Top Seven Lucrative Careers for Designers 

Who says you can’t make money with an arts degree? Furman University’s strategic design masters program provides students with design, business, and communication skills that allow them to flourish in their creative careers. The wide range of abilities obtained through the program and building professional portfolios lends itself to a variety of lucrative job opportunities. Graphic designers, copywriters, and all other forms of creative individuals in marketing have the opportunity to advance towards these positions for their futures. 

#7 Art Director – $71,000 

According to Best Accredited Colleges, the median salary for art directors in 2022 is $71,000. 

Art directors actively navigate both the managerial tasks and the inventiveness of company projects in the creative-business world. Whether it is film, social media, packaging, or any other visual medium a company is creating, art directors oversee and control the visual style of a narrative, product, and staging. A blend of both design and management abilities is perfect for launching a student towards becoming an art director. 

#6 Package Designer – $71,640 

According to Best Accredited Colleges, the median salary for package designers in 2020 was $71,640.

Package designers are responsible for creating attractive and practical packaging that incorporates their client’s branding and marketing aspects. Quality packaging catches the audience’s eye in stores, social media, and many other formats. Packaging design requires interpersonal skills, as these professionals work with a team, regularly meet with clients, and collaborate with other business departments. Students with computer design software skills and crafting skills can have successful careers as package designers. 

#5 Senior Copywriter – $85,000 

According to LinkedIn, the median salary for a senior copywriter is $85,000. 

Copywriters play a valuable role in the marketing world, as they bring a unique skill set to the workforce compared to their advertising counterparts. As writers, they have to entice a company’s target audience from a language perspective rather than a visual frame of mind. Examples of a copywriter’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, creating slogans, editing written content, and publishing articles. Students will not graduate to immediately become a senior copywriter, but they can undoubtedly create early success for themselves in their careers with clever creativity and admirable communication and writing skills. 

#4 Creative Director – $100,000 

According to LinkedIn, the median salary for creative directors is $100,000.

Similar to other director positions in marketing, creative directors are in charge of managerial and creative duties. Particularly, creative directors oversee the phases of a project while simultaneously managing a team. Strong communication skills are a necessity for this job due to the amount of planning and cooperation required. Students with leadership, organizational, and creative skills can excel in a career as a creative director. 

#3 Account Planner/Brand Strategist – $133,460 

According to Best Accredited Colleges, the 2020 median salary for account planners was $133,460.  

Account planners and brand strategists are responsible for analyzing the target audience data of their company in order to understand and empathize with their clients and strategize ways to uphold or improve the reputation of their company’s brand. Students with skills in communication, creative thinking, data analytics, and management would be excellent candidates for this career. 

Check out this article to learn more about being a Brand Strategist from M.A. in Strategic Design instructor Tiffany Williams

#2 Advertising/Marketing Director – $135,900

According to Best Accredited Colleges, the 2019 median salary for advertising directors was $135,900.  

Advertising and marketing directors are creative individuals who perform administrative tasks, manage budgets, and oversee the creative process in businesses. This career requires top-notch communication skills, as advertising directors settle client contracts and collaborate with multiple business departments. Students aspiring to combine their business and creative skills will thrive in this environment after they have established a productive foundation from the beginning of their careers. 

#1 Chief Creative Officer – $164,235

According to Best Accredited Colleges, the 2021 median salary for chief creative officers was $164,235. 

Compared to any other form of creative leadership position, chief creative officers have the most versatile role. They collaborate with creative leaders from various divisions, oversee design decisions, develop budgets and creative marketing strategies, and manage media content. Most importantly, chief creative officers are responsible for maintaining and refining a company’s image and values. Students with exceptional problem-solving skills as well as both creative and organizational abilities have extensive potential as a chief creative officer as they move through their careers. 

Take your next step toward an amazing career as a design leader!

Furman University’s Master of Arts in Strategic Design program supplies students with quality education, experience, and resources that is an exceptional pairing for a variety of bachelor degrees. The strategic design program equips students with the appropriate skills and an opportunity to build a professional portfolio, ultimately setting them up for substantial success in lucrative design careers. 

 

For more information about Furman University’s Master of Arts in Strategic Design program, click HERE.