,237

Saint Petersburg, FL $99,174

Tampa, FL $99,153

Evansville, IN $99,090

Port Arthur, TX $99,090

Bradenton, FL $99,049

Santa Fe, NM $98,860

Orlando, FL $98,672

Clearwater, FL $98,641

Canton, OH $98,421

La Crosse, WI $98,421

Albuquerque, NM $98,358

Newport News, VA $98,348

High Point, NC $98,316

Ogden, UT $98,274

Corpus Christi, TX $98,191

Norfolk, VA $98,128

Laramie, WY $98,128

Rock Island, IL $98,065

Saginaw, MI $98,044

Jacksonville, FL $98,034

Salisbury, NC $98,013

Boise, ID $97,992

Moline, IL $97,940

Fort Myers, FL $97,908

Memphis, TN $97,887

Tulsa, OK $97,835

Waterloo, IA $97,772

Spartanburg, SC $97,668

Lincoln, NE $97,615

Fort Wayne, IN $97,594

Provo, UT $97,584

Cedar Falls, IA $97,458

San Antonio, TX $97,417

Greensboro, NC $97,375

South Bend, IN $97,364

Savannah, GA $97,249

Muskegon, MI $97,207

Birmingham, AL $97,197

Winston Salem, NC $97,146

Lake Charles, LA $96,893

Anderson, IN $96,873

Lexington, KY $96,841

Augusta, GA $96,810

Greenville, SC $96,810

Lima, OH $96,726

Wichita, KS $96,716

Tuscaloosa, AL $96,716

Columbia, SC $96,621

Springfield, OH $96,601

Asheville, NC $96,433

Bloomington, IN $96,360

Knoxville, TN $95,983

Shreveport, LA $95,973

Wilmington, NC $95,837

Roanoke, VA $95,837

Topeka, KS $95,649

Frankfort, KY $95,637

Oklahoma City, OK $95,565

Chillicothe, OH $95,523

Longview, TX $95,513

Melbourne, FL $95,502

Sioux Falls, SD $95,335

Mobile, AL $95,324

Terre Haute, IN $95,282

Altoona, PA $95,220

Amarillo, TX $95,146

Killeen, TX $95,115

Fayetteville, AR $95,031

Chattanooga, TN $95,000

Sioux City, IA $94,906

Idaho Falls, ID $94,885

Lynchburg, VA $94,801

Gainesville, FL $94,665

Portsmouth, OH $94,613

Little Rock, AR $94,592

Lafayette, LA $94,550

Youngstown, OH $94,550

Daytona Beach, FL $94,487

Clarksville, TN $94,477

Pensacola, FL $94,466

Temple, TX $94,459

Hopkinsville, KY $94,153

Erie, PA $94,132

Florence, SC $94,090

Charleston, WV $93,922

Great Falls, MT $93,870

Macon, GA $93,724

Tallahassee, FL $93,713

Fayetteville, NC $93,692

Waco, TX $93,671

Helena, MT $93,598

Pine Bluff, AR $93,558

Vincennes, IN $93,431

Lubbock, TX $93,389

Alamogordo, NM $93,326

Twin Falls, ID $93,232

Rapid City, SD $93,201

Jackson, MS $93,012

Huntington, WV $93,005

Greenville, MS $93,002

Parkersburg, WV $92,895

Montgomery, AL $92,876

Wichita Falls, TX $92,772

Springfield, MO $92,772

Biloxi, MS $92,719

Monroe, LA $92,615

Johnstown, PA $92,542

Sumter, SC $92,500

Columbus, GA $92,489

Pascagoula, MS $92,290

Abilene, TX $92,290

Kingsport, TN $92,018

Albany, GA $92,018

Gulfport, MS $91,987

Alexandria, LA $91,642

Fort Smith, AR $91,380

El Paso, TX $91,098

Las Cruces, NM $90,627

Harlingen, TX $90,361

Pocatello, ID $90,345

Florence, AL $90,209

Brownsville, TX $90,188

Mcallen, TX $89,968

Dothan, AL $89,822

Columbus, MS $89,200

Altus, OK $88,713

Lawton, OK $88,514

Pierre, SD $88,137

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	$130,768	25%
Packaging	$118,214	13%
Integrity	$116,122	11%
Digital Design	$116,122	11%
Digital Marketing	$116,122	11%
Adobe Creative Suite	$114,029	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 May 01, 2026

$95,045

Average $104,614/year

$113,397

$7,920

Average $8,718/month

$9,450

$1,828

Average $2,012/week

$2,181

$46

Average $50/hour

$55

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$113,397	$9,450	$2,181	$55
Average	$104,614	$8,718	$2,012	$50
25th Percentile	$95,045	$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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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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