Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Graphic designer/marketing assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a graphic designer/marketing assistant. Graphic designer/marketing assistants usually study graphic design, fine arts, or business. 73% of graphic designer/marketing assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,161 real graphic designer/marketing assistant resumes to see exactly what graphic designer/marketing assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for graphic designer/marketing assistants are the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
There are also many online graphic designer/marketing assistant courses to help get the education required to be a graphic designer/marketing assistant.
There are certain graphic designer/marketing assistant certifications that you should consider. These graphic designer/marketing assistant certifications include Certified Graphics Communications Manager (CGCM) and Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS).
What education do you need to become a graphic designer/marketing assistant?
What degree do you need to be a graphic designer/marketing assistant?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 2%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a graphic designer/marketing assistant?
- Graphic Design, 48%
- Fine Arts, 8%
- Business, 6%
- Communication, 6%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for graphic designer/marketing assistants
| Graphic designer/marketing assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh | 10.81% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 6.31% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 6.31% |
| George Mason University | 6.31% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 5.41% |
Best majors for graphic designer/marketing assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 48.2% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 7.9% |
| 3 | Business | 6.1% |
| 4 | Communication | 5.9% |
| 5 | Design And Visual Communication | 5.6% |
Best colleges for graphic designer/marketing assistants
The best colleges for graphic designer/marketing assistants are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A graphic designer/marketing 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 graphic designer/marketing 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 graphic designer/marketing assistants.
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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
20 best online courses for graphic designer/marketing assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. User Experience Design Immersive (Full-time)
Launch a future-proof career designing digital experiences that power revenue, user loyalty, and product success. Distinguish yourself as a designer by compiling a portfolio to showcase solo, group, and client projects to employers based on UI design and Agile methodologies...
2. User Experience Design (Part Time)
Translate user wants and needs into intuitive digital experiences that power revenue, loyalty, and product success. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex design problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. UX Designer
Design impactful user experiences for products in today’s digital world. Build a portfolio that showcases your ability to transform user research to high-fidelity interactive designs...
4. Product Design
Learn the steps you need to turn an idea into reality. By the end of this course you’ll learn how to bring an idea from concept to hand off for development and onto creation of a prototype...
5. Graphic Design Mastery: The FULL Branding & Design Process
Follows the FULL Graphic Design Process for A Company: Logo, Ad, Social Media, T-Shirt, Package, Website Design & More!...
6. Graphic Design Masterclass - Learn GREAT Design
The Ultimate Graphic Design Course Which Covers Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design,Design Theory, Branding and Logo Design...
7. Visual Design (Part Time)
Gain the vocabulary and tools to tackle diverse design challenges on the job. Kickstart your portfolio and create beautiful, responsive designs for the web. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
8. Intro to UX Design
Are you interested in UX Design, but have no prior experience or an idea of where to start? You’ve come to the right place! In this two-hour livestream, we’ll explore the decision-making process that separates a good user experience from a great one, and learn some tools that you can implement in your own UX process today. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to begin your UX Design journey!...
9. Graphic Design Mastery- AI, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign
Graphic Design for beginners including Graphic Design Theories, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AI & Creative Thinking...
10. 47 Graphic Design Projects for Photoshop Beginners
Photoshop graphic design for beginners! Includes 47 Photoshop projects for your graphic design portfolio...
11. Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design
Design 4 Beautiful eye catching Graphic Design Projects from Scratch with Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design Basics...
12. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
Bestselling Beginner Course! Use Photoshop, Illustrator, & In Design for logo design, web design, poster design, and more...
13. Graphic Design Masterclass Intermediate: The NEXT Level
Up Your Graphic Design Skills: Logo Design, Photo Manipulation, Package Design, Infographics, Portfolio Building, Grids!...
14. Graphic Design Masterclass: Design 40+ Projects in Photoshop
Use Photoshop to create YT thumbnails, banners, catalogues, Instagram & Facebook Graphics, Cards, CV, Newsletters & more...
15. Digital Design Masterclass For Graphic Designers
Icon Set Design, E-book cover, Digitizing Sketches, Social Media Design, Wordpress Web Design, Adobe Xd, GIFS and more!...
16. Master Graphic Design & Software with Practical Projects
Conquer Popular Graphic Design Projects: Logo, Package, Magazine, Book Cover Design, Branding, Digital Graphics & More!...
17. Become a Professional Graphic Designer
Learn what you need to know to break into the world of graphic design...
18. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Advanced Training Using Adobe CC
Project-Based Learning For Intermediate Designers: Use Photoshop, Lightroom, and Other Adobe Creative Cloud Programs...
19. Graphic Design Masterclass: Learn Graphic Design in Projects
Graphic design principles, typography, & color mastery using Illustrator, In Design, and Photoshop. For beginners & more!...
20. Master Web Design in Photoshop: Complete UI/UX Masterclass
Learn UI/UX and how to create stunning website Everything you need to know about web design in 2023 All in Photoshop...
Top 10 most affordable universities for graphic designer/marketing assistants
The most affordable schools for graphic designer/marketing assistants are University of Florida, fashion institute of technology, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for graphic designer/marketing 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 graphic designer/marketing assistants.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graphic designer/marketing assistants
The hardest universities for graphic designer/marketing assistants to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for graphic designer/marketing 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 graphic designer/marketing 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. 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graphic designer/marketing assistants
The easiest schools for graphic designer/marketing assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame college, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graphic designer/marketing 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 graphic designer/marketing assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average graphic designer/marketing assistant salary by education level
| Graphic designer/marketing assistant education level | Graphic designer/marketing assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,044 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,194 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,933 |
Graphic designer/marketing assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for graphic designer/marketing assistant jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025