Graphic Design major
Graphic Design: courses, careers, and where to study
Graphic Design teaches students to communicate ideas visually through typography, layout, and imagery, suiting people who want to combine creativity with craft across print and digital media.
A Graphic Design major covers typography, color theory, layout and composition, branding and identity systems, and the design of work for both print and screen. Coursework typically pairs studio projects with software training in tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and most programs build toward a portfolio that students present when they graduate. The degree is usually offered as a BA or BFA, with the BFA placing more weight on studio hours and a final portfolio review.
Beyond the visuals, students learn to work from a creative brief, take feedback through critiques, and prepare files for production and accessibility. Many programs add electives in motion graphics, user-interface and user-experience design, illustration, or photography, letting students lean toward a specialization.
Graduates produce visual material for clients and employers across advertising, publishing, marketing, technology, and in-house creative teams. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $61,300 for graphic designers and projects 2.1% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, with a bachelor's degree the typical entry-level education.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Graphic Design maps to CIP 50.0409, Graphic Design, within the VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals to apply artistic and computer techniques to the interpretation of technical and commercial concepts. Includes instruction in computer-assisted art and design, printmaking, concepts sketching, technical drawing, color theory, imaging, studio technique, still and life modeling, multimedia applications, communication skills and commercial art business operations.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Graphic Design is awarded as
Of the 9,847 Graphic Design credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate20%1,966
- Associate20%2,018
- Bachelor's58%5,714
- Graduate2%149
This is one of the fields where the answer genuinely depends on where you study: across the 34 states reporting it, certificates run from 0% of credentials in the 10th-percentile state to 55% in the 90th. Check the mix in your state before assuming which credential a program leads to. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Typography: typeface selection, hierarchy, spacing, and setting text for readability
- Color theory and its application across print and screen
- Layout and composition using grids and visual hierarchy
- Branding and identity systems, including logos and style guides
- Industry-standard software (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
- Working from a creative brief and refining work through design critiques
- Preparing files for print production and digital delivery
- Building and presenting a professional design portfolio
Typical careers
- Graphic designers
- Brand / Visual Identity Designer
- UI/UX Designer
- Art Director (with experience)
- Production Artist
- Web / Digital Designer
Typical salary range: $61,300 median for graphic designers (BLS, 2024)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Graphic Design, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designers | $61,300 | 20,000 | +2.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Art Directors | $111,040 | 12,300 | +4.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $98,090 | 9,100 | +7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,190 | 9,000 | +1.7% | Master's degree |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | $99,800 | 5,000 | +1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $72,760 | 1,200 | +0.8% | No formal educational credential |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 6 of these 6 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Graphic Design does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Graphic Design major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Graphic Design program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Graphic Design department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Graphic Design program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Graphic Design credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Southern New Hampshire UniversityNH · 794
- Ana G. Mendez UniversityFL · 282
- Wake Technical Community CollegeNC · 234
- Brigham Young University-IdahoID · 233
- Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeNC · 126
- Liberty UniversityVA · 125
- Grand Canyon UniversityAZ · 124
- California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA · 121
- Pratt Institute-MainNY · 115
- San Diego City CollegeCA · 114
- Santa Monica CollegeCA · 106
- Iowa State UniversityIA · 90
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Graphic Design credentials were awarded
28 states have a distinct enough set of Graphic Design colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Graphic Design schools by state
Related majors
Communications
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Marketing
Marketing majors learn how to identify, reach, and convert customers, combining strategy, consumer behavior, digital channels, brand management, and analytics.
Architecture
Architecture combines design, structural reasoning, and building systems to plan habitable spaces, suiting students who pair creative drawing with technical problem-solving.
Journalism
Journalism teaches students to report, write, and verify news across print, broadcast, and digital media, suiting people drawn to research, storytelling, and the public interest.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Graphic Design degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Arts, Design & Media careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Computing & Math careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Graphic Design degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Graphic Design path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.