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Graphic designers, also referred to as graphic artists, help clients communicate with a target audience by planning and developing effective visual prints and electronic media. Designers can work regular hours at a company or may work on a job basis as consultants or freelance artists. They can work for corporate businesses, advertising and design agencies or publishing companies.
Graphic Design Schools in California
A bachelor's degree in graphic design is typically required for most graphic design positions and is offered at many colleges and universities as well as private design schools. Most schools require students to successfully complete a year of basic art and design classes before entry into a bachelor's degree program. Graphic design programs usually cover coursework in principles of design, studio art, commercial graphics production and printing techniques. In addition to art and design classes, a liberal arts education that includes courses in marketing, writing, sociology, cultural studies and business may also be beneficial. Creativity, openness to new ideas, communication and problem solving skills are crucial for the job. California graphic design schools offer both online and traditional campus-based programs to give you the education and skills you need to become a graphic artist.
Graphic Designer Salaries in California
Between 2008 and 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment of graphic designers to grow 13 percent. As projects for interactive media--such as websites and mobile phones--continue to grow, those who have experience in website design and animation will be able to find better employment opportunities. To join the almost 28,000 graphic designers in California, begin earning your degree from one of the following California graphic design schools. According to BLS data from May 2009, California graphic designers earned a median hourly wage of $24.70, which equates to an mean annually salary of $51,370. You'll find the most graphic designers in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Ana-Anaheim, while those in the San Jose and San Francisco areas earned the highest annual median salary.
Below is a list of graphic design schools in California to help you start you career as a graphic artist.
Schools for Graphic Designers in California are listed below.
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
DeVry University
Alhambra, Anaheim, Bakersfield, Colton, Daly City, Elk Grove, Fremont, Fresno, Irvine, Long Beach, Palmdale, Pomona, San Diego, San Jose, Sherman Oaks
Started in 1931, DeVry has grown into one of the largest private universities in the U.S., with locations in many major metro areas.
The Art Institutes
Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Sunnyvale
The Art Institutes (AI) provides programs that stimulate the minds of its students with programs in design, the arts, game programming, culinary cuisine, and fashion.
Brooks Institute
Santa Barbara
Specializes in training related to filmmaking and photography, the schools training programs culiminate in a Bachelor's degree, or even a Master's degree in Photography.
International Academy of Design and Technology
Sacramento
Career-oriented design, visual arts and communications curricula in about ten major U.S. metro areas. Flexible class schedules and online study are available for working students.
Platt College
Los Angeles, Ontario
Offers undergraduate degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of fields. Located on four California campuses and also in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas
California College San Diego
San Diego
4 year college offering programs in business, technology, and the health sciences. Earn a degree in as little at 30 months.
Carrington College California
Emeryville, San Jose
Carrington College California offers programs in the health care and criminal justice and was founded in 1967.
Laurus College
Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria
Get started on your career with Laurus College. We offer programs for careers in the computer and information technology, web design, business, and medical billing fields.
ITT Technical Institute
Anaheim, Lathrop, Oxnard, Rancho Cordova, San Bernardino, San Diego, Sylmar, Torrance, West Covina
With over 100 campuses in 34 states nationwide and online programs offered as well, the ITT Technical Institutes may have a program that is convenient for you. ITT Tech is dedicated to teaching technology.
| School | Locations | Degrees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeVry University Online | Online | Bachelor | |
| AIU Online | Online | Associate, Bachelor | |
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division | Online | Associate, Bachelor, Diploma | |
| Ashworth College | Online | Diploma | |
| Herzing College | Online | Associate, Bachelor |
| School Name | Campus | Highest Award | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco | Masters | 11,334 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | Associate | 13,176 |
| American River College | Sacramento | Associate | 33,821 |
| Antelope Valley College | Lancaster | Associate | 13,312 |
| Art Center College of Design | Pasadena | Masters | 1,832 |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | Associate | 17,405 |
| Berkeley City College | Berkeley | Associate | 5,287 |
| Bethesda Christian University | Anaheim | Masters & First Professional | 345 |
| Butte College | Oroville | Associate | 12,228 |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos | Associate | 15,114 |
| California College of the Arts | Oakland | Masters | 1,613 |
| California Institute of the Arts | Valencia | Masters | 1,324 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | Masters | 19,777 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | Pomona | Masters | 21,477 |
| California State University-Chico | Chico | Masters | 17,034 |
| California State University-Sacramento | Sacramento | Doctorate | 28,829 |
| Canada College | Redwood City | Associate | 5,764 |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk | Associate | 22,273 |
| Cerro Coso Community College | Ridgecrest | Associate | 4,577 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | Associate | 13,229 |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | Associate | 18,736 |
| Chapman University | Orange | Doctorate | 6,022 |
| Citrus College | Glendora | Associate | 11,467 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | Associate | 46,411 |
| Coastline Community College | Fountain Valley | Associate | 9,316 |
| Cogswell Polytechnical College | Sunnyvale | Bachelor | 230 |
| College of Marin | Kentfield | Associate | 6,476 |
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo | Associate | 10,516 |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita | Associate | 17,499 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | Associate | 8,597 |
| College of the Redwoods | Eureka | Associate | 6,025 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | Associate | 11,697 |
| College of the Siskiyous | Weed | Associate | 2,782 |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento | Associate | 12,967 |
| Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa | Associate | 5,382 |
| Cuyamaca College | El Cajon | Associate | 9,358 |
| Cypress College | Cypress | Associate | 13,592 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | Associate | 24,115 |
| Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill | Associate | 19,768 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael | Masters | 2,125 |
| East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park | Associate | 28,889 |
| El Camino College | Torrance | Associate | 24,895 |
| Folsom Lake College | Folsom | Associate | 8,193 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | Associate | 18,132 |
| Fresno City College | Fresno | Associate | 21,624 |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton | Associate | 20,719 |
| Gavilan College | Gilroy | Associate | 6,049 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Glendale | Associate | 16,827 |
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach | Associate | 13,354 |
| Hartnell College | Salinas | Associate | 9,890 |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine | Associate | 9,805 |
| Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe | Associate | 2,576 |
| Laney College | Oakland | Associate | 11,745 |
| Lassen Community College | Susanville | Associate | 1,829 |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | Associate | 25,536 |
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles | Associate | 17,204 |
| Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar | Associate | 8,493 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College | Woodland Hills | Associate | 19,526 |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | Associate | 17,264 |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg | Associate | 8,360 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | Doctorate & First Professional | 8,977 |
| Mendocino College | Ukiah | Associate | 4,347 |
| Mission College | Santa Clara | Associate | 8,832 |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto | Associate | 18,546 |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey | Associate | 9,238 |
| Moorpark College | Moorpark | Associate | 14,495 |
| Mount Jacinto College | San Jacinto | Associate | 14,197 |
| Mt San Antonio College | Walnut | Associate | 29,842 |
| Mt Sierra College | Monrovia | Bachelor | 511 |
| Notre Dame de Namur University | Belmont | Masters | 1,491 |
| Ohlone College | Fremont | Associate | 11,083 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | Associate | 24,424 |
| Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles | Masters | 1,177 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin | Masters | 1,363 |
| Palo Verde College | Blythe | Associate | 3,831 |
| Palomar College | San Marcos | Associate | 27,222 |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | Associate | 26,672 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego | Masters | 3,480 |
| Porterville College | Porterville | Associate | 3,773 |
| Reedley College | Reedley | Associate | 12,158 |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier | Associate | 21,041 |
| Riverside Community College | Riverside | Associate | 30,961 |
| Sacramento City College | Sacramento | Associate | 24,596 |
| Saddleback College | Mission Viejo | Associate | 18,371 |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino | Associate | 12,839 |
| San Diego City College | San Diego | Associate | 17,013 |
| San Diego Mesa College | San Diego | Associate | 21,437 |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | Associate | 10,650 |
| San Francisco Art Institute | San Francisco | Masters | 655 |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton | Associate | 18,668 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | Masters | 31,906 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | Associate | 33,514 |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | Associate | 21,632 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | Associate | 28,958 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | Associate | 25,626 |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange | Associate | 14,085 |
| Sierra College | Rocklin | Associate | 18,859 |
| Taft College | Taft | Associate | 9,328 |
| The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Bachelor | 4,644 |
| The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco | San Francisco | Associate | 1,031 |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley | Doctorate & First Professional | 34,940 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | Doctorate & First Professional | 29,796 |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine | Doctorate & First Professional | 26,483 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | Doctorate & First Professional | 8,714 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Doctorate & First Professional | 33,408 |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | Associate | 9,975 |
| West Valley College | Saratoga | Associate | 11,210 |
The map below shows job statistics for the career type by metro area, for California. A table below the map shows job popularity and salaries across the state.
Listed below are metro areas ranked by the popularity of jobs for Graphic Designers relative to the population of the city, as of 2008. Salary data was obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A Relative Popularity of 1.0 means that the city has an average number of the particular job, for its population, compared to the rest of the US. Higher numbers mean proportionally more jobs of that type.| Metro Area | Jobs | Salary (2008) | Relative Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
CALIFORNIA | |||
| San Francisco | 3,590 | $73,140 | 2.2 |
| Santa Ana | 4,280 | $53,270 | 1.7 |
| Oakland | 2,220 | $56,760 | 1.3 |
| San Diego | 2,650 | $49,770 | 1.2 |
| Santa Cruz | 150 | $49,710 | 1.1 |
| Santa Barbara | 290 | $48,170 | 1.1 |
| Salinas | 260 | $46,900 | 1.1 |
| San Jose | 1,410 | $61,240 | 0.9 |
| San Luis Obispo | 130 | $41,300 | 0.8 |
| Sacramento | 1,250 | $46,580 | 0.8 |
| Redding | 80 | $47,010 | 0.8 |
| Santa Rosa | 220 | $42,220 | 0.7 |
| Napa | 70 | $45,900 | 0.7 |
| Oxnard | 350 | $49,160 | 0.7 |
| Merced | 60 | $40,790 | 0.7 |
| Vallejo | 130 | $59,170 | 0.7 |
| Fresno | 330 | $46,880 | 0.6 |
| Chico | 60 | $34,930 | 0.6 |
| Riverside | 1,180 | $44,000 | 0.6 |
| Modesto | 140 | $41,710 | 0.5 |
| Stockton | 170 | $36,310 | 0.5 |
| Visalia | 80 | $44,760 | 0.4 |
| Bakersfield | 150 | $43,680 | 0.3 |
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