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Projected Art and Design Earnings Guide
ArtBistro Degree Center
October 12, 2009
You’ve heard that your base salary is largely determined by your education level – but did you ever wonder exactly how much education matters? If you’ve got enough smarts, it shouldn’t matter whether or not you have formal training – right?
Wrong. At least, it might not be so simple. As job scarcity continues to drive more competition to each open position, more employees with strong educational backgrounds are being hired. Because employees with formal training are increasingly preferred, the relationship between compensation and education is becoming even more prominent across different sectors of the economy.
Why Degrees Matter
• Depending on industry and specialty, pay increase per degree will range from 10% – 82%
• Return on investment of tuition within 3 to 5 years
Many jobs in managerial job in art or design like Art Director, for example, require a 4-year college degree. Some, careers such as illustration, 3-d design, and fashion and interior designers do not require a bachelor’s or higher degree but the pay scale is increased by 30 to 40 percent for graduates of a four year degree. Graphic Designers, animators, and fine artists sometimes stop their education after receiving an Associate’s Degree. However continuing you education to a four year degree could bring a 10 to 20 percent increase in salary. If you are going back to school you will have an advantage as you already have years of work experience.
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meowagain
9 months ago
8 comments
Did anyone check out MediaMatch.com ? Perhaps both could be done . Do the 9-5 thing, and free-lance on the side. While the lousy but steady money keeps you afloat, hunt down that just right free-lance project that will make your portfolio sparkle!
Though Education gives you that important boost needed to get in the proverbial door, it's not everything. People have been "designing" long before colleges, and schools started dictating people to get degrees in creativity. Creativity, and talent are gifts, the skills needed to harness, and apply those gifts are where education / training come into play. Although, good old "practice makes perfect .
JayDub1984
10 months ago
60 comments
Well I have an instructor right now that says it comes down to three things PORTFOLIO, PORTFOLIO, PORTFOLIO!! She say if you have a solidly put together portfolio to showcase your talent then the money will come. You can still build a portfolio just based on experience, but to rellay know how to put the portfolio together the education on how to do that helps. Also if you freelance that piece of paper will make an impression in a potential clients eyes!!
Annabelle
11 months ago
4 comments
Degrees do play an important part in landing a good design job. It makes me really angry when certain individuals say if you don't have a degree you should not be doing design. If I had the money I would have my masters degree. Some very talented designers just can't afford to go to college. I think you should be hired and payed according to your talent. Though in finding a job is mostly who you know. I breezed through a 2-year Commercial Art course and was employed immediately. I am mostly self-taught and have been a graphic designer/illustrator for over 25 years now. At the age of 49, I can finally go back to school and retain a degree. To find a new job back in Massachusetts I am going back to school through The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online for Web and Interactive Design.
agustingarguti
11 months ago
25968 comments
great illustration. fantastkic
tbaxter
11 months ago
2 comments
I got a BFA in Illustration in 1978, believing that the only "degree" I needed was my portfolio. Now at 54 I am finding to get any good graphic design jobs (how I make my living) or to be able to teach fine art at almost any level (certainly for college level) you have to have a master's degree. I've always thought that was ridiculous for fine art, but it just shows how pretentiously 'academic' things are in the fine art world. Until now I'd never run into the degree problem with graphic design, but it's out there. I've heard the master's is the new bachelor's... my advice is to get it no matter what. It'll only get worse.
Jesse_D_Hughes
about 1 year ago
222 comments
I have a BAS and an AAS in Graphic Design (and a couple of minors that boost my credentials) but don't make anything close to these numbers. It seems that pay scale only counts in certain markets. In my area, companies needing graphic designers offer and pay less than starting wages for non-educated positions in various service areas (such as retail). So very depressing!
Account Removed
about 1 year ago
I'm a professional Graphic Designer who went to college to obtain that degree. I'm trained and educated. I hate "self-taught designers" who think they are Graphic Designers because they manage to use photoshop and other programs.
To all the "ARTISTS":
You may THINK you are creative but you don't have the training that the industry requires. So if you didn't go to school, too bad; if you don't have a degree, too bad. Let the real professionals do their jobs. YOU ARE NOT A REAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER.
karenwilson
about 1 year ago
202 comments
I know people who are great artists and some who are mediore,unfortunately with arts it's not always how good you are or what you know, but WHO you know. My advice is keep on the ball, network constantly.Degree or no degree,demand for you work is what opens the door for most people, most artist fail to market or move in the proper channels to find avenue for their work, you have to know your public to reach your goals, stay focus on who loves your work and let the people who like what you do move things forward. no one makes it on their own, it's all about networking.
neyshen
about 1 year ago
74 comments
I have seen a designer with degree and with less creativity and designer without degree with great ideas. I think degree is just a basic thing to know design principals and the way advertising works. The creative people are who dare to try to produce new ideas and concepts. Apart from learning design softwares, concept become very essential. Therefore I believe opportunities should available to progress further.
Rhonda
about 1 year ago
4 comments
I really don't think a degree matters more in design than illustration. I've worked as both an illustrator and designer. Also, I don't think that people value degrees. Who you know and not what you know gets you the farthest. I have more skills, more knowledge, more education than some coworkers and they get paid better because they are great suck ups.
blueburry
about 1 year ago
8 comments
gud to h've a such.........detail
batmang
about 1 year ago
2 comments
this is really helpful for those of us considering a career in design...thanks!
solarays
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I hear you, SKETCHfro. I graduated from the Art Institute Online/San Fran with an associates in Graphic Design. It took me a year to land a 9-5 but in a sign shop with poor wages, no benefits. Kept getting stiffed when i did freelance work. I'm feeling the tingle of that slap as well. Where are all the jobs?
SKETCHfro
about 1 year ago
6 comments
This is upsetting. For the most part I graduated from the Art Institute of Phoenix, with a BFA for Media Arts and Animation. Whenever I see a chart like this, it just makes me upset that I'm still working freelance, not hired into a studio or something.$40,000 a year is like wonderful to know that there are others out there making that, however for those still working their way up the social ranks, being kicked around, this is just like a slap to the face.