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Comic education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a comic. Comics usually study photography, graphic design, or communication. 67% of comics hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 633 real comic resumes to see exactly what comic education sections show.
The most common colleges for comics are the San Diego State University and the San Diego State University.
There are also many online comic courses to help get the education required to be a comic.
What education do you need to become a comic?
What degree do you need to be a comic?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a comic?
- Photography, 13%
- Graphic Design, 12%
- Communication, 10%
- Business, 9%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for comics
| Comic common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| San Diego State University | 8.70% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.25% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.25% |
| Academy of Art University | 5.80% |
| New York University | 5.80% |
Best majors for comics
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 13.1% |
| 2 | Graphic Design | 12.2% |
| 3 | Communication | 10.4% |
| 4 | Business | 9.0% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 9.0% |
Best colleges for comics
The best colleges for comics are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
A comic with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for comics. 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 comics.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
20 best online courses for comics
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20. Photoshop for Photographers - Beginner to Professional
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Top 10 most affordable universities for comics
The most affordable schools for comics are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and fashion institute of technology.
If the best universities for comics 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 comics.
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. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for comics
The hardest universities for comics to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for comics 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 comics 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for comics
The easiest schools for comics to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a comic 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 comics.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average comic salary by education level
| Comic education level | Comic salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $103,281 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $67,953 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $103,646 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $79,786 |
Comic 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