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Graphic design teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a graphic design teacher. Graphic design teachers usually study graphic design, fine arts, or general education, specific areas. 74% of graphic design teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 259 real graphic design teacher resumes to see exactly what graphic design teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for graphic design teachers are the Rowan University and the Rowan University.

There are also many online graphic design teacher courses to help get the education required to be a graphic design teacher.

What education do you need to become a graphic design teacher?

What degree do you need to be a graphic design teacher?

The most common degree for graphic design teachers is bachelor's degree, with 74% of graphic design teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 74%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a graphic design teacher?

You should major in graphic design to become a graphic design teacher. 40% of graphic design teachers major in graphic design. Other common majors for a graphic design teacher include fine arts and general education, specific areas.

Most common colleges for graphic design teachers

Graphic design teachers often get their degrees at Rowan University, The University of the Arts, and Texas State University. Here are the most common colleges for graphic design teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Graphic design teacher common collegePercentages
Rowan University8.51%
The University of the Arts6.38%
Texas State University6.38%
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler6.38%
School of Visual Arts6.38%

Best majors for graphic design teachers

Best colleges for graphic design teachers

The best colleges for graphic design teachers are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.

A graphic design teacher 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 design teachers. 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 design teachers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

20 best online courses for graphic design teachers

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20. The Complete Graphic Design Theory for Beginners Course

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Top 10 most affordable universities for graphic design teachers

The most affordable schools for graphic design teachers are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and fashion institute of technology.

If the best universities for graphic design teachers 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 design teachers.

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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

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 graphic design teachers

The hardest universities for graphic design teachers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for graphic design teachers 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 design teachers 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graphic design teachers

The easiest schools for graphic design teachers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graphic design teacher 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 design teachers.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

4. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

9. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

10. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

Average graphic design teacher salary by education level

Graphic design teachers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,982 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, graphic design teachers earn a median annual income of $55,415 compared to $51,298 for graphic design teachers with an Associate degree.
Graphic design teacher education levelGraphic design teacher salary
Master's Degree$58,982
Bachelor's Degree$55,415
Some College/ Associate Degree$51,298

Graphic design teacher 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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