Graphic Design
Graphic Design graduates earn an average annual wage of $94,254, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 56,620 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Graphic Design and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,790 Median In-State Public
$52,664 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Graphic Design majors are, on average, $11,790 for in-state public colleges, and $52,664 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Graphic Design programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
1,407,476 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Graphic Design from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Graphic Design.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 42,100 |
| 3 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
| 4 | Florida International University | FL | 38,761 |
| 5 | University of Houston | TX | 37,175 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Graphic Design programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compton College | CA | $1,142 |
| 2 | El Camino Community College District | CA | $1,144 |
| 3 | Laney College | CA | $1,148 |
| 4 | Chabot College | CA | $1,150 |
| 5 | Fullerton College | CA | $1,150 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Graphic Design programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 2 | Henry Ford College | MI | $576 |
| 3 | Cerritos College | CA | $693 |
| 4 | College of San Mateo | CA | $1,504 |
| 5 | Fresno City College | CA | $1,699 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Graphic Design programs.
Graduation Rates
55.47% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
54.56% Average Graduation Rate
882 Institutions Reporting
43.12% - 66.51% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Graphic Design programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Graphic Design graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$94,254 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Graphic Design majors is $94,254.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Graphic Design majors.
Occupations by Share
56,620 2023 Workforce
The number of Graphic Design graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Graphic Design by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Graphic Design degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$13,532 Median Student Debt
$40,568 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
33.36% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
3.3 years Estimated Payback Period (assuming 10% of income)
501.30% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$67,466 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Graphic Design degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Graphic Design in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Graphic Design.
Age distribution for Graphic Design degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
10,676 Total Degrees Awarded
3,735 Male (34.99%)
6,941 Female (65.01%)
Gender distribution of Graphic Design degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
5,391 White (50.50%)
2,370 Hispanic or Latino (22.20%)
790 Asian (7.40%)
782 Black or African American (7.32%)
434 Two or More Races (4.07%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Graphic Design degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Graphic Design are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Graphic Design.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Graphic Design field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Graphic Design majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Graphic Design 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 Graphic Design majors.
About
Graphic Design
In 2023, 1,407,476 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Graphic Design.
CIP Code
50.0409 - Graphic Design
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: Graphic Design offers an outstanding ROI of 501%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
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.