Design
Quick Facts: Design Training
Where it's offered
Design programs are offered at 92 schools across 31 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $28,654/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 9 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Design — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 92 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 37/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Design Graduates Do
Your creative skills can lead you down several high-demand paths. As a junior graphic designer, your day might be spent in a busy agency using Adobe Creative Suite to craft logos and marketing materials. Or you could join a tech company as a web and digital interface designer, using tools like Figma to collaborate with developers on intuitive app layouts and user experiences.
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After building your portfolio, you can advance to a senior role or become an art director, guiding a creative team’s vision and commanding a six-figure salary. Many also find success by going independent and starting their own design studio. While graphic design offers steady openings, the fastest growth is in web and digital interface design, where demand is strong.
New AI tools are changing how design work gets done, automating some routine tasks like creating initial concepts. This shift allows you to focus more on the critical human skills: understanding a client’s strategic goals, leading a project’s vision, and making the final artistic judgments. Successful designers are adapting, using AI as a powerful assistant to bring more complex ideas to life faster.
Closely-related paths include Visual & Performing Arts, Software Development, and Fine Arts, which share overlapping job markets and training components.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 9 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Design. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bank-Note Designer
RAPIDS 640 |
10000 hrs
~5.0 yrs |
Time | $62K – $79,450 – $103K | 3.2% |
|
Commercial Designer
RAPIDS 13 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $62K – $79,450 – $103K | 3.2% |
|
Fur Designer
RAPIDS 224 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $54K – $80,690 – $108K | 2.0% |
|
Furniture Designer
RAPIDS 225 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $62K – $79,450 – $103K | 3.2% |
|
Graphic Designer
RAPIDS 10 |
3000 hrs
~1.5 yrs |
Time | $47K – $61,300 – $79K | 2.1% |
|
Industrial Designer
RAPIDS 16 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $62K – $79,450 – $103K | 3.2% |
|
Interior Designer
RAPIDS 265 |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Time | $50K – $63,490 – $81K | 3.2% |
|
Photographer, Still
RAPIDS 403 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $35K – $42,520 – $62K | 1.8% |
|
Stained Glass Artist
RAPIDS 382 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $62K – $79,450 – $103K | 3.2% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Find Design Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Design is offered at 92 schools across 31 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).
Top Design Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Design programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
Top 20 of 92 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
| # | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC |
65 60–67 |
| 2 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN |
64 61–66 |
| 3 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX |
64 61–67 |
| 4 | Scottsdale Community College Scottsdale, AZ |
64 60–65 |
| 5 | Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, MI |
61 58–63 |
| 6 | Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX |
61 58–63 |
| 7 | Gnomon Hollywood, CA |
60 56–62 |
| 8 | Miami Ad School-Atlanta Atlanta, GA |
60 56–62 |
| 9 | Miami Ad School Miami, FL |
60 56–62 |
| 10 | Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL |
59 56–61 |
| 11 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS |
59 55–61 |
| 12 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL |
58 55–60 |
| 13 | Dallas College Dallas, TX |
57 54–59 |
| 14 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI |
56 53–57 |
| 15 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA |
56 51–58 |
| 16 | Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC |
55 52–57 |
| 17 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN |
54 51–56 |
| 18 | Arapahoe Community College Littleton, CO |
54 48–56 |
| 19 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC |
54 51–56 |
| 20 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN |
53 51–55 |
Highest Earning Design Programs
Schools where Design graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Gnomon | $80,221/yr | 60 |
| Miami Ad School-Atlanta | $56,833/yr | 60 |
| Miami Ad School | $56,833/yr | 60 |
| Interior Designers Institute | $52,768/yr | 52 |
| The New School | $44,640/yr | 48 |
| Century College | $43,778/yr | 64 |
| Austin Community College District | $40,289/yr | 64 |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College | $40,230/yr | 54 |
| Century College | $39,850/yr | 53 |
| Waukesha County Technical College | $39,095/yr | 56 |
Best ROI for Design
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Design.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Technical Community College | 187.0x | $32,153/yr | 65 |
| Collin County Community College District | 88.7x | $33,456/yr | 61 |
| Austin Community College District | 85.2x | $40,289/yr | 64 |
| Johnson County Community College | 80.9x | $32,030/yr | 59 |
| Scottsdale Community College | 77.4x | $38,676/yr | 64 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | 75.2x | $24,827/yr | 53 |
| College of DuPage | 73.4x | $32,133/yr | 58 |
| Century College | 69.8x | $43,778/yr | 64 |
| Dallas College | 65.4x | $31,478/yr | 57 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | 64.9x | $29,715/yr | 55 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Design degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.