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Design and production assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a design and production assistant. Design and production assistants usually study graphic design, fine arts, or specialized sales and merchandising. 67% of design and production assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 8,272 real design and production assistant resumes to see exactly what design and production assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for design and production assistants are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
There are also many online design and production assistant courses to help get the education required to be a design and production assistant.
There are certain design and production assistant certifications that you should consider. These design and production assistant certifications include Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ) and Master Certified Web Professional - Designer (CWP).
What education do you need to become a design and production assistant?
What degree do you need to be a design and production assistant?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a design and production assistant?
- Graphic Design, 45%
- Fine Arts, 11%
- Photography, 5%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for design and production assistants
| Design and production assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 24.31% |
| The New School | 9.80% |
| Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco | 9.41% |
| Pratt Institute | 7.45% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 6.67% |
Best majors for design and production assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 45.4% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 10.5% |
| 3 | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | 5.1% |
| 4 | Photography | 4.6% |
| 5 | Communication | 4.6% |
Best colleges for design and production assistants
The best colleges for design and production assistants are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Swarthmore College.
A design and production assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for design and production assistants. 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 design and production assistants.
1. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
2. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$23,900
Enrollment
836
3. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
4. Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$42,345
Enrollment
12,886
5. Miami University
Oxford, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$15,380
Enrollment
17,038
6. Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
8,404
7. Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,105
Enrollment
13,729
8. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,120
Enrollment
16,204
9. Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$7,844
Enrollment
5,193
10. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$11,788
Enrollment
11,008
20 best online courses for design and production assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for design and production assistants
The most affordable schools for design and production assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for design and production assistants 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 design and production assistants.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
5. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
6. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Cost of attendance
21,341
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for design and production assistants
The hardest universities for design and production assistants to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Swarthmore College.
Some great schools for design and production assistants 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 design and production assistants 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
4. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
5. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
6. Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,319
7. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for design and production assistants
The easiest schools for design and production assistants to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, lim college, and baker university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a design and production assistant 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 design and production assistants.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
3. Baker University
Baldwin City, KS • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,126
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
9. Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Weatherford, OK • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,085
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average design and production assistant salary by education level
| Design and production assistant education level | Design and production assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,858 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,409 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,587 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,094 |
Design and production assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025