Is a Graphic Design Degree Worth It?

Are you looking for an exciting new career in graphic design? You may already know you want to work in design. The visual storytelling, visibility, and creative challenges are thrilling.  But will a degree help you land those Paul Rand-level jobs and clients? And is graphic design a good major? The short answer is “yes,” but let’s look at the evidence.

Think like a potential employer for a minute. How can a candidate prove their design skills to you? Many employers see a degree or certificate from an accredited institution as evidence of ability. If you’ve completed a degree program, you might seem more competent than if you hadn’t.

IN THIS GUIDE:

The Pros of Getting a Graphic Design Degree
Is a Free Graphic Design Degree Worth It?
The Cons of a Graphic Design Degree
How Long Does it Take to Earn a Graphic Design Degree?

The Pros of Getting a Graphic Design Degree

A degree in graphic design has dozens of benefits. Let’s look at some of the most significant. A degree can give you credentials that fit your skillset. It can help you build a job-getting network and portfolio, and get you hired faster, for better, higher-paying jobs.

Get a Graphic Design Job

If you’ve spent some time looking for a graphic design job, you’ve probably noticed most jobs require a degree. You may get hired without one, but most employers will choose a credentialed candidate. A degree will give you credibility in the world of design and prepare you for the day-to-day work you’ll do when you land a job. Many programs also have career placement services to connect you with internships and entry-level jobs.

Stand Out from the Crowd

Graphic design jobs are increasing, but the field is competitive. Hundreds of thousands of very talented people are drawn to careers as graphic designers. A degree can help you stand out to prospective employers, especially if you’re an entry-level job candidate.

“Employers often use a degree as evidence of a foundation for success. Students who earn a Bachelor’s degree demonstrate their ability to stick with something that requires a multi-year commitment and perseverance.” – Dr. Meryl Epstein, AIGA Fellow

Earn Higher Pay

In 2024, graphic designers made over 20% more than the median annual wage for all workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But not all graphic design jobs pay the same.

Some designers make $50,000 a year, and some make close to $100,000. A degree from a reputable institute can help you land a job in the higher end of that range. In fact, people with a bachelor’s degree can earn 65% more than high school graduates.

Build a Network

Most new graphic designers will fill out hundreds of online applications in their quest to find a job. But Steve Dalton, author of The 2-Hour Job Search, says there’s a better way. “If you can get over the learning curve,” he says, “networking is far more effective.” A huge part of graphic design school is building connections to kick-start your career.

Make a Strong Portfolio

To get the best graphic design jobs, you’ll need to prove your skills. A stunning portfolio can help you do that. If you don’t already have a portfolio of your design work, you’ll build one with the peer-reviewed projects you do in school. A graphic design degree can prepare you to find a job and help you get hired.

Grow Your Career Faster

You can definitely build a great career without a graphic design degree. But you’ll fast-track your success by starting with an education. A degree will help you fill in any skills gaps and set you up to land a better class of entry-level jobs. It’ll also help you build your network faster and open up more opportunities for a robust career.

Enjoy Job Security

A degree in graphic design can cut your chance of being unemployed almost in half. The unemployment rate for people with degrees is 2.9%, vs 5.6% for those without degrees. That means you’re almost twice as likely to get a job and keep it if you have a college degree.

Avoid Knowledge Gaps

Self-taught graphic designers may suffer from skills gaps. They can lack a comprehensive understanding of design principles, industry standards, soft skills like teamwork, and technical skills like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign. Though it may seem tempting to use free online tutorials to build your skills, it’s incredibly hard to succeed without the mentoring, peer reviews, experienced lecturers, and curated curriculum that a graphic design degree will give you.

Access Design Resources

A graphic design school (in-person or remote) will often offer equipment and facilities like printing studios, photography studios, and high-level design tools. Self-taught designers may not have access to these resources on their own. Even online design schools often give you access to print labs and local studios.

Learn to Satisfy Clients

Your passion drives your art, but can you turn it on at will? Working graphic designers need to bring their talent to work day in, day out, whether they feel like it or not. Your graphic design degree curriculum will teach you to tame your raw talent and cook up inspiration to order. You’ll learn to satisfy clients whose creative vision may not mesh with your own.

Feed Your Creative Side

If you’re interested in design, you probably have a strong desire to create. Yet a self-taught designer’s creative impulse can grow stagnant. A graphic design degree program lets you use your creativity on a regular basis. You can continue to improve your artistic skills while you satisfy your need to make something new and unique.

Work with New Design Technology

If you want to start a career in graphic design, you have to be comfortable with the technology, including hardware and software tools.

Graphic designers work extensively with the Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Depending on your specialty, you may also work with tools like Figma or Sketch for UI/UX design, or 3D design software for more complex projects. Most of this gets updated annually with new features and enhancements.

Be Independent

Do you like autonomy in your work environment? Does the thought of deciding when and how you work yourself sound good to you? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18% of all graphic designers in the U.S. are self-employed. Being your own employer is true autonomy. Many designers also work for agencies or as “in-house” designers for organizations. If you like the idea of working for an existing business, those opportunities are ample as well.

Build Confidence

“Where did you study graphic design?” A degree will give you a massive confidence multiplier when it comes to getting jobs and working with clients. Imposter syndrome is real, and a degree can help you tame it. Passion and belief in your skillset add up to confidence.

Get Other Jobs

A degree in graphic design can open up opportunities in related fields. Formally educated designers can land jobs like:

• UI/UX designer
• Web designer
• Art director
• Motion graphics designer
• Brand identity designer
• Illustrator
• Packaging designer
• Multimedia artist
• Creative director

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Is a Free Graphic Design Degree Worth It?

If you’re looking to pursue graphic design as a hobby, there are plenty of free degree programs that can give you a basic skill set in the tools and principles you’ll need. If you want to pursue a career in graphic design, you’re better off steering clear of free degrees.

Here’s why: A free program won’t have the curated curriculum, experienced teachers, professional feedback, and peer reviews you’ll need. Those elements are baked into formal graphic design degree programs, and are essential to building a professional skillset, network, and career.

Consider the difference in the length of time and the robustness of a real degree vs. an online degree:

Factor	Free Online Graphic Design Degree	Formal Graphic Design Degree
Time Commitment	A few hours to months	2-4 years full-time
Skill Development	Basic to intermediate design skills, limited depth	Comprehensive design skills, in-depth learning
Portfolio Building	Self-guided, may lack diverse projects	Guided by instructors with diverse project types
Access to Industry Professionals	Minimal access to industry professionals	Access to guest lecturers, mentors, and industry connections
Recognition by Employers	Limited recognition	Widely recognized by employers, often required
Accreditation	No formal accreditation	Accredited by recognized institutions
Networking Opportunities	Limited networking, online communities only	Networking with classmates, alumni, and industry events
Resources and Support	Minimal support, mostly self-taught	Strong support from instructors, career services, and internships

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The Cons of a Graphic Design Degree

Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits of earning a degree in graphic design, let’s take a good look at the potential cons.

There are many variables to consider when tallying the costs of a degree program, but here we’ll focus on tuition for an associate degree. A reputable accredited school can cost as much as $10,000 per year for an Associate Degree in Graphic Design, but you can find more affordable options.

Sessions College has an Associate of Occupational Studies in Graphic Design program that is significantly more affordable.

Not Always Required for Jobs

Plenty of entry-level jobs at the lower end of the pay range will hire a designer with nothing but a solid portfolio. Even though graphic designers with degrees typically earn a significantly higher salary than those who don’t have them, there’s room for all education levels in the design field.

Competitive Job Market

The job market for graphic designers is tight, with more than 250,000 designers in the U.S. vying for the best positions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic design jobs are expected to grow by 3% in the next 10 years. For some, this narrow market is an argument against a career in graphic design. With that said, a degree can help you stand out in a tight market. It can also open up jobs in quickly growing fields like UX/UI design and motion graphics design.

Can Limit Creative Freedom

If you typically work on your own passion projects, you may feel limited by a formal degree program. These programs are structured to guide your creative exploration in the service of assignments. They’re designed to prepare you for the world of commercial graphic design, where you’ll often need to work to fulfill the vision of clients and employers.

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How Long Does it Take to Earn a Graphic Design Degree?

The cost of a degree is more than just money. It also takes time to get a graphic design degree. Depending on what type of degree you want, earning it can take from two to eight years. An Associate Degree in Graphic Design is often enough to kick off a career, and you can earn one in about two years. A Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree will take more time. We’ll look at each one next.

Types of Graphic Design Degrees

There are four major types of degrees available for postsecondary students. They are Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees. The one you choose depends on how much time, effort, and money you want to invest.

Associate Degree

Associate programs typically take two years and provide a foundational education for starting a career or further education path. Most community colleges offer associate degree programs. Completing an Associate Program in Graphic Design is often enough for entry-level designers to begin their careers.

Transferable Associate Degree programs are designed to cover the general education requirements to allow for easy continuation of a student’s education in a four-year college.

Bachelor’s Degree

A Bachelor’s is an undergraduate program that typically takes four years to complete. Often students will earn an Associate before going on to a Bachelor’s program in a college or university.

Those who earn a Bachelor’s degree are qualified for entry-level or management-level positions within the design field. Graduate degree programs usually require students to earn a Bachelor’s degree for admittance.

Master’s Degree

Master’s degree programs are graduate-level programs that let students specialize in their discipline. They usually require a Bachelor’s degree, a minimum GPA, and an acceptable score on a graduate entrance exam. Master’s programs usually take between one and two years to finish and most require a capstone project or thesis to graduate.

A degree of this type may qualify graduates to work in executive-level positions and is required for entrance into many doctoral programs.

Doctoral Degrees

Doctoral degree, or Ph.D., programs are the most advanced type of degree in higher education. Graphic design Ph.D. programs are rare, mainly due to the field’s practical nature. Design emphasizes hands-on skills over advanced academic research. Since they are the highest attainable college degree, they usually require a master’s degree for admittance. Often there are additional acceptance requirements including letters of recommendation or sufficient standardized test scores.

It typically takes several years to complete a Phd in Graphic Design, including a major project and a dissertation.

Certificate Programs

Whether you’re a skilled, entry-level designer or an experienced pro, a graphic design certificate program can help get you noticed. You can earn a certificate from a reputable school in as little as nine months.

A certificate can help you build your portfolio, and learn important skills like the foundations of design, typography, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Seasoned pros can even customize some certificate programs to fill their skills gaps.

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Conclusion: Is a Graphic Design Degree Worth It?

Starting a career with no experience is very difficult, if not impossible. Earning a degree is a great way to launch a graphic design career without initial experience. You’ll gain experience and knowledge through your education that you can’t get on your own.

Employers want to hire graphic designers with experience, but you can’t get job experience without first being hired. The experience you gain while earning a degree is a clear path to your first graphic design job.

While a degree does take an investment of both time and money, it has the potential to pay vast returns. With so many affordable online colleges, you can find a way to spend minimal amounts of money while fitting school into your life, completing courses that fit your schedule. Not many things in life have the potential return on investment that an education has.