{"id":19705,"date":"2026-09-04T18:07:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T18:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?page_id=19705---44bcad79-aea1-4cab-bcc7-427439f468db"},"modified":"2026-09-30T15:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T15:27:56","slug":"should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Get a Master&#8217;s in Graphic Design?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25216\" src=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg\" alt=\"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design?\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When choosing a degree in graphic designer, one of the biggest concerns is if the individual should get a bachelor\u2019s or a master\u2019s degree in graphic design. While the bachelor\u2019s degree is generally the norm for this career, many choose to go the extra mile and pursue a master\u2019s degree for various reasons. <strong>Master&#8217;s degree programs teach students advanced graphic design skills and prepare them for leadership positions.<\/strong> What is the difference and is it worth it to earn the master\u2019s degree? Here are some facts.<\/p>\n<h3>What Graphic Designers Do<\/h3>\n<p>The creative work of graphic designs can be seen in all areas of our lives, whether we\u2019re looking at billboards on the highway, browsing websites, looking through magazines or even watching our favorite action-packed movie. <strong>Graphic designers create illustrations, logos, graphics or other visual concepts to promote a product or an idea.<\/strong> They do many of their drawings by hand but more often use software products, such as Photoshop, Adobe Creative Cloud or similar Adobe art programs.<\/p>\n<p>Graphic designers may work as part of a team or may be self-employed. Graphic design students complete courses in computerized design, website design, marketing, business, printing techniques, commercial graphics production, 3D design, and principles of design. Before completion of the degree requirements, the student will complete a portfolio of their work. The portfolio is usually a requirement for employment because this demonstrates the designer\u2019s skills, creativity and knowledge to potential employers.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Bachelor\u2019s Degree Offers<\/h3>\n<p>Occasionally, graphic designers are hired with an associate&#8217;s degree if they have relevant work experience, but a bachelor\u2019s degree provides a more balanced education. <strong>When choosing a bachelor\u2019s degree, students can choose between a Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).<\/strong> The BS degree provides students with the skills to seek employment as graphic designers right after graduation. The BA provides training in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Computer graphics<\/li>\n<li>Graphic art and design<\/li>\n<li>Business-oriented writing<\/li>\n<li>Communication<\/li>\n<li>Publication<\/li>\n<li>Graphic design software like Photoshop, InDesign<\/li>\n<li>Illustrator<\/li>\n<li>Flash<\/li>\n<li>After Effects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The BFA provides training in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Publication design<\/li>\n<li>2D and 3D design<\/li>\n<li>Page layout principles<\/li>\n<li>Digital photography<\/li>\n<li>Visual hierarchy<\/li>\n<li>Image manipulation software<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The BA and the BFA prepare students to work as graphic designers but can also act as stepping-stones towards a master\u2019s degree. When considering all the student learns in a bachelor\u2019s degree program, many wonder how much more they\u2019d learn in a graduate program. Choosing the degree level usually requires the student to know what they want to do in their career as a graphic designer and what their limitations might be.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Master\u2019s Degree Offers<\/h3>\n<p>A graphic designer who aspires to work in management may choose a master\u2019s degree in graphic design. While the bachelor\u2019s degree program teaches students various areas of graphic designs, the master\u2019s degree program takes the student beyond just being proficient in design software and 3D graphics. <strong>Graduates of the master\u2019s degree program will typically have the technical skills to apply for senior-level positions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It also teaches students the histories, practices and theories of design with a special focus on visual reach, design fundamentals and working across different media. They also become skillful in the following areas.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visual research<\/li>\n<li>Management<\/li>\n<li>Branding<\/li>\n<li>Social media<\/li>\n<li>Creative strategy<\/li>\n<li>Contemporary design practices<\/li>\n<li>Design fundamentals<\/li>\n<li>Digital and traditional marketing communications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Simply put, the master\u2019s degree program teaches students many things that are not covered in the undergraduate program. Graduates of the master\u2019s degree program may also qualify for teaching positions at colleges and universities.<\/p>\n<h3>Career Outlook for Master\u2019s Degree \u2013 Is it Better?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Graphic designers nationwide are expected to see an employment growth of three percent between 2018 and 2028 as reported by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/ooh\/arts-and-design\/graphic-designers.htm#tab-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>.<\/strong> Job growth can vary based on the industry in which the graphic designer is working. For instance, graphic designers working with computer systems designs can see a 24 percent increase in jobs, while those working with hard copy newspapers, magazines and publications can expect a decline of 22 percent during that same period.<\/p>\n<p>Graphic designers with a bachelor\u2019s degree should see some excellent job opportunities. College professors, a career that is available to graphic designers with a master\u2019s degree, are expected to see job growth of 11 percent. The annual median wage for graphic designers in 2018 was $78,470. The potential to earn a higher wage could be there for those with a master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n<p>Earning a master\u2019s rather than a bachelor\u2019s degree in graphic design can bring higher wages and more job opportunities. However, the choice to get a master\u2019s degree in graphic design will typically fall back on the individual\u2019s career goals and if he or she feels the benefits of an advanced degree is worth it.<\/p>\n<p>Related Resources:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/what-is-a-typical-salary-for-a-graphic-designer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a Typical Salary for a Graphic Designer?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/do-graphic-designers-work-on-movies-or-only-on-still-pictures\/\">Do Graphic Designers Work on Movies or Only on Still Pictures?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/is-it-better-to-work-for-myself-as-a-graphic-designer-or-get-a-job-with-a-company\/\">Is It Better to Work For Myself as a Graphic Designer or Work for a Company?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/how-much-can-i-make-with-a-degree-in-digital-marketing\/\">How Much Can I Make With a Degree in Digital Marketing?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When choosing a degree in graphic designer, one of the biggest concerns is if the individual should get a bachelor\u2019s or a master\u2019s degree [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"parent":15890,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"mobius_hide_qdf":false,"mobius_hide_el":true,"mobius_limit":"","mobius_degree":"","mobius_category":"","mobius_subject":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-19705","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Should I Get a Master&#039;s in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should I Get a Master&#039;s in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When choosing a degree in graphic designer, one of the biggest concerns is if the individual should get a bachelor\u2019s or a master\u2019s degree [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DegreeQuery.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-30T15:27:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/\",\"name\":\"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-04T18:07:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-30T15:27:56+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg\",\"width\":500,\"height\":333,\"caption\":\"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design?\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Can I Do With an Animation Degree?\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Should I Get a Master&#8217;s in Graphic Design?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/\",\"name\":\"DegreeQuery.com\",\"description\":\"Get Answers To Your Questions About College Degrees\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"DegreeQuery.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/degreequery-logo-mark.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/degreequery-logo-mark.svg\",\"caption\":\"DegreeQuery.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com","og_description":"When choosing a degree in graphic designer, one of the biggest concerns is if the individual should get a bachelor\u2019s or a master\u2019s degree [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/","og_site_name":"DegreeQuery.com","article_modified_time":"2026-09-30T15:27:56+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg"}],"twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/","url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/","name":"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design? - DegreeQuery.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg","datePublished":"2026-09-04T18:07:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-30T15:27:56+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/shutterstock_1542058109.jpg","width":500,"height":333,"caption":"Should I Get a Master's in Graphic Design?"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/should-i-get-a-masters-in-graphic-design\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Can I Do With an Animation Degree?","item":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Should I Get a Master&#8217;s in Graphic Design?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/","name":"DegreeQuery.com","description":"Get Answers To Your Questions About College Degrees","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#organization","name":"DegreeQuery.com","url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/degreequery-logo-mark.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/degreequery-logo-mark.svg","caption":"DegreeQuery.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19705"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19705"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63577,"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19705\/revisions\/63577"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}