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Sketch artist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sketch artist. Sketch artists usually study graphic design, fine arts, or animation. 67% of sketch artists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 115 real sketch artist resumes to see exactly what sketch artist education sections show.

The most common colleges for sketch artists are the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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

What education do you need to become a sketch artist?

What degree do you need to be a sketch artist?

The most common degree for sketch artists is bachelor's degree, with 67% of sketch artists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 67%
  • Associate, 21%
  • Master's, 3%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a sketch artist?

You should major in graphic design to become a sketch artist. 45% of sketch artists major in graphic design. Other common majors for a sketch artist include fine arts and animation.

Most common colleges for sketch artists

Sketch artists often get their degrees at Savannah College of Art and Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, and Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco. Here are the most common colleges for sketch artists in the US based on their resumes.
Sketch artist common collegePercentages
Savannah College of Art and Design10.71%
Fashion Institute of Technology10.71%
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco7.14%
Tyler Junior College7.14%
Truman State University7.14%

Best majors for sketch artists

RankMajorPercentages
1Graphic Design45.5%
2Fine Arts21.2%
3Animation4.5%
4Interior Design3.0%
5Computer Science3.0%

Best colleges for sketch artists

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

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

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 sketch artists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sketch artists

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

If the best universities for sketch artists 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 sketch artists.

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 sketch artists

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

Some great schools for sketch artists 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 sketch artists 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 sketch artists

The easiest schools for sketch artists 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 sketch artist 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 sketch artists.

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 sketch artist salary by education level

Sketch artists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $72,586 annually. With a Master's degree, sketch artists earn a median annual income of $72,300 compared to $54,150 for sketch artists with an Associate degree.
Sketch artist education levelSketch artist salary
Master's Degree$72,300
High School Diploma or Less$45,239
Bachelor's Degree$72,586
Some College/ Associate Degree$54,150

Sketch artist 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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