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Plate maker education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a plate maker. Plate makers usually study graphic design, business, or graphic communications. 39% of plate makers hold a high school diploma, and 25% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 597 real plate maker resumes to see exactly what plate maker education sections show.

The most common colleges for plate makers are the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

There are also many online plate maker courses to help get the education required to be a plate maker.

What education do you need to become a plate maker?

What degree do you need to be a plate maker?

The most common degree for plate makers is high school diploma, with 39% of plate makers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 19%.
  • High School Diploma, 39%
  • Associate, 25%
  • Bachelor's, 19%
  • Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a plate maker?

You should major in graphic design to become a plate maker. 24% of plate makers major in graphic design. Other common majors for a plate maker include business and graphic communications.

Most common colleges for plate makers

Plate makers often get their degrees at Rochester Institute of Technology, Liberty University, and Dunwoody College of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for plate makers in the US based on their resumes.
Plate maker common collegePercentages
Rochester Institute of Technology11.54%
Liberty University7.69%
Dunwoody College of Technology7.69%
Springfield College7.69%
California State University - San Bernardino7.69%

Best majors for plate makers

Best colleges for plate makers

The best colleges for plate makers are Loyola Marymount University, Southern Methodist University, and Northeastern University.

A plate maker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for plate makers. 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 plate makers.

1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

3. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

7. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,338

Enrollment

7,820

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$54,492

Enrollment

6,448

9. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$48,522

Enrollment

6,557

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Enrollment

24,163

20 best online courses for plate makers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for plate makers

The most affordable schools for plate makers are Brigham Young University, california state university - los angeles, and university of new mexico.

If the best universities for plate makers 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 plate makers.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

3. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,633

Cost of attendance

19,235

4. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

5. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Cost of attendance

23,713

6. Minnesota State University - Moorhead

Moorhead, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,496

Cost of attendance

21,414

7. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Cost of attendance

23,600

8. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Cost of attendance

13,997

9. Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$12,951

Cost of attendance

25,686

10. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Cost of attendance

23,783

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for plate makers

The hardest universities for plate makers to get into are Loyola Marymount University, Southern Methodist University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for plate makers 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 plate makers 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. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

2. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,324

5. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond, WA • Private

Admissions rate

57%

SAT average

1,282

8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

Admissions rate

30%

SAT average

1,339

9. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,336

10. Bradley University

Peoria, IL • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

1,212

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for plate makers

The easiest schools for plate makers to get into are Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, kean university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a plate maker 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 plate makers.

1. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

2. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

5. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

997

6. University of Northwestern - St. Paul

Saint Paul, MN • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,187

7. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

8. University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, WI • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,135

9. University of Charleston

Charleston, WV • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,057

10. Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,075

Average plate maker salary by education level

Plate maker education levelPlate maker salary
High School Diploma or Less$44,567

Plate maker 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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