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Visual information specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a visual information specialist. Visual information specialists usually study graphic design, fine arts, or design and visual communication. 65% of visual information specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 628 real visual information specialist resumes to see exactly what visual information specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for visual information specialists are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online visual information specialist courses to help get the education required to be a visual information specialist.
What education do you need to become a visual information specialist?
What degree do you need to be a visual information specialist?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a visual information specialist?
- Graphic Design, 31%
- Fine Arts, 14%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 40%
Most common colleges for visual information specialists
| Visual information specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 14.44% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.78% |
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh | 7.78% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 6.67% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 5.56% |
Best majors for visual information specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 31.4% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 13.7% |
| 3 | Design And Visual Communication | 7.7% |
| 4 | Business | 6.7% |
| 5 | Communication | 6.4% |
Best colleges for visual information specialists
The best colleges for visual information specialists are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
A visual information specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for visual information specialists. 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 visual information specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
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 visual information specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. User Experience Design Immersive (Full-time)
Launch a future-proof career designing digital experiences that power revenue, user loyalty, and product success. Distinguish yourself as a designer by compiling a portfolio to showcase solo, group, and client projects to employers based on UI design and Agile methodologies...
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Translate user wants and needs into intuitive digital experiences that power revenue, loyalty, and product success. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex design problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. UX Designer
Design impactful user experiences for products in today’s digital world. Build a portfolio that showcases your ability to transform user research to high-fidelity interactive designs...
4. Product Design
Learn the steps you need to turn an idea into reality. By the end of this course you’ll learn how to bring an idea from concept to hand off for development and onto creation of a prototype...
5. Information Visualization
This specialization provides learners with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to develop a strong foundation in information visualization and to design and develop advanced applications for visual data analysis.\n\nThe specialization is characterized by two main complementary features: (1) providing a strong understanding of visual perception and the theory of visual encoding to design and evaluate innovative visualization methods; (2) providing the necessary skills to develop...
6. Introduction to Technical Support
Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support. You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also...
7. After Effects - Motion Graphics & Data Visualization
Using Adobe After Effects create beautiful VFX Visual Effects, data visualization & VFX Compositing...
8. Complete Graphics Design and Video Editing Masterclass
Combo Course of Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe Photoshop CC for Learning Video Editing and Graphics Design...
9. Visual Design (Part Time)
Gain the vocabulary and tools to tackle diverse design challenges on the job. Kickstart your portfolio and create beautiful, responsive designs for the web. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
10. Intro to UX Design
Are you interested in UX Design, but have no prior experience or an idea of where to start? You’ve come to the right place! In this two-hour livestream, we’ll explore the decision-making process that separates a good user experience from a great one, and learn some tools that you can implement in your own UX process today. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to begin your UX Design journey!...
11. Create Informative Presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint
At the end of this project you will be able to create a successful and informative PowerPoint presentation that will keep your audience’s attention. First, you will learn how to start a basic PowerPoint presentation. Then, you will learn how to add informative content to your presentation before you will also learn how to add engaging visual support to your presentation. Additionally, you will learn a few easy methods to make your slide transitions smoother and more appealing to your audience...
12. Create Informative Presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint
By the end of this project, you will create a free account on Microsoft 365, will get access to Microsoft PowerPoint, and will create an informative presentation with text and data that will be efficiently visualized. Your new skills will help you create an informative presentation that tells your story...
13. Graphic Design Mastery- AI, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign
Graphic Design for beginners including Graphic Design Theories, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AI & Creative Thinking...
14. Photoshop CC for Beginners: Adobe Photoshop Course
This Adobe Photoshop CC course will teach you the basics of Photoshop for web design, graphic design, photography & more...
15. SAS Visual Business Analytics
Using SAS Visual Analytics, you will learn to access and manipulate data, analyze data with a variety of interactive reports and graphics, and design and share dashboards to visualize your data. SAS Visual Analytics is a useful skill in a variety of careers, including business analyst, researcher, statistician, or data scientist.\n\nThe Macquarie Business School at Macquarie University is proud to partner with global analytics leader SAS in offering SAS Certification as part of their Global MBA...
16. PowerPoint Business Presentations & Data Visualization
Learn how to create a business Power Point presentation and use data visualization in Microsoft Power Point...
17. Adobe Photoshop CC: A Beginner to Advanced Photoshop Course
You can learn Adobe Photoshop CC. Graphic Design, Photo Editing & Retouching, Learn it all with this Photoshop class...
18. 47 Graphic Design Projects for Photoshop Beginners
Photoshop graphic design for beginners! Includes 47 Photoshop projects for your graphic design portfolio...
19. Product Photography: Beginner's Guide to Captivating Visuals
Learn About Digital Camera Settings, Lighting Techniques, Composition Guides, Storytelling, Props, and Styling...
20. Excel Charts, Infographics & Data Visualization Masterclass
Master 20+ Advanced Dynamic Excel Charts & Create Impressive Excel Graphs, Infographics & Data Visualization...
Top 10 most affordable universities for visual information specialists
The most affordable schools for visual information specialists are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and fashion institute of technology.
If the best universities for visual information specialists 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 visual information specialists.
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
6. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
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 visual information specialists
The hardest universities for visual information specialists to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for visual information specialists 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 visual information specialists 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for visual information specialists
The easiest schools for visual information specialists to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a visual information specialist 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 visual information specialists.
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. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
9. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average visual information specialist salary by education level
| Visual information specialist education level | Visual information specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $81,443 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $72,518 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $62,819 |
Visual information specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025