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3d designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a 3d designer. 3d designers usually study graphic design, drafting and design, or animation. 64% of 3d designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 837 real 3d designer resumes to see exactly what 3d designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for 3d designers are the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Savannah College of Art and Design.
There are also many online 3d designer courses to help get the education required to be a 3d designer.
What education do you need to become a 3d designer?
What degree do you need to be a 3d designer?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 24%
- Master's, 6%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a 3d designer?
- Graphic Design, 21%
- Drafting And Design, 14%
- Animation, 12%
- Architecture, 8%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for 3d designers
| 3d designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 7.14% |
| Academy of Art University | 7.14% |
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh | 7.14% |
| School of Visual Arts | 7.14% |
| The Art Institute of Colorado | 5.95% |
Best majors for 3d designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 21.3% |
| 2 | Drafting And Design | 14.4% |
| 3 | Animation | 11.6% |
| 4 | Architecture | 7.6% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 7.2% |
Best colleges for 3d designers
The best colleges for 3d designers are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A 3d designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for 3d designers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become 3d designers.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
20 best online courses for 3d designers
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19. Master Solidworks 2019 - 3D CAD using real-world examples
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20. Fashion Design: Sketch in 3D using Marvelous Designer
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Top 10 most affordable universities for 3d designers
The most affordable schools for 3d designers are University of Florida, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for 3d designers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for 3d designers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
10. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for 3d designers
The hardest universities for 3d designers to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for 3d designers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for 3d designers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for 3d designers
The easiest schools for 3d designers to get into are Notre Dame College, cardinal stritch university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 3d designer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for 3d designers.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
2. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
5. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
6. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
7. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
8. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
9. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
10. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
Average 3d designer salary by education level
| 3d designer education level | 3d designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,516 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $72,108 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $62,910 |
3d designer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025