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Graphic artist/typesetter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a graphic artist/typesetter. Graphic artist/typesetters usually study graphic design, business, or fine arts. 49% of graphic artist/typesetters hold a bachelor's degree, and 31% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 307 real graphic artist/typesetter resumes to see exactly what graphic artist/typesetter education sections show.

The most common colleges for graphic artist/typesetters are the School of Visual Arts and the School of Visual Arts.

There are also many online graphic artist/typesetter courses to help get the education required to be a graphic artist/typesetter.

What education do you need to become a graphic artist/typesetter?

What degree do you need to be a graphic artist/typesetter?

The most common degree for graphic artist/typesetters is bachelor's degree, with 49% of graphic artist/typesetters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 31% and associate degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 49%
  • Associate, 31%
  • High School Diploma, 13%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a graphic artist/typesetter?

You should major in graphic design to become a graphic artist/typesetter. 36% of graphic artist/typesetters major in graphic design. Other common majors for a graphic artist/typesetter include business and fine arts.

Most common colleges for graphic artist/typesetters

Graphic artist/typesetters often get their degrees at School of Visual Arts, University of North Georgia, and The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Inc. Here are the most common colleges for graphic artist/typesetters in the US based on their resumes.
Graphic artist/typesetter common collegePercentages
School of Visual Arts9.68%
University of North Georgia6.45%
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Inc6.45%
Southern Connecticut State University6.45%
Pennsylvania College of Technology6.45%

Best majors for graphic artist/typesetters

RankMajorPercentages
1Graphic Design36.1%
2Business8.8%
3Fine Arts8.2%
4Graphic Communications4.8%
5Communication4.1%

Best colleges for graphic artist/typesetters

The best colleges for graphic artist/typesetters are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A graphic artist/typesetter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for graphic artist/typesetters. 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 graphic artist/typesetters.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for graphic artist/typesetters

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Top 10 most affordable universities for graphic artist/typesetters

The most affordable schools for graphic artist/typesetters are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for graphic artist/typesetters 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 graphic artist/typesetters.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

5. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graphic artist/typesetters

The hardest universities for graphic artist/typesetters to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for graphic artist/typesetters 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 graphic artist/typesetters 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graphic artist/typesetters

The easiest schools for graphic artist/typesetters to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, notre dame college, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graphic artist/typesetter 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 graphic artist/typesetters.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

Average graphic artist/typesetter salary by education level

Graphic artist/typesetters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $70,751 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, graphic artist/typesetters earn a median annual income of $62,823 compared to $54,233 for graphic artist/typesetters with an Associate degree.
Graphic artist/typesetter education levelGraphic artist/typesetter salary
Master's Degree$70,751
Bachelor's Degree$62,823
Some College/ Associate Degree$54,233

Graphic artist/typesetter education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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