You can recall that everywhere you go these days, you see images that appear like there is a touch of magic added; some look like they are in motion, and they appear so beautiful; All of these are works of graphics, and they are appealing to the eye. Do you like them? Would you love to make your own designs? You can get started by simply enrolling in a graphic design school.
There are enormous benefits of enrolling in a graphic design school: One that is most significant is the numerous job options; you can work in different areas and will enable you to pursue your passion and earn a lot of money. Think about it.
We have the list of best schools for you in this article and other vital information about graphic design that you may need to know. The table of contents will help you navigate through the options.
Table of contents
- What is Graphic Design?
- Why Graphics Design?
- Where Does A Graphic Designer Work?
- Who are the Top Graphics Designers in the World?
- How Long Does It Take To Get A Graphics Design Degree?
- What Does it Cost To Get A Graphics Design Degree?
- Can I Become A Graphic Designer Without A Degree?
- Graphics Design Salary
- What are Graphic Design Jobs Outlooks?
- What Are The Best Schools For Graphic Design
- What Are The Best Undergraduate Graphic Design Schools
- Best MBA Graphic Design Schools
- What Are The Best Online Graphic Design Schools?
- Conclusion
- Reference
- We Also Recommend
What is Graphic Design?
According to AIGA, the professional association for design, graphic design is “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.”
Who is a Graphic Designer?
Graphic designers are design professionals who create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They are also referred to as graphic artists or communication designers.
Basically, these professionals work with both text and images and combine art and technology to communicate ideas through images and the layout of websites and printed pages.
They are usually involved in many creative activities, including using digital illustration, photo editing software, and layout software to create designs. They also present design concepts to clients and create visual elements such as logos, original images, and illustrations to help deliver a message.
Why Graphics Design?
Visuals are packages that drive traffic to any business. They catch attention and can be remembered easily. That is why a lot of companies pay attention to artwork and graphics. Other benefits of graphic design are:
- Graphics design is easy to learn, especially with design toll kits like Corel Draw and QuarkXPress.
- You can expand your career to concentrate on different opportunities from doing more than one thing at a time.
- It allows you to explore different options.
- Graphic design is very flexible; you can work from home.
- Boosts your creativity and keeps your imagination active all the time.
Where Does A Graphic Designer Work?
There are multiple job options for graphic designers. For example, a graphic designer who is into Video game design and Computer animation can work in an advertising and promotions firm. Some get employed as Landscape Architects and Interior Designers. While others engage in specialized design services.
Some of the tools graphic designers use are;
- Adobe Illustrator
- CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Adobe Fireworks
- QuarkXPress
- Adobe FrameMaker
- InDesign Adobe
- Adobe PageMaker
- Autodesk Maya
- CINEMA 4D
- Adobe FreeHand
- 3D Studio Max
- MoGraph
- Adobe After Effects
You may like to know How to Become a Graphic Designer
Who are the Top Graphics Designers in the World?
Before you go into any profession, you must find out about individuals that are well in that field. Doing this will give you great inspiration and you will learn a lot from them.
Nevertheless, we have selected the top world’s graphic designers to inspire you. You can connect with them to learn their unique approach to graphic design.
- David Schwen
- Jessica Walsh
- Alex Trochut
David Schwen
David’s bright designs often marry mold-like designs and eye-catching animation with everyday photography. His years of design experience result in an Instagram account that will surely provide a good pick-me-up if not give you design inspiration. If you want to learn from a famous graphic designer, David is the right person.
Jessica Walsh
Jessica Walsh New York City’s renowned designer. The founder of Sagmeister and Walsh. She is a designer who sees A-List clients such as Jay-Z and Levis daily vying for her design skills. Her designs are retro and vibrant and carry heavy influences from the 1950s.
Alex Trochut
Alex is a famous graphic designer in New York City. He is constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to creating designs with outrageous shapes and colors. His art is a personal favorite of Katy Perry which resulted in Alex creating the cover for her chart-topping single, Roar in 2013.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Graphics Design Degree?
Usually, acquiring a bachelor’s degree in graphic design takes about 4 years. Although, it can increase to five to six years if Master’s Degree programs are included. But, students usually settle for 4 years of learning before venturing into the design world.
What Does it Cost To Get A Graphics Design Degree?
Graphic designers usually need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field. Acquiring these degrees costs a lot of money, but it eventually pays.
On average, an out-of-state student will pay $34,000 annually to obtain his graphic design bachelor’s degree. However, the amount covers tuition, feeding as well as school materials. In that regard, the price ranges from $11,000 to about $60,000 each year.
Furthermore, online and hybrid programs in graphic design may offer lower tuition. In addition to enrollment, students should plan to allow about $ 3,000 for books, materials, and other studio fees, although this amount will vary according to the program.
In addition, if you plan to live on campus, you may also account for living expenses, meal plans, and student insurance costs. Many graduate students choose to live off-campus but spend a lot on transportation and meals.
Can I Become A Graphic Designer Without A Degree?
It is possible to become a graphic designer without a degree. But you may need to learn the right tools for graphic design and that will require you to get extensive training by enrolling in one of the best colleges for graphic design. it will help build your skills well.
Also, certification will prove to your clients that you are skillful enough to carry out a given task.
Graphics Design Salary
Data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics show that the median annual pay for graphic designers was $50,370 in May 2018.
What are Graphic Design Jobs Outlooks?
The opportunities for graphic designers increase by the day. The advancement in technology has made way for business opportunities. Business owners will then have to reckon the graphic designers for their business cards, Logos, signposts, and many others.
According to the job outlook reported by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of graphic designers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2018 to 2028, slower than the average for all occupations.
Therefore, graphic designers may face strong competition for available jobs without a significant growth rate projected. This means that without a bachelor’s in graphic design, entry to the field may not be possible.
What Are The Best Schools For Graphic Design
We have made a list of best colleges for graphic design. Our list comprises schools offering the best online graphic design or closely related disciplines. We also considered the best undergraduate and MBA graphic design schools and the MBA. Therefore, you can choose a program that fits your demands. Each of the schools has received full accreditation.
Our selection criteria of these schools are the no. of programs, Accreditation, Tuition, Student-faculty-ratio, Acceptance, and graduation rates.
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Boston University
- California University of Pennsylvania
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Yale University
- California Art University
- Lindsey Wilson College
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- Liberty University
- Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
What Are The Best Undergraduate Graphic Design Schools
Here are the best colleges for graphic design
Rhode Island School of Design
RISD is listed as one of the best graphic design schools in the world. The school consistently ranks among the world’s best art schools. Students in this program may choose between two or three-year tracks.
The two-year option is for those with an undergraduate degree in graphic design or another visual communication. The M.F.A. program at RISD is highly praised, not only for its faculty and courses but also for its state-of-the-art facilities.
Boston University
BU is an excellent place to form connections and pursue design and research in this ever-changing modern world. In fact, the Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design program at BU is one of the nation’s best.
This two-year, 60-credit M.F.A. program includes both modernist and postmodernist design theory. The school tuition is $55,892.
In addition to the academic program, Boston University ranks #40 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities. The college is one of the largest independent, nonprofit institutions in Massachusetts.
California University of Pennsylvania
CU ranks among the best graphic design schools in the world. According to major publications like U.S. News and World Report, the school is one of the top national universities in the North.
Also, the online bachelor’s programs rank number 6 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs. California University is one of our list’s most affordable online graphic design schools. Its tuition is $10,339.
The school offers a bachelor’s in graphic design designed to develop and enhance concepts and skills essential to careers in graphic design. The bachelor’s program also prepares students for graduate programs in graphics and media design or closely related degrees.
Best MBA Graphic Design Schools
Here is the list of best MBA design schools
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,947. The school utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Carnegie Mellon University ranks #25 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities. Its tuition is 52,310 USD.
The school of Graphic Design in CMU features a unique program called Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology. Coursework usually covers themes like game design, animation, and special effects, innovation and entrepreneurship, intelligent environments, and learning media design.
Yale University
Yale is a private Ivy League research university founded in 1701 and located in New Haven. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,964. Yale University ranks #3 in the Best Colleges and National Universities.
The school offers a two-year M.F.A. program in Graphic Design through Yale’s School of Art. Students in this M.F.A. program must complete 42 credits to earn their degree.
The graphic design program focuses on developing a cohesive, investigative body of work, also known as the student’s thesis. Coursework focuses on methodology, the application of a visual method to studio work, and the organization of the work in a thoughtfully argued written document and “Thesis Book.”
At Yale, the graphic design thesis is conceived as a loose framework within which each student’s visual method is deployed across many diverse projects during the two-year course of study.
California Art University
CalArts consists of six professional schools fosters creativity and collaboration. The school features two and three-year MFA programs. It is listed as one of the best graphic design schools in the world.
If you already have an undergraduate degree in graphic design, then you will be good to go for CalArts two-year MFA program. However, if you have no prior undergraduate experience, you will want to look into the school’s three-year program.
Additionally, California Institute of the Arts ranks as America’s top college for students in the arts by Newsweek/The Daily Beast.
Check Scholarships for Graphics Design Students
What Are The Best Online Graphic Design Schools?
This ranking is created to find the top institutions offering online graphic design degrees. The data collected below was taken from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator based on a particular methodology
Lindsey Wilson College
Lindsey Wilson College’s low student-to-faculty ratio earns it a spot on our list of best online schools for graphic design.
LWS makes our list of the best online graphic design degree schools due to the lower than the average student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1 and the reasonable undergraduate tuition of under $25,000 per year.
The school is also listed with major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top regional university in the South. Lindsey Wilson is named as one of our top online graphic design schools and offers undergraduate degrees such as bachelors in user experience design.
This program focuses on the creation of computer graphics, the history of digital media, and interactive media design and programming.
Liberty University
Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school offers one of the best online graphic design schools. The USNews and World Report ranking shows that LU is #148 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 18 to 1, affordable undergraduate tuition of $21,292, and selective admission rate. Students may earn a BFA in graphic design, which may be completed online.
The requirements include 120 total credit hours and a 180-hour internship and a 30-hour practicum. The program is designed for working students who want to advance their careers in graphic design or pursue graduate studies at the master’s and doctoral levels.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
One of the best online schools for graphic design degrees on our list is Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. RMCAD has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1 and affordable undergraduate tuition of $17,170.
While the school has open enrollment and a 100% admission acceptance rate, courses are rigorous. The undergraduate graphic design degree may be completed entirely online with classes taught by faculty members who are also practicing industry professionals.
Rocky Mountain is recognized by major publications like U.S. News and World Report as one of the top graphic design schools online in the nation.
Click here to access other affordable online design graphic schools
Conclusion
A career in graphics designing is not a bad choice. It requires very strong creativity and technology innovation. There are varieties of job opportunities for these professionals.
Most graphic designers are self-employed. Others work as Landscape Architects, Industrial Designers, and Interior decorators.
Many institutions across the world offer graphics designing programs that include both online and on campus. You can become a graphic designer without a degree but you will need basic knowledge in Fine and Applied Arts, and other related courses and will require you to earn a degree.
Reference
- https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_design
- Graphic Designers: bls.gov
- https://www.gamedesigning.org/graphic/design-schools/ https://blog.collegevine.com/top-30-graphic-design-schools-in-the-us/
- Top 20 Graphic Design Schools in the World
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