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General Graphic Communications

Types of Degrees General Graphic Communications Majors Are Earning

People majoring in General Graphic Communications can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	151
Associate’s Degree	69
Bachelor’s Degree	230
Master’s Degree	92

What General Graphic Communications Majors Need to Know

Studies in General Graphic Communications emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that General Graphic Communications graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing General Graphic Communications emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a General Graphic Communications program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Time Management — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to General Graphic Communications careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Visual Color Discrimination — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, General Graphic Communications graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.6 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.5 / 7
Scheduling Work and Activities	3.5 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by General Graphic Communications professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Adobe PageMaker	Desktop publishing software	—
LaserSoft Imaging SilverFast Ai Studio	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Multi-line optical character reader OCR software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Esko ArtPro	Desktop publishing software	—
Adobe FreeHand MX	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
ProjectSend	Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software	—
File transfer protocol FTP software	Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software	—
Global Graphics Software Harlequin	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for General Graphic Communications graduates include:

• Typo Machine Operator
• Proofsheet Corrector
• Plate Mounter
• Desktop Operator
• Halftone Operator
• Print and Publication Stripper
• Sheet Layer
• Prepress Stripper
• Photoengraving Photographer
• Paste-Up Artist
• Clamper
• Pantographer
• Printing and Publishing Plate Finisher
• Photolithographer
• Photoengraving Printer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to General Graphic Communications graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	23.2%
Some college courses	20.6%
Postsecondary certificate	9.5%
Bachelor’s degree	5.2%
Less than a high school diploma	2.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in General Graphic Communications?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 60.6% of General Graphic Communications degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	334	60.6%
Men	217	39.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of General Graphic Communications graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	261	47.4%
Asian	46	8.3%
Hispanic or Latino	76	13.8%
Black or African American	61	11.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	30	5.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.5%
Two or More Races	55	10.0%
Race Unknown	15	2.7%
International Students	4	0.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do General Graphic Communications Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of General Graphic Communications graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,061
4 years	$41,119
5 years	$47,590

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $47,590 — roughly 70% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online General Graphic Communications Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for General Graphic Communications. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in General Graphic Communications Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, General Graphic Communications graduates earn a median of $41,119 four years after completion — roughly 8% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Graphic Communications	10.03
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects	10.0304
Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator	10.0308
Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production	10.0305
Graphic Communications, Other	10.0399
Platemaker/Imager	10.0306
Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design	10.0303
Printing Management	10.0302
Printing Press Operator	10.0307

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.