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Sculptor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sculptor. Sculptors usually study fine arts, graphic design, or animation. 68% of sculptors hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 481 real sculptor resumes to see exactly what sculptor education sections show.

The most common colleges for sculptors are the Academy of Art University and the Academy of Art University.

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

What education do you need to become a sculptor?

What degree do you need to be a sculptor?

The most common degree for sculptors is bachelor's degree, with 68% of sculptors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 68%
  • Associate, 13%
  • Master's, 10%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a sculptor?

You should major in fine arts to become a sculptor. 49% of sculptors major in fine arts. Other common majors for a sculptor include graphic design and animation.

Most common colleges for sculptors

Sculptors often get their degrees at Academy of Art University, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and Savannah College of Art and Design. Here are the most common colleges for sculptors in the US based on their resumes.
Sculptor common collegePercentages
Academy of Art University7.25%
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh7.25%
Savannah College of Art and Design5.80%
Wayne State University5.80%
Art Center College of Design5.80%

Best majors for sculptors

RankMajorPercentages
1Fine Arts48.6%
2Graphic Design19.2%
3Animation4.3%
4Computer Science3.4%
5Biology2.4%

Best colleges for sculptors

The best colleges for sculptors are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.

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

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for sculptors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sculptors

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

If the best universities for sculptors 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 sculptors.

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. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

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 sculptors

The hardest universities for sculptors to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.

Some great schools for sculptors 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 sculptors 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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sculptors

The easiest schools for sculptors to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and curry college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sculptor 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 sculptors.

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. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

7. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

8. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

Average sculptor salary by education level

According to our data, sculptors with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $100,169 annually. Sculptors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $99,948.
Sculptor education levelSculptor salary
Master's Degree$99,948
High School Diploma or Less$76,969
Bachelor's Degree$100,169
Some College/ Associate Degree$85,079

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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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