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Student graphic designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a student graphic designer. Student graphic designers usually study graphic design, mechanical engineering, or fine arts. 76% of student graphic designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,220 real student graphic designer resumes to see exactly what student graphic designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for student graphic designers are the Trinity University and the Trinity University.
There are also many online student graphic designer courses to help get the education required to be a student graphic designer.
There are certain student graphic designer certifications that you should consider. These student graphic designer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ).
What education do you need to become a student graphic designer?
What degree do you need to be a student graphic designer?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a student graphic designer?
- Graphic Design, 37%
- Fine Arts, 7%
- Interior Design, 5%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for student graphic designers
| Student graphic designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Trinity University | 7.69% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.69% |
| South Dakota State University | 6.67% |
| University of Iowa | 6.15% |
| Auburn University Main Campus | 6.15% |
Best majors for student graphic designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 37.3% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 11.7% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 7.1% |
| 4 | Interior Design | 5.2% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 4.4% |
Best colleges for student graphic designers
The best colleges for student graphic designers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A student graphic 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 student graphic 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 student graphic designers.
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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
20 best online courses for student graphic designers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for student graphic designers
The most affordable schools for student graphic designers are University of Florida, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for student graphic 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 student graphic designers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
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. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
10. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for student graphic designers
The hardest universities for student graphic designers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for student graphic 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 student graphic 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for student graphic designers
The easiest schools for student graphic designers to get into are Notre Dame College, cardinal stritch university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a student graphic 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 student graphic designers.
1. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
2. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
5. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
8. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
9. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average student graphic designer salary by education level
| Student graphic designer education level | Student graphic designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $30,495 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,817 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,868 |
Student graphic designer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025