Graphic Design Courses for International Students in USA

Art forms and designs have been popularized through different dynasties and rulers around the world which show meanings and opinions to the masses through discreet paintings and drawings. But all these developments have been manual on paper or board with ink and colour employed. The advent of technologies brought up a new form of designing to the world which used computers and its tools to create art forms. One form of this technology-induced art form is known as Graphic Designing which has been prevalent in recent times. Many students are inclined towards this respective field to progress their career as a Graphic Designer which has been in huge demand around different sectors. Continue reading the blog to learn more about graphic design courses in the USA.

Why Study Graphic Designing Courses in the USA?

The United States of America provides many excellent opportunities in terms of academics and professions. The US universities are recognised worldwide for their top-notch facilities and amazing teaching methods which provide students with one of the best platforms worldwide to boost their careers. Apart from having the most highly developed academic and teaching methods, the country also boasts of renowned Graphic Designers in the world. With most of the big companies headquartered in the country, the professional scope as a Graphic Designer in the USA is always high which can bring many accomplishments and opportunities for career boost.

Must Read: Career in Graphic Designing 

Top Graphic Design Courses in USA

Here are some of the best courses in Graphic Design introduced by different universities across the USA. Some of the best courses have been listed below: 

Course	Average Fee per annum
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design	$ 29,440 (INR 24 Lakh)
Masters of Arts (M.A.) in Graphic Design	$ 30,362 (INR 25 Lakh)
Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS) in Graphic Communications- Graphic Design	$11,340 (INR 9 Lakh)
Certificate Degree in Graphic Design Advanced Production	$ 11,000 (INR 9 Lakh)
Certificate Degree in Graphic Design and Production Option	$ 11,000 (INR 9 Lakh)
Certificate Degree in Graphic Design Foundation	$11,000 (INR 9 Lakh)
Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design	$18,624 (INR 15 Lakh)
Information Design and Data Visualisation, MFA	$54,120 (INR 44 Lakh)

Also Read: How To Become An Illustrator

Top Universities for Graphic Design Courses in USA

The following are the top universities to pursue graphic design courses in USA.

University in USA	QS World Ranking 2025
Rhode Island School of Design	#4
The New School	#781-790
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	#1
Pratt Institute	#6
School of the Art Institute of Chicago	#10
Art Center College of Design	#14 (As of 2024)
Savannah College of Art and Design	#15 (As of 2024)
Carnegie Mellon University	#58
School of Visual Arts	#20 (As of 2024)
California Institute of the Arts	#23 (As of 2024)

Must Read: Best Fine Arts Colleges in India

Eligibility Criteria

To get into the top US college of your choice for the Graphic Design courses, you first need to qualify for certain basic eligibility criteria to start your application process. They have been listed below:

• Must have completed high school from a recognised board
• For Masters, the student must have completed Bachelor’s from any recognised university with a minimum aggregate percentage as required by the University to be eligible to fill out the application form
• Must pass the English Proficiency Tests 
• Must fulfill the minimum age criteria as demanded by the University.
• For Masters, a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design courses could be essential as an eligibility requirement by certain universities in the USA

Documents Required

For your application and admission process to universities in the USA, you would require certain essential documents. Some of the basic essential documents required by the Universities are as follows:

• Academic Transcripts
• English Proficiency Tests scores, like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
• Passport
• Financial documents

Application Process

To take a step further for your dream course at your dream university in the US, here are the simple steps that you need to follow:

• First, take your time to research the best university providing Graphic Design courses in the US. This should be done with utmost care and diligence so that you don’t miss out on the best universities around.
• Check the universities’ official website to learn more about the Graphic Design courses provided by them. Also, check out the online application form for international students.
• Start preparing for documents required for the application process, which majorly includes your academic transcript, resume, LOR, SOP, academic essays as instructed by the university, etc.
• Submit the application in the way prescribed by the university. Some universities may also charge an application fee which must be paid as instructed.
• Now, you need to wait for the Offer Letter from the universities you got selected in. Once you get your Offer Letter from the university, you need to pay the required fees for your Graphic design course. After payment of the required fees, your seat at your dream University in the US has been secured
• Now, you need to apply for a Student Visa as an international student.

Benefits of Graphic Design Courses

There are the following benefits to studying Graphic Designing Courses in recent times:

• In-demand across different sectors. Every organization and companies need a graphic designer in their teams for advertisement, marketing, introduction, and many other purposes.
• Have a strong influence through their art forms and designs. A strong and highly experienced graphic designer can create real change in the minds of her audience through their work.
• Job prospects are high in the field with good in-return awards.
• Provides good flexibility. If you are not interested in working for only a particular company, you can also keep your profile flexible as a graph design freelancer.
• It demands more of your skills and experiments. Unlike many corporate jobs in recent times which turn your job into a boredom in your head, graphic design can be very fun to work into and create your own brand and experiment with your skills and ideas.

Job Prospects

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports of 2022, the Graphic Design field is expected to grow by 2.6% by 2031, which surely will bring amazing opportunities to aspiring fresh graduates and other professionals in the field. Here are the following professional roles with their average annual salary when study in USA in the field of Graphic Design:

Job Role	Average Salary per annum in USA
Photo Editor	$ 40,864 (INR 33.66 Lakh)
Apparel graphic designer	$ 55,672 (INR 46 Lakh)
Logo designer	$ 55,672 (INR 46 Lakh)
Packaging designer	$ 40,441 (INR 33 Lakh)
Web designer	$ 49,770 ( INR 41 Lakh)
Multimedia designer	$ 58,464 (INR 48 Lakh)

There are some of the highest-paying metropolitan areas in the USA that provide excellent salaries to Graphic Designers. Some of these areas have been listed below.

Metropolitan Areas	Average salary per annum
San Jose, California	$ 85,310 (INR 70 Lakh)
San Francisco, California	$ 84,070 (INR 69 Lakh)
Seattle, Washington	$ 81,700 (INR 67 Lakh
Washington, District of Columbia	$ 76,840 (INR 63 Lakh)
New York, New York	$ 76,480 (INR 63 Lakh)

Also Read: Fine Art Courses

FAQs

This was everything related to Graphic Design Courses in the USA for international students. As we all know, students often face difficulties in carving their career path after their 12th. If you want someone to help you get through the process swiftly and without losing out on the best universities, you can reach us at 1800 57 2000 and contact our Leverage Edu experts for your Study Abroad dreams. Also, you can find many career-related informative blogs by following Leverage Edu Blogs.