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Printmaking

Types of Degrees Printmaking Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Printmaking may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	109
Master’s Degree	45

What Printmaking Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Printmaking emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Printmaking program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Printmaking careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Originality — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Printmaking graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.8 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.7 / 7
Working with Computers	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Printmaking professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Hypertext markup language HTML	Web platform development software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe After Effects	Video creation and editing software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Printmaking graduates include:

• Dramatic Art Teacher
• Vocal Teacher
• Lighting Design Lecturer
• Associate Professor
• Music Professor
• Adjunct Music Instructor
• Theater Professor
• Art Instructor
• Baton Teacher
• Piano Professor
• Makeup Artistry Instructor
• Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor
• Graphic Design Professor
• Music Lecturer
• Choir Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	32.8%
Doctoral degree	20.5%
Bachelor’s degree	14.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	9.3%
Some college courses	8.1%
Postsecondary certificate	6.6%
Less than a high school diploma	4.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.5%
Post-master’s certificate	1.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.9%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Printmaking?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 74.7% of Printmaking degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	115	74.7%
Men	39	25.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Printmaking graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	87	56.5%
Asian	6	3.9%
Hispanic or Latino	23	14.9%
Black or African American	10	6.5%
Two or More Races	8	5.2%
Race Unknown	9	5.8%
International Students	11	7.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Printmaking Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Printmaking graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,613
4 years	$36,289
5 years	$41,536

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,536 — roughly 62% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Printmaking Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Printmaking graduates earn a median of $36,289 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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
Fine and Studio Arts	50.07
Art History, Criticism and Conservation	50.0703
Art/Art Studies, General	50.0701
Ceramic Arts and Ceramics	50.0711
Drawing	50.0705
Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts	50.0712
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other	50.0799
Fine/Studio Arts, General	50.0702
Intermedia/Multimedia	50.0706
Jewelry Arts	50.0713
Metal Arts	50.0714
Painting	50.0708

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.