Arts, design and media
Special Effects Artists and Animators
- Median pay
- $102,030
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
ProgramsCommunications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
Graphic Communications
CIP10.03
212 colleges offer Graphic Communications. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 212
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $43,058
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $24,000
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 212
- Associate's
- 201
- Bachelor's
- 137
- Master's
- 24
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 4
What it covers
About Graphic Communications
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in the manufacture and distribution or transmission of graphic communications products. Includes instruction in the prepress, press, and postpress phases of production operations and processes such as offset lithography, flexography, gravure, letterpress, screen printing, foil stamping, digital imaging, and other reproduction methods.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 10.03.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 10.03.
- Graphic Communications, General
- Printing Management
- Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production
- Platemaker/Imager
- Printing Press Operator
- Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 212 | $34,1844 yrs after · 3 colleges | $9,9872 colleges |
| Associate's | 201 | $38,2744 yrs after · 21 colleges | $10,7426 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 137 | $43,0584 yrs after · 55 colleges | $24,00054 colleges |
| Master's | 24 | $55,3824 yrs after · 2 colleges | $55,8672 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 4 | $72,0961 yr after · 1 college | $118,0771 college |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Graphic Communications graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 81 graduates
$79,432
debt $17,000
- 2
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 22 graduates
$76,522
debt not reported
- 3
Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota, FL · Private nonprofit · 139 graduates
$75,213
debt $27,000
- 4
Brigham Young University-Provo
Provo, UT · Private nonprofit · 28 graduates
$73,941
debt not reported
- 5
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · Public · 17 graduates
$61,062
debt $23,250
- 6
Menomonie, WI · Public · 12 graduates
$59,621
debt $22,639
- 7
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ · Public · 82 graduates
$57,618
debt $18,500
- 8
Normal, IL · Public · 13 graduates
$55,723
debt $17,500
- 9
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 34 graduates
$55,122
debt $26,250
- 10
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH · Public · 33 graduates
$52,388
debt $26,000
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Graphic Communications by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Office and administrative support
Desktop Publishers
- Median pay
- $55,290
- Outlook
- Decline
Associate's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Judgment and Decision Making
Production
Prepress Technicians and Workers
- Median pay
- $48,690
- Outlook
- Decline
Postsecondary certificate
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Production
Printing Press Operators
- Median pay
- $45,780
- Outlook
- Decline
High school diploma
- Quality Control Analysis
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
Production
Etchers and Engravers
- Median pay
- $43,310
- Outlook
- Little or no change
High school diploma
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
Office and administrative support
Data Entry Keyers
- Median pay
- $41,340
- Outlook
- Decline
High school diploma
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
More in Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Graphic Communications
How many colleges offer Graphic Communications?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Graphic Communications at these degree levels: certificate (212 colleges), associate's (201 colleges), bachelor's (137 colleges), master's (24 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (4 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Graphic Communications graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Graphic Communications earn $43,058 a year four years after finishing, across 55 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Graphic Communications graduates earn the most?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Graphic Communications: $79,432 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.