Illustration

Types of Degrees Illustration Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	168
Graduate Certificate	1

What Illustration Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to illustration 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 Illustration Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in illustration should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

Skills for Illustration Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to illustration:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• 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.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Abilities for Illustration Majors

A major in illustration will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
• 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.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a Illustration Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with illustration:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Artists and Related Workers	5.5%	$65,390
Designers	5.6%	$60,570
Set and Exhibit Designers	10.3%	$54,270

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Illustration?

The major attracts more women than men. About 83% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	10
Black or African American	7
Hispanic or Latino	6
White	47
International Students	88
Other Races/Ethnicities	10

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Illustration. About 52.4% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Illustration

Some degrees associated with illustration may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. 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 illustration careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Some College Courses	4.5%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	40.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	9.0%
Master’s Degree	26.9%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	13.5%
Doctoral Degree	4.5%

Online Illustration 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)	7	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	1
Associate’s Degree	18	3
Bachelor’s Degree	2	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	11	2
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Illustration

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

Major	Number of Grads
Graphic Design	9,176
Interior Design	5,625
Visual Communications	5,606
Commercial & Advertising Art	3,319
Fashion Design	3,032
Game & Interactive Media Design	2,437
Other Design & Applied Arts	1,689
Industrial Design	1,351
Commercial Photography	795

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

More about our data sources and methodologies.