Computer Graphics

Types of Degrees Computer Graphics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer graphics graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	1,345
Basic Certificate	942
Associate Degree	589
Master’s Degree	260
Undergraduate Certificate	97
Graduate Certificate	2

What Computer Graphics Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to computer graphics and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Computer Graphics Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Skills for Computer Graphics Majors

When studying computer graphics, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Computer Graphics Majors

Computer Graphics majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

What Can You Do With a Computer Graphics Major?

People with a computer graphics degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Graphic Designers	4.2%	$50,370

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Graphics?

Roughly 50% of the graduates are women, and 50% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer graphics majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	127
Black or African American	59
Hispanic or Latino	317
White	590
International Students	132
Other Races/Ethnicities	120

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Computer Graphics, too. About 9.8% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Graphics

Some careers associated with computer graphics require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for computer graphics careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	2.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	4.2%
Some College Courses	5.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	12.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	73.7%
Master’s Degree	2.3%

Online Computer Graphics Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	30	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	4	2
Associate’s Degree	74	6
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	10	2
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Computer Graphics

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer graphics.

Major	Number of Grads
Web & Multimedia Design	5,266
Data Modeling/Warehousing & Database Administration	3,498
Other Computer Software & Media Applications	1,770
Modeling, Virtual Environments & Simulation	915

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Negative Space under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.