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Graphic engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a graphic engineer. Graphic engineers usually study graphic design, computer science, or drafting and design. 64% of graphic engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 170 real graphic engineer resumes to see exactly what graphic engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for graphic engineers are the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia.

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

What education do you need to become a graphic engineer?

What degree do you need to be a graphic engineer?

The most common degree for graphic engineers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of graphic engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 16%
  • Master's, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a graphic engineer?

You should major in graphic design to become a graphic engineer. 15% of graphic engineers major in graphic design. Other common majors for a graphic engineer include computer science and drafting and design.

Most common colleges for graphic engineers

Graphic engineers often get their degrees at University of Georgia, Michigan Technological University, and Rhode Island School of Design. Here are the most common colleges for graphic engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Graphic engineer common collegePercentages
University of Georgia10.34%
Michigan Technological University6.90%
Rhode Island School of Design6.90%
University of California - Davis6.90%
University of Central Missouri6.90%

Best majors for graphic engineers

Best colleges for graphic engineers

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

A graphic engineer 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 engineers. 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 engineers.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for graphic engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for graphic engineers

The most affordable schools for graphic engineers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for graphic engineers 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 engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graphic engineers

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

Some great schools for graphic engineers 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 engineers 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graphic engineers

The easiest schools for graphic engineers to get into are Cardinal Stritch University, oregon institute of technology, and saint cloud state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graphic engineer 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 engineers.

1. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

4. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

5. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

6. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

7. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

8. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

9. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

10. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

Average graphic engineer salary by education level

According to our data, graphic engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $130,592 annually. Graphic engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $119,677.
Graphic engineer education levelGraphic engineer salary
Master's Degree$130,592
Bachelor's Degree$119,677
Some College/ Associate Degree$107,426

Graphic engineer 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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