Desktop publishing specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a desktop publishing specialist. Desktop publishing specialists usually study graphic design, business, or fine arts. 64% of desktop publishing specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,954 real desktop publishing specialist resumes to see exactly what desktop publishing specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for desktop publishing specialists are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.

There are also many online desktop publishing specialist courses to help get the education required to be a desktop publishing specialist.

What education do you need to become a desktop publishing specialist?

What degree do you need to be a desktop publishing specialist?

The most common degree for desktop publishing specialists is bachelor's degree, with 64% of desktop publishing specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 64%

Associate, 20%

Master's, 6%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a desktop publishing specialist?

You should major in graphic design to become a desktop publishing specialist. 26% of desktop publishing specialists major in graphic design. Other common majors for a desktop publishing specialist include business and fine arts.

Graphic Design, 26%

Business, 11%

Fine Arts, 8%

English, 8%

Other Majors, 47%

Most common colleges for desktop publishing specialists

Desktop publishing specialists often get their degrees at University of Maryland - College Park, Northeastern University, and University of Massachusetts Boston. Here are the most common colleges for desktop publishing specialists in the US based on their resumes.

Desktop publishing specialist common college	Percentages
University of Maryland - College Park	7.52%
Northeastern University	6.77%
University of Massachusetts Boston	6.02%
George Mason University	6.02%
University of California - Davis	6.02%

Show more common desktop publishing specialist colleges

Best majors for desktop publishing specialists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Graphic Design	25.7%
2	Business	11.2%
3	Fine Arts	7.7%
4	English	7.7%
5	Communication	7.4%

Show more common desktop publishing specialist majors

Best colleges for desktop publishing specialists

The best colleges for desktop publishing specialists are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

A desktop publishing specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for desktop publishing specialists. 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 desktop publishing specialists.

1. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,338

Enrollment

7,820

7. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Enrollment

7,938

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$54,492

Enrollment

6,448

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Enrollment

31,441

10. Daemen College

Amherst, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$28,580

Enrollment

1,712

20 best online courses for desktop publishing specialists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for desktop publishing specialists

The most affordable schools for desktop publishing specialists are Brigham Young University, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for desktop publishing specialists 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 desktop publishing specialists.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Cost of attendance

23,600

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Cost of attendance

25,228

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for desktop publishing specialists

The hardest universities for desktop publishing specialists to get into are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

Some great schools for desktop publishing specialists 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 desktop publishing specialists 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

3. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

7. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,465

8. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,336

9. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

10. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for desktop publishing specialists

The easiest schools for desktop publishing specialists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, notre dame de namur university, and kean university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a desktop publishing specialist 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 desktop publishing specialists.

1. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average desktop publishing specialist salary by education level

Desktop publishing specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $63,280 annually. With a Doctorate degree, desktop publishing specialists earn a median annual income of $61,409 compared to $58,204 for desktop publishing specialists with an Bachelor's degree.

Desktop publishing specialist education level	Desktop publishing specialist salary
Master's Degree	$63,280
High School Diploma or Less	$53,107
Bachelor's Degree	$58,204
Doctorate Degree	$61,409
Some College/ Associate Degree	$54,620

Desktop publishing specialist education FAQs

What is the best college for Desktop Publishing Specialists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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