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Comic illustrator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a comic illustrator. Comic illustrators usually study graphic design, fine arts, or communication. 74% of comic illustrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 66 real comic illustrator resumes to see exactly what comic illustrator education sections show.
The most common colleges for comic illustrators are the University of Idaho and the University of Idaho.
There are also many online comic illustrator courses to help get the education required to be a comic illustrator.
What education do you need to become a comic illustrator?
What degree do you need to be a comic illustrator?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Associate, 13%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a comic illustrator?
- Graphic Design, 44%
- Fine Arts, 19%
- Communication, 9%
- Animation, 6%
- Other Majors, 22%
Most common colleges for comic illustrators
| Comic illustrator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Idaho | 10.00% |
| Pratt Institute | 10.00% |
| Champlain College | 5.00% |
| Chapman University | 5.00% |
| University of Wisconsin - Parkside | 5.00% |
Best majors for comic illustrators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 43.8% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 18.8% |
| 3 | Communication | 9.4% |
| 4 | Animation | 6.3% |
| 5 | Drafting And Design | 6.3% |
Best colleges for comic illustrators
The best colleges for comic illustrators are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A comic illustrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for comic illustrators. 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 comic illustrators.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for comic illustrators
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1. Comic Book and Graphic Novel Scriptwriting
Learn how to write comics from a San Diego comic-con Eisner award-winning writer...
2. How to Draw Dynamic Comic Book Superheroes - Start to Finish
A Complete Step by Step Guide to Drawing Comic Book Heroes...
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Go from drawing good faces to draw drop dead gorgeous faces for comics...
4. How To MAKE Comics - The Essential Guide
Story Concepts World Building Storyboards Thumbnailing Comic Panels Comics Pages Comics Covers Marketing...
5. A Pro's Guide to Digital Comic Book Coloring
Learn the entire process start to finish in Photoshop. Coloring is so much more than just staying inside the lines...
6. Writing Comics: A Comprehensive Guide
Learn the ins and outs of writing comic books from a seasoned pro...
7. How to Draw Comic Style Artwork - From Sketch to Rendering
Learn the Art of Drawing in a Traditional Comic Style Step by Step...
8. Character Design for Beginners
Design Characters for Games, Comics and illustration...
9. Learn Digital Color with Photoshop
Learn coloring from a professional colorist!...
10. Digital Coloring: Comic Style Light & Shadow Made Easy!
Render amazing highlights and shading with this step-by-step approach From pro comic colorist K. Michael Russell...
11. Character Art School: Complete Coloring and Painting
Learn the key fundamentals to Coloring and Painting your art to a high level using professional techniques...
12. Figure Drawing Foundations Proportions
The Ultimate Guide to Drawing Characters in Proportion...
13. Character Art School: Complete Character Drawing
Learn the complete fundamentals of Character Drawing, so you can create professional art and illustrations...
14. How To Draw - Anatomy and Figure Drawing - Ultimate Course
Figure Drawing Anatomy Secrets Gesture Sketching Comic Book Art Comics...
15. Ultimate Beginners Cartooning Course: Basic Characters
A complete beginners guide to creating cartoon style characters for comics , books, games and illustration...
16. Graphic Design Mastery- AI, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign
Graphic Design for beginners including Graphic Design Theories, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AI & Creative Thinking...
17. The Beginner's Guide to Digital Art with Procreate on iPad!
Learn the basics of digital art on your i Pad with these step-by-step lessons for Procreate, a powerful digital art app!...
18. Adobe Illustrator Advanced Vector Artwork
Learn the secrets of creating every type of vector illustration you can think of from a real expert...
19. Digital Painting in Photoshop: Create Amazing Concept Art
Create stunning concept art with Adobe Photoshop and learn the features to aid in that process...
20. Adobe Illustrator for Mobile Game Art - A Beginners Guide
Create mobile game art in Adobe illustrator just by using basic concepts, essential tools and proven workflows...
Top 10 most affordable universities for comic illustrators
The most affordable schools for comic illustrators are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and lehman college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for comic illustrators 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 comic illustrators.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for comic illustrators
The hardest universities for comic illustrators to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for comic illustrators 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 comic illustrators 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
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 comic illustrators
The easiest schools for comic illustrators to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, wayland baptist university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a comic illustrator 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 comic illustrators.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average comic illustrator salary by education level
| Comic illustrator education level | Comic illustrator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $85,749 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $54,379 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $86,078 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,756 |
Comic illustrator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025