Graphic design offers a creative outlet for industries making products and services, and designers can make $46,638 per year on average1. Industries across the board need graphic artists to create engaging print and digital materials. Graphic design courses offer the training and skills required to break into this field.
This guide explores the types of graphic design courses available, what students can do with a graphic design degree, and different ways they can specialize and focus their skills.
What Is a Graphic Design Course?
Graphic design courses teach design principles and how to communicate through the use of images and typography. Students learn about standard tools required for graphic design and the history of design.
Students spend a lot of time doing hands-on work through graphic design courses, from ideation, creating designs, making videos, or adjusting user interfaces and experiences. These vital skills provide employers with easy-to-use, engaging designs for everything from a website and marketing materials to packaging design and more.
Graphic design also includes niche design fields like stop motion, graphics for video, and immersive experiences. As the internet becomes more complex, graphic designers can ensure that a company’s brand and mission come through in all materials.
How Can I Use Graphic Design Courses?
Graphic designers can work in just about any industry, producing marketing materials, product packaging, websites, and a number of other media pieces. They can build engaging user experiences and ensure that brand mission remains consistent and cohesive.
PayScale estimates that the average graphic designer makes just over $46,000 per year1, but some industries offer higher salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the highest-paying graphic design positions are:
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Graphic Designers in the Federal Executive Branch Average Annual Salary: $88,090
The federal executive branch pays graphic designers just over $88,000 per year2. The field also employs about 1,470 people in the field each year2. Graphic designers help with a variety of tasks, including website design, promotional materials, and training materials.
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Graphic Designers in Software Publishing Average Annual Salary: $81,610
Graphic designers in the software publishing sphere make over $81,000 per year2. The industry employs a little over 3,000 people per year in the field2. Software publishing needs graphic designers to help with packaging solutions, training materials, and websites.
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Graphic Designers in Aerospace Parts and Parts Manufacturing Average Annual Salary: $80,000
Graphic designers working for the aerospace industry make about $80,000 per year2. The field employs just under 300 people per year2. Aerospace and parts need graphic designers to manage things like packaging, marketing materials, and training materials.
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Graphic Designers in Legal Services Average Annual Salary: $77,790
Graphic designers in legal services make an average of almost $78,000 per year2. The industry employs almost 400 people per year2. Designers help make a variety of materials, from websites to marketing and in-house papers.
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Graphic Designers in Cable and Subscription Programming Average Annual Salary: $77,790
Cable and subscription programming pays their graphic designers just under $78,000 annually2 and employs 400 positions each year2. Designers work on different types of promotional materials, from websites to marketing and graphics.
Graphic Design Program Courses
Students learn a variety of design applications in their courses, including:
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Web publishing
Graphic design students learn to design user-friendly and functional websites that harness design to improve the user experience. Skills include coding such as HTML and common publishing tools like WordPress or Dreamweaver
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2D and 3D design
Graphic design students need to construct both types of forms to become well-rounded designers. These courses include training in manipulating both types of forms for different types of deliverables.
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Digital photography
Graphic designers who can take their own pictures have a leg up in design. Photos are a significant part of design tools, and training in this area helps designers expand their abilities.
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Computer graphic design
Design students in this course hone skills in things like editing, computer tools, and paint programs. It helps students build the technology skills required to design advanced technological materials.
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Visual design
This course provides students with training in design principles such as color theory, the hierarchy of space, and other visual aids. Students hone creativity and practice skills in creating pleasing and user-friendly designs.
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3D modeling
For students designing 3D environments, this course teaches common 3D rendering tools that help create the immersive environments needed for video design, 3D graphics, and model building.
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Desktop publishing fundamentals
Students learn workflow, design techniques, publishing tools, image and file management, and printing and page layouts. These skills expand what a student can prepare in different types of media, not just online.
Graphic Design Course Concentrations
Graphic design is a large field. While students will train on most types of skills, many students choose to apply effort to one particular niche. Some graphic design careers that offer specialized course concentrations for training include:
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Graphic designer
General graphic designers handle the print and online materials for a company or organization. They often work on a variety of deliverables such as marketing materials, ads, company logos, or graphics.
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Creative director
Creative directors make $89,566 on average per year3. Concentrating here requires management skills and people skills. Graphic designers with excellent leadership skills and the ability to hone a single vision can take charge of creative directions and build a cohesive, overall aesthetic.
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User experience (UX) designer
UX designers can make about $74,869 per year4. They focus on designing from a customer perspective, from websites to apps to products and services. They may run user tests, iterate and modify existing offerings, and keep a keen eye on how their creations behave in customers’ hands.
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Production artist
Production artists make about $18.25 per hour5. Graphic designers with project management experience can take over the hands-on steps of production. Whether it’s ensuring the quality of uploaded graphics, building a cohesive brand, or ensuring the last stages of a design process are smooth, production artists are responsible for all those final touches.
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Web designer
Web designers make around $51,997 per year6. They design, implement, and troubleshoot everything having to do with web design, making them an important part of marketing for small to large companies, organizations, and everyone in between.
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App designer
A mobile app designer can make about $65,000 per year7. This concentration focuses exclusively on creating mobile experiences, whether it’s a company app or just a fun new game. The app industry brings in billions of dollars each year, so it remains an in-demand field for many different types of organizations.
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Multimedia or animation artists
Multimedia artists make around $57,476 per year8. They design complex animation and graphics using a variety of skills. They consider the story, development, and execution of a story. They’ll handle production for a variety of brands as they expand beyond traditional marketing and informative media.
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Graphic Design Degree?
Students who choose to participate in a bachelor’s degree typically complete it in four years of full-time study, including state-required core courses. Associate degrees take two years of full-time study to complete.
Graphic design boot camps exist as well, offering foundational training in just 6-9 months without the need for state-required core courses. Single courses take a semester or a quarter at a traditional school.
Self-taught graphic designers can learn at a wide range of paces, depending on how familiar they are with design principles and how much time they have to study.
Discover More About Graphic Design Programs
Q. What is the graphic design application process?
Students applying to bachelor’s degree programs must apply to their chosen college before declaring a major and then provide any required portfolio work to enter the program (if any).
Q. Are there scholarships available?
Students should check with their chosen school for scholarships and grants. Current employers may also be a resource for scholarships for upskilling or professional development.
Q. Is graphic design worth it?
BLS predicts that graphic design will grow a bit slower than the industry average, but it will still add 7,300 jobs per year between 2020 and 2030. Graphic designers can work in just about any industry, giving them the opportunity to work in a field that interests them.
Q. Does location matter for graphic design?
Graphic designers can work remotely, but according to the BLS9, some states pay graphic designers more than others:
- District of Columbia: Average salary of $83,070
- Washington State: Average salary of $77,000
- Massachusetts: Average salary of $70,180
- New York: Average salary of $68,260
- Virginia: Average salary of $66,850
Q. Is online an option for graphic design?
Graphic design hopefuls can take courses online, complete degrees online, and even work remotely. Online graphic design courses exist with and without certificates, and students may even find free graphic design courses on some platforms.
Q. What skills do you need for graphic design?
Designers need an artistic eye to create innovative designs, but that’s not all. People, IT, and management skills also help graphic designers complete projects and return designs that follow branding guidelines.
Q. What does a graphic designer do on a daily basis?
Graphic designers create visual concepts, translate them into a variety of deliverables, and touch up or adjust as necessary to maintain the material integrity of the design. They deal with people and collaborate to ensure that the vision remains prominent.
References
[1] PayScale. (2021). Average Graphic Designer Salary. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Graphic_Designer/Salary
[2] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). Occupational Employment and Wages: Graphic Designers. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271024.htm#st
[3] PayScale. (2021). Average Creative Director Salary. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Creative_Director/Salary
[4] PayScale. (2021) Average User Experience (UX) Designer Salary. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/what-can-you-do-with-graphic-design-degree/
[5] PayScale. (2021). Average Production Artist Hourly Rate. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Production_Artist_(Graphic_Arts)/Hourly_Rate
[6] PayScale. (2021) Average Web Designer Salary. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Web_Designer/Salary
[7] PayScale. (2021). Average Mobile App Designer Salary. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Mobile_App_Designer/Salary
[8] PayScale. (2021). Average Multi Media Artist Salary. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Multi-Media_Artist_or_Animator/Salary
[9] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). Occupational Employment and Wages: Graphic Designers. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271024.htm#st