Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects maps to BLS occupations averaging about $92,078, with roughly 1,541,830 workers nationwide in those roles. About 3,162 bachelor's completions in IPEDS 2023; median in-state published tuition is about $4,334.
Key Statistics
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects: what the data shows
Common questions about animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degree?
A Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects program is classified under NCES CIP 10.0304 in the Graphic Communications field family (10.03).
A program that prepares individuals to use computer applications and related visual and sound imaging techniques to manipulate images and information originating as film, video, still photographs, digital copy, soundtracks, and physical objects in order to communicate messages simulating real-world content. Includes instruction in specialized camerawork and equipment operation and maintenance, image capture, computer programming, dubbing, CAD applications, and applications to specific commercial, industrial, and entertainment needs
IPEDS counted 3,162 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 10.03 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator (CIP 10.0308)
- Graphic Communications, General (CIP 10.0301)
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production (CIP 10.0305)
- Platemaker/Imager (CIP 10.0306)
- Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design (CIP 10.0303)
- Printing Management (CIP 10.0302)
- Printing Press Operator (CIP 10.0307)
How long does it take to get a animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 10.0304 in our file:
- 1,180 Associate (24.2% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
- 3,162 Bachelor's (65.0% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 519 Master's (10.7% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
- 6 Doctorate (0.1% of IPEDS total)—varies by program
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What do you learn in animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking, Service Orientation, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Sales & Office Occupations (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%). Bachelor's awards account for a majority of IPEDS completions for CIP 10.0304, but occupation data show multiple pathways.
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sales & Office Occupations | 1,441,580 | — |
| Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | 7,600 | $30,460 |
| Technical Writers | 55,530 | $91,670 |
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks | 11,960 | $49,130 |
| Marketing Managers | 384,980 | $161,030 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | 99,070 | $46,370 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Graphic Communications bachelor's program family: median debt $45,257, median earnings $43,283 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 1.78.
About 9.2% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $4,334 and median net price is $10,113.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$4,334 Median In-State Public
$38,447 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors are, on average, $4,334 for in-state public colleges, and $38,447 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
3,162 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regis University | CO | 2,599 |
| 2 | Kettering University | MI | 1,279 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regis University | CO | $43,980 |
| 2 | Kettering University | MI | $46,380 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regis University | CO | $22,689 |
| 2 | Kettering University | MI | $33,092 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects programs.
Graduation Rates
54.64% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
55.24% Average Graduation Rate
396 Institutions Reporting
40.85% - 69.17% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects programs across institutions.
Where students complete this major (IPEDS)
Bachelor's-level completions (IPEDS Completions, award level 5) summed by institution state. State is taken from IPEDS Directory (HD2023) for each reporting institution.
Geographic concentration
The largest number of reported bachelor's completions for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects is in CA (563 completions). That state represents about 17.8% of U.S. bachelor's completions reported for this CIP in the IPEDS file we use.
Among states, the highest concentration relative to all bachelor's degrees awarded in-state is HI (1.03% of that state's bachelor's completions).
Top states by count of bachelor's completions for this CIP (IPEDS).
| State | Bachelor's completions (this CIP) | % of U.S. total (this CIP) | % of state's all bachelor's |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 563 | 17.8% | 0.12% |
| GA | 539 | 17.1% | 0.47% |
| NY | 261 | 8.2% | 0.10% |
| FL | 228 | 7.2% | 0.10% |
| IL | 203 | 6.4% | 0.15% |
| MI | 146 | 4.6% | 0.13% |
| HI | 114 | 3.6% | 1.03% |
| VA | 100 | 3.2% | 0.08% |
| WA | 90 | 2.9% | 0.13% |
| AZ | 88 | 2.8% | 0.06% |
| MD | 87 | 2.8% | 0.12% |
| TX | 77 | 2.4% | 0.03% |
| TN | 74 | 2.3% | 0.10% |
| CO | 70 | 2.2% | 0.10% |
| MA | 68 | 2.1% | 0.05% |
| OH | 65 | 2.1% | 0.05% |
| MO | 62 | 2.0% | 0.09% |
| IN | 46 | 1.4% | 0.04% |
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 10.03 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator CIP 10.0308
- Graphic Communications, General CIP 10.0301
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production CIP 10.0305
- Platemaker/Imager CIP 10.0306
- Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design CIP 10.0303
- Printing Management CIP 10.0302
- Printing Press Operator CIP 10.0307
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 10.0304 in the survey year used in our extract (4,867 total across levels below).
- 1,180 Associate (24.2% of IPEDS total)
- 3,162 Bachelor's (65.0% of IPEDS total)
- 519 Master's (10.7% of IPEDS total)
- 6 Doctorate (0.1% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $92,078. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Sales & Office Occupations | $62,097 | 1,441,580 |
| Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | $41,322 | 7,600 |
| Technical Writers | $110,175 | 55,530 |
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks | $53,927 | 11,960 |
| Marketing Managers | $209,972 | 384,980 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $68,570 | 99,070 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Graphic Communications CIP family (22 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects graduate.
- $45,257 median federal loan debt among completers
- $43,283 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 1.78 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 9.2% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$68,017 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors is $68,017.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors.
Occupations by Share
1,541,830 2023 Workforce
The number of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects.
Age distribution for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
3,162 Total Degrees Awarded
1,374 Male (43.45%)
1,788 Female (56.55%)
Gender distribution of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
1,359 White (42.98%)
516 Hispanic or Latino (16.32%)
330 Asian (10.44%)
242 Black or African American (7.65%)
183 Two or More Races (5.79%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to use computer applications and related visual and sound imaging techniques to manipulate images and information originating as film, video, still photographs, digital copy, soundtracks, and physical objects in order to communicate messages simulating real-world content. Includes instruction in specialized camerawork and equipment operation and maintenance, image capture, computer programming, dubbing, CAD applications, and applications to specific commercial, industrial, and entertainment needs
In 2023, 3,162 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects.
CIP Code
10.0304 - Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $45,257 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $43,283, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.78. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects graduate.
About 9.2% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians. That is a program-level mobility signal, not a national underemployment rate.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $92,078. The largest mapped role by headcount is Sales & Office Occupations (1,441,580 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $4,334 in-state at public colleges and $38,447 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.