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Special effects designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a special effects designer. Special effects designers usually study graphic design, journalism, or mechanical engineering. 59% of special effects designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 80 real special effects designer resumes to see exactly what special effects designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for special effects designers are the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Savannah College of Art and Design.
There are also many online special effects designer courses to help get the education required to be a special effects designer.
What education do you need to become a special effects designer?
What degree do you need to be a special effects designer?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 28%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a special effects designer?
- Graphic Design, 17%
- Journalism, 11%
- Photography, 9%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for special effects designers
| Special effects designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 9.09% |
| Ball State University | 9.09% |
| New York University | 4.55% |
| University of California - Los Angeles | 4.55% |
| Indiana University Bloomington | 4.55% |
Best majors for special effects designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 17.0% |
| 2 | Journalism | 10.6% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 8.5% |
| 4 | Photography | 8.5% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 6.4% |
Best colleges for special effects designers
The best colleges for special effects designers are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
A special effects designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for special effects designers. 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 special effects designers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for special effects designers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for special effects designers
The most affordable schools for special effects designers are Fashion Institute of Technology, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and university of florida.
If the best universities for special effects designers 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 special effects designers.
1. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
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 special effects designers
The hardest universities for special effects designers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for special effects designers 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 special effects designers 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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for special effects designers
The easiest schools for special effects designers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, kean university, and grand view university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a special effects designer 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 special effects designers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
3. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
9. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
10. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
Average special effects designer salary by education level
| Special effects designer education level | Special effects designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $86,862 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,918 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $83,850 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $66,871 |
Special effects designer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025