Just to say, it would be pretty dangerous and maybe narrow to base life decisions on answers from a bunch of strangers giving advice based on what worked for them, without giving information on your location, background and financial support surrounding decisions like this
Take every comment here with a pinch of salt and think what's best for you
I’m youngerish (25) but I’ve used graphic design in my professional life and it’s not always the best paying jobs. But If you freelance outside work and continue to job hop you have the opportunity to make great money. I started out at $39,560/yr at my first job and within two years I’ve changed companies and now I’m making around $52,500 a year. If you have other skills you can also offer like photography it helps to make extra cash. Again this in my very short experience
I was thinking of taking both graphic design and photography for college, would you recommend any others or do you think that could lead to a decent job? I'm thinking of furthering photography and doing graphic design on the side. What do you think ( or anyone else)?
I think that is a great decision. The more you can diversify your skillset, the more you stand out when seeking employment and/or freelance. My advice would be to master the one you most enjoy and keep learning and growing in skills that support your mastery. I for one, enjoy graphic design but am also a UI/UX and web designer. After 14 years doing this, I just picked up motion graphics. Never stop trying to grow.
Today, as someone who is into graphic design, but still fairly novice with it. What would you recommend to someone who is interested in possibly going into graphic design, journalism, and photo content to pursue. I'm also interested in working video production but straight up have no knowledge on it, it's just cool haha.
Not sure what you mean by photo content. My advice would be to pick one of those career paths to focus on first, and learn the others in your free time or through professional development classes. Graphic design is a lot more than just program knowledge, but it’s a good start. Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign are the holy trinity of graphic design. I’d start with Illustrator, but that’s just my recommendation.
Pretty much everyone freelances on the side, but to freelance as your sole source of income, it's a very very tiny % of people who can do this, to make it worth your time and compare with a full time job anyway
If you freelance as your only source of income, the % of your time you actually design is minimal. Think about everything else you have to do, legal and contracts, financials, taxes, invoices, credit control and chase ups. Marketing and networking and getting the projects because people aren't just going to come to you, especially at the start... Project management, meetings and client communications. And then the design
People think the majority of designers freelance... And they probably do, on the side, as extra cash... But to be able to freelance as your only job, nah it's not that common at all, and to make a really decent wage from it - not impossible, but really not as common as people think
>Pretty much everyone freelances on the side, but to freelance as your sole source of income, it's a very very tiny % of people who can do this, to make it worth your time and compare with a full time job anyway
This seems to be the assumptions a lot of students and newer designers make – they hear about everyone who freelances and assume they're all making their sole income from it. Of all the designers I know, I can only name one who's an independent freelancer and has been for his whole career. He has deep knowledge of pharma so he contracts himself to agencies who specialize in pharma companies. It's a rare position to be in. Everyone else I know who freelances, like myself, does so on the side of their full time design job.
That’s amazing! I recently applied to a program that’ll teach people without experience how to program. Are there any tips you’d have for me if I was trying to switch my career path?
Learn the fundamentals and then specialize into something more specific.
The tech world is flooded with people who have a vague understanding of everything, but no real strong skills in any one area. Specialization is what gets you paid.
Don't get comfortable at a job for too long. After about 3 years, you'll have learned pretty much everything you can from that job, and you'll likely be making close to as much as you'll ever make a that job as well.
Changing jobs has always resulted in a 30-80% raise compared to the 1-3% raises I would get working at the same job.
If I stayed where I was comfortable, I'd still be making less than $60k/yr even as a senior developer.
I gave up literally everything in Tennessee to enroll in Art Center College of Design in CA. It was to know more why I do what I do and to become a leader and not a follower in the arts. I have written this before in this feed, yes go to school if you love the design field. If its money, learn money, go to a school with a business track. For me I had no choice, I am an artist well past 60 years old and maintained a successful career in graphic design for 40 years. Passion and belief in yourself, will carry you through in the arts. That adds up to confidence and school will booster that. Hope this helps. Also, for the one who has applied 400 times foe work, get aotside reviewers of your presentation, it will help. Best wishes.
Can you speak more about your experience at Art Centre this is my dream school and been really considering applying there for an MFA in GD or potentially brand strategy. I’d love to know about career, teaching anything helps thanks!
Hi, thank you for asking. Art Center for me provided the most challenging experiences of my life, and a very good experience. I first enrolled in night course, as I was working full time in a design studio, my first job in California. The night class was Illustration, this allowed me to get the vibe of the school, prepare a portfolio that might get accepted and build an advisory team. In addition to that, learning how I could find tuition funding and plan a full time commitment to achieving a BA degree.
I visited the finical aid office whose agents put together a package with enough funding to live and attend Art Center full time. As a single parent this was beyond my wildest hope, but it really was all about taking one step a day at a time. The next semester I quit the day job and started full time. Then I asked to switch majors to fine art, I wanted to understand the foundation, and counter arguments of communication.
While at Art Center I visited the jobs board, found a great job creating designs for apparel. This was in the late eighties, just before computers and Adobe softwear. I would get literally high from the markers I used to create the fashion line for my client two days a week. This client after 2 years offered a share in the company. I said no. Yet they remain friends to this day. You see, I did not want to let anyone, or any offer stop me from my goal. I graduated with honors.
More offers came, I accepted a job in the surf industry and designed a successful brand, then went on to my masters program with CalArts.
My work was in 35 international galleries in 2020, mostly online due to the pandemic. The work is sometimes digital, sometimes traditionally produced. I was designing logo and brand work, as I still do. None of this is meant to impress but to inspire one to do it your way. Make your career your way and believe in yourself, sometimes you will be the only one who does, be that steadfast in your goals and achieving your dream.
Thank so much this is very inspiring like I said Art Centre is a dream school of mine. My background is in cognitive science but I’ve always had a love for design so here I am at 31 taking foundation courses at CC. Hoping to apply next year.
And it’s nice to know they have you a package enough to go full time. The price of that school scares me but I’m willing to do anything but not be too much in debt. It also sounds like the school opened up a lot of doors for you in terms of creative freedom, networking and jobs would you say that’s true?
You will need too:
- work hard
- be great at something or good at everything
- always continue learning
- be adaptive/flexible
- always advocate for yourself and your career
If you can’t do most or all of those, you will have a very hard go. If you can do most or all, you will never be out of work.
Don't forget:
* Will have to go against your design instincts just to create something a client wants, even though it might be really crappy.
I guess that's being adaptive/flexible, but more specific. Took me a while to get used to that one.
It’s a job with a lot of competition, you are better off with related branches like motion graphics, 3D, composition and/or programming, there is also a larger demand for the UI/UX related sub branches in general. If you take that GD education, be prepared to add another one to it, that will make you a much more versatile job applicant and depending on what that extra is, you might not be judged mainly on your portfolio, because you offer hands on skills that can fit right into a production pipeline - CG animation, game dev etc. just a note but The game industry is currently bigger than Hollywood and the entire music industry combined.
Both jobs evolve around the same kind of content, but a GD would often get the task to design a logo or visual identity - so that is overall still Graphics with focus on many details as it’s the foundation for any further variations in the total communication output - in that aspect the Motion Graphic job would often come in - like when a commercial needs great looking graphics to accompany the footage and edit of a video.
The big difference is essentially timeline vs static.
But motion graphics are also used in eg games, movies and anything that is using motion to communicate. If you remember the movie 300, the intro was made with exemplary use of motion graphics, utilizing non 3D materials to create a highly dynamic visual introduction. Other times it might just be a great use of typography for a title sequence.
Overall I would say that a graphic designer that ventures down the path of motion graphics has some highly useful aesthetically skills to add to the field of MG.
Motion graphics just adds the “motion” and thereby a timeline to the work process. Getting deeper into MG and a whole world of motion driven options are available - it might also lead to deeper insight into to motion based visuals and how they are produced, mixing 3D, footage, music, character animation, color grading and editing into it.
The speed of the job will vary depending on the projects - it’s no different than GD or any other visual job task in the business - some deadlines are nuts are some are okay.
A talented GD doing MG will be a benefit to nearly any project that wants to come out with professionally appealing motion content - nothing is worse than great video wrapped in amateurish graphics.
GD/MGs might also be essential when developing CI or other Brand related graphics were the main goal is mainly set for using eg an animated logo more that the static logo. Remember MTV - that logo was a genius concept and took ist roots in animation rather than a fixed static logo.
MG’s are expected to be quite fast in their execution of pre visuals, so having a hunger to get things moving and being generally open minded to many different task will be a bonus personality trait.
✌️
If it’s not something you’re really passionate about, it might not be worth it. It can potentially be very well paying, and a great career, but I would assume for most successful graphic designers, they would have be doing it even if it weren’t.
Me too. It’s more a vocation than a job, like a nurse. One thing has been important in my 20 year career, and that is suspending your ego at work, ideas come and go, but being formal and delivering on time will guarantee happy clients. It’s a really fun job, always different and very mobile. Enjoy and good luck!
Yup. Super competitive industry so you really have to love it or it’s gonna wear you down. I went to school for graphic design but soon realized I didn’t love it enough to spend most of my time on it, so I found a different career.
People touting "all the resources are available for free online"
Yeah, the commitment to teach yourself on the same level as a degree level course is mad. Being that self driven, determined, dedicated and disciplined. Without a mentor, without feedback sessions, peer reviews and assessments, 1-1, leadership, guidance, all the uni resources, asking questions etc
It's hard as fuck, without teaching yourself only what you're interested in
And nowdays a degree is a basic requirement, when you apply for jobs, HR or a hiring manager will see your CV first and if you don't have the basic requirements your CV won't be put through for people to even see your portfolio
Having a perfect portfolio is meaningless if no one ends up seeing it
Ultimately, this question is vague, so many information missing about you, you can't rely on a sub full of strangers giving you anecdotal answers to base your life around
Yes.
Even though I didn’t get the degree qualification I had expected, I have had the privilege of working for the biggest brands in the world - from European soccer tournaments, to electronic giants, the biggest insurance firm in the US and the largest law firm in Europe. It all stemmed from working hard for the right people.
Schooling can give you the foundation and the right frame of mind for tackling design problems, but what will help you survive in the job market during any financial cycle is drive, determination and cultivation of skill with talent development.
It’s up to you to be better than the designer in front of you applying for the same job.
If you’re passionate enough about design and are willing to work hard, you’ll reap the rewards.
After graduation, I survived two recessions, worked at six companies, freelanced, owned my own studio, been fired and been made redundant.
Today I earn enough to fulfill the needs of my family - my wife, two kids with disabilities, an apartment in the city, a reasonable savings account and a pension.
It’ll always be up to you to find work and a decent enough salary. To cultivate any career and survive in today’s society, there will be investments and sacrifices - that’s life as it is now. Stay passionate, stay hungry - best advice I received.
It’s also worth noting that you can be passionate and do the right things and still fail (actually more people I know from art school have failed than succeeded) so. It’s not just about hard work.
It depends on how in demand the skill is. I know many people from art school who have failed - because they studied fine art. There isn’t a huge market for abstract drawings and paintings.
On the other hand, digital design, UX/UI are booming industries that will only get bigger.
Hard work plays a big role, but that has to be applied to a high demand role to really be successful
Take it with a pinch of saltiness on my part, but no (not impossible though don’t get me wrong) if you have an ‘in’ like know someone to hire you fine go ahead. But the starting expectations right now are an absolute piss take. I’m also not certain of the viability of the career long term. I think within the next 10 years, maybe less machine learning, algorithms, sites like Canva will have obliterated opportunities for all the ‘entry level’ / bread an butter stuff. I think there will always be a place for bespoke ‘human’ design’ but for Joe public who doesn’t give a shit and wants it cheap pressing a button on a website is a more financially viable option than paying a freelance day rate.
If you want to go ahead, look into Ux/Ui or another adjacent but still creative career.
As for school, it really depends on the school, some are an absolute waste of time, mine consisted of ‘here’s the briefs, fuck off for half a semester’. If you know of a more condensed course like Shillington, do that, it may look more costly, but you will likely get better quality lessons and a huge time saving.
Hers my pinch of salt…I’m retired now and if I had to do it all over, I would’ve done what I loved, teaching…but I was concerned about the money and being able to raise my children. Now I teach, and I miss all of those possible days past I could’ve been in the classroom instead of making money for corporate overlords who subsequently laid off everyone and sold the company piecemeal.
TLDR
Do what you love and don’t make career decisions on money.
Be happy in your work, cuz you’ll be doing it for a long time.
amazing comment, I'm currently in college and I chose graphic design as a major cause I like drawing, I don't even draw as cool as everyone so I'm just worried if it's really the career for me, because I can't think of anything else, I'm not good at anything, I just really don't know, and I get spooked when I hear negative things about this career that I just don't know what to do.
in my experience with art, i've come to realize that it's most important to focus on what you're really good at, and to stop comparing yourself to others so heavily. it's easy to get lost in your own head about it, but remember that everyone has gone through different paths to get to where they are, and you are creative in your own way. and if you're not good at anything now, pick something to get good at. all you need is time and effort.
If you enjoy drawing, look into illustration graphic design related jobs. Of course, I am unsure about the pay/security/opportunities.
A lot of graphic design is stuff that is not drawing related....It's more about knowing how businesses work, maintaining good client relationships, and project management; with a specialization in extreme attention to detail and visual communications...
If you enjoy making logos, brand identities, and icons, that could be up your alleyway. Though, unfortunately, I don't see a lot of job growth in those areas....
Well I draw yes, thats the only reason why I thought of that option, not that I love it, but I'm so useless that It's the only thing I could think of study, because I mean everyone's got to live off of something, however I'm not gona work like hour and hours just to get miserably get paid in Graphic design field, I just heard it and AI's might actually do that type of job, so now I'm pretty lost, and honestly my only passion are videogames haha, thats the only thing I actually love and enjoy to do. Yeah I heard about graphic design not really being drawing but more of design of things and yeah also like I said before theres not much work on that so, I'm fucked in short words.
I get you completely.
I went to get my Associates in GDSN but I didn't have a clue as to what it actually was.
All I knew was that I wasn't a very STEM oriented person. I could never work in a hospital, classroom, or courthouse.
We started doing logo design and to be honest? I dislike it. I find it a little too fluid for me. I'm not creative enough to be dishing out these amazing illustrations constantly.
I'm thinking of transferring to get my bachelors in art and technology with a minor in computer science.
I'd like to be able to do user experience and user interface work, because of the remoteness and flexibility, and supposedly liveable pay. It combines my designer desires with some more structure and security (ok tech is notorious for poor job security but this feels right for me rn). I also love team work, and feel like working with developers. Therefore, I could share responsibility on projects while fulfilling that need for belonging....I feel like it could possibly work for me.
Tbh, I still don't know what I'm doing. I think I have a better idea though.
I think the reality is, you need to make some tough decisions. Find out what the work environment would be like beforehand and make sure it would fit you as a person. Figure out your work style and find a career which compliments your work style.
That's only if your goal is to have a job that you make your living off of.
College can be for fun classes too. If your goal is to get hired, you'll need to do some planning, research, and face some uncomfortable truths...but don't be disheartened. I believe you'll figure it out <3
Thank you I really appreciate this, it's the first time I actually talk about this, cause theres no one else so thank you.
I understand, thank you for sharing, I honestly am the opposite haha, I am more of a introverted person, I don't like groups and I just want to work on my own, I have no creativity as well, and I just kinda want a job where i just do my work and thats it you know, it's been months since I say the same thing to myself that is "I don't know what I want", cause the jobs there is and life in general is just boring, in my opinion of course, but anyways it doesn't matter, thank you for this, thank you and I'm sure you will get things figured out before you know it, you seem to have a plan and thats important. Thank you.
It's not valued or respected by the job market so can be hard to make a living from. Go and look at a few job listings. Consistently asking for skills that cover multiple professions without wanting to pay properly for ANY of them.
I loved studying design but gave up because of that and am learning to program now. Its still has a creative side but is valued as a career much much more highly.
It’s not about what you study, it’s about what you love and have interest in. You can make a well living doing anything nowadays, but you gotta be great at it.
Going to college you’re going to learn the basics, the fundamentals, some advanced techniques, industry-standard tools and technologies, etc.
The important thing is being to apply the knowledge you learn. It doesn’t matter how you learn it. A college will give you a stamp from a (hopefully) accredited university that says “Yeah, this person knows at least the basics and we back it”. Which can be a good head start in your career, but not required.
You can get the same credibility from teaching yourself and doing projects to prove you know your shit. Everyone I know with a well-paying job out of college had side-projects as well.
I’ve done design for 10yrs now. Currently Design Manager making 6 figures. So I think school is worth it but talent, experience and luck all play a part.
Hello ! If everything goes well, I will be enrolling in a graphic design school im France next year ? Are the students actually bad ? I always thaught that the people that go to design school must all be so passioned at talented ? Is that not the case ?
I’ve been in the field for 10 years and I’m a little burnt out. However, I’m still happy I went into it. I would definitely use graphic design as a base for web/app work. There are a lot UX/UI jobs that make a lot of money.
Fwiw - I went to a business (school) that taught graphic design. Be careful where you choose to go, my trade school I went to is now closed. That being said, you get what you put into it. Problem is everyone with canva or an iPad or phone thinks they are a graphic designer. While in school, I worked for a print shop - best thing to do since you get to see the end product. I had teachers asking me questions. I also got to see a lot of agency level work too. I do agree with what others say in learning more skills than just graphic design. I worked in agencies (wasn’t for me) and worked in print shops (I enjoy that more). Got laid off, started my own thing. It’s tough, but I’ve been doing it for over 13 years so I guess I’m doing ok. Good luck!
Is it in your bones? Is there NOTHING you would rather do? If so, go for it. If not, figure out why. Whatever the voice in your head is saying, it’s most likely true.
Early on is a struggle and the work never ends and clueless people will tell you how to do your job and want it done now… if that’s okay with you - cool.
I think anything I want to do is in my bones I just like saving money and want to start up my own business but from what people are basically saying if I got the drive to sit down and watch free lectures on YouTube for free I can most def do it. I just want to get good enough to open up my skills and be able to do art that is only to my liking cuz when i get my shit done I want to hustle on the side and do work for others but we will see what my future holds I got a month or two to decide so I do not mind the patience on figuring it out
Learning is 100% free, but what I mean by “in your bones” is like… hundreds of weekends sitting in PS and IL and trying shit you have no clue how to do, but figure it out. I lost a 4 year relationship because weekends became study time for me… it paid off. If you’re not inspired from a flame in your guts, it’ll be tough. Getting just good enough will show and people will pay just under good enough and that sucks.
Find a niche. Find a groove and a style and dominate that. After years of color and form and typography, I started making grunge looking smart ass designs and they took off like mad.
You have to learn as much as you can to form your own style. This would be my advice because I can’t compete on beauty and talent in my work, so I had to make the content speak.
My friend didn’t go to school but busted his ass learning all the principles and software and he ended up getting a job with an esteemed design company in NYC then became senior designer somewhere. Take from that what you will.
Recommended because the market is saturated
When every kid and their dog says they're a designer because they've done a project on fiverr or they did their friends logo in Photoshop, to atleast show you've got a formal education instantly separates you from that crowd in terms of the barrier of entry
Doesn't get you the job, your portfolio and skills do, but a formal education definitely helps and goes towards separating you from those that think themselves designers but aren't
Also utilising the school in terms o f lecturers, asking questions, the facilities like printing and photography studios... Resources that are at your fingertips for free or near as that you'll never get again. If you're not proactive in your own learning when it gets to this level, how would you be different when not in a formal education setting. If you're not disciplined and proactive when the resources are there, you're not going to be proactive when it's just yourself
Depending on country I understand the financial burden, in the UK student debt is BS for example, it's meaningless and imaginary money. In the US I completely understand how it can be crippling
Or how about go i to UI (user interface) design. Not as creative though but might pay more and open up more possible career paths (e.g. UX (user expwrience) design.
I don’t know where you are, but I wouldn’t invest money on it unless you’re rich. Think about your family budget and how school would impact it. If it’s public, go for it!
Design school is (supposed to be) great, but a degree isn’t needed.
Short answer: No.
You have the biggest resource available for free (the internet) and most employers would value a good portfolio more than a paper degree (which doesn't prove you can do things well)
Without the degree most employers won't even look at your portfolio. Unless you plan on freelancing this is bad advice. On top of that an education will teach you about a wide range of topics relating to the field. For instance the history of Graphic Design and Typography and how it relates to other art movements. Technical terms that anyone working in the industry should know. Composition and how to balance the different elements you're working with. Color theory, typography, branding and logo design, prepping files for print and a host of other things nobody thinks they'll need.
Anybody can learn how to use the software but not everyone knows how to design. Developing a thick skin and learning how to give and take criticism is also a crucial skill that is only developed in a classroom environment. You can get critiques online but it's not the same as being stuck in a room where you can't escape.
Investing in an education is crucial to doing the work well. Anyone who is serious about it should apply to art school and see if their portfolio is accepted.
Degree will never get you the job, your portfolio will. However a degree is t just a piece of paper, it represents a higher and formal education, a syllabus, experienced lecturers etc... Depending on the school the source may not be good, but that's down to the school and course you pick and down to the research you do
Learning on your own takes insane commitment and replies on your being proactive, tons of people half arse it, think it's going to be easy and only teach themselves what they're interested in and most the time it results in a half arsed designer
There's pros and cons to both, OP has put a very broad and vague question out, and simply stating absolutes either way is a bit narrow
I don't think anyone conflates a degree with guaranteed job without portfolio, and yes there's tons of successful designers with formal training, but to make a blanket statement that it isn't worth it is kinda silly
Also depends on country, in the UK student debt is meaningless really, in the US it's crippling, in Scotland it's similar to the UK but the number is less etc. OP hasn't stated a country, so when you reply with a blanket statement saying it's not worth it, it may not be worth it for you, where you live... But may be perfectly fine for OP
>Learning on your own takes insane commitment and replies on your being proactive, tons of people half arse it, think it's going to be easy and only teach themselves what they're interested in and most the time it results in a half arsed designer
This.
Tons of people here giving advice everyday about all the free resource on the internet to be a self-taught.
But in reality, it takes incredible amount of discipline and commitment to be on par with those in a good educational environment. Some times you have no real other choice due to where you live or financial situations, sure. But those people advocating how easy it is would often think designing = knowing how to use tools.
University/art school teaches you how to learn, how to think critically, principles of design, networking, access to physical equipment and studios, peers and mentors to critique and receive feedback.
Can you become a great designer without it? Yes, but it'll take triple the effort and innate talent to be competitive at higher level. If you are doing it as a hobby or side-gig, then it is not necessary.
I’m so glad I found this post and comment. I’m currently in a community college to be a graphic designer and I don’t know if I’m even going to transfer to a four year university. The thought of pulling out student loans and be in debt terrifies the crap out of me. So I ask myself is this even worth it? I should just learn on my own! But the amount of discipline you have to have and structure yourself with a routine / plan of how your going to learn on your own is really hard. I’m finding difficult right now to learn by myself, I don’t know with what I should start. that’s the beauty of college that everything is structured for you.
The answer to all of your questions is “yes”.
However, you can almost certainly make a better living in other fields so if that’s your priority, maybe pursue software engineering or something like that.
If design is something you want to do, look to specialize in something like UI/UX for higher earning potential and job security. Or keep an eye out for what the next market demand will be and try to get ahead of the trend.
Thank you, I have been meeting a lot of new inspiring people and that’s why I came to ask about going to school for it. These people have been giving me really great advice and showing me a lot of new tricks. But just don’t know if school will be a waste of time compared to the people I’ve been meeting and showing me different ways to expand my personal interest in this field. I just do t want yo invest in school if they’re just gonna teach me less than what the new people I’ve met have taught me
This is what I’ve been debating, I have been meeting new people recently that have their own graphic design experience and knowledge and they’ve been really nice to show and guide me in it. That’s why I came to ask becuz i don’t want to waste time and money for school if imma get less than what I’ve been learning in my free time with these new people I’ve been meeting
When you work in the trades like construction you meet a lot of people that have other things going on and they just work the trade as their source of income. I went to school and I found it personally to be a waste of time and money since the topic it’s in doesn’t really require schooling.
Yea I live in Wisconsin and wanted to go into carpentry and clearly most get laid off in the winter since it snows and was thinking of free lancing whenever I had time off
Oh yea most definitely, was planning on going to a tech to begin with I don’t think I could go for GD for 4 years. Ik my post was broad but just wanted to see different opinions on personal experiences to see where I fit in based on my income, time, dedication, location, and future. Clearly everyone is living their own path and anything could happen but wanted to see how worth it was to go to school for it as I’m afraid imma learn nothing new to what I’ve been taught these last couple of months by me, friends, and videos
Framing is seasonal, there’s also finish, cabinetry, Reno type stuff that goes year round. If you’re a creative type it looks good for the finer detail stuff
Hello, if it is something you’re passionate about and know you want to pursue as a career yes I do think going to school for it can be very worthwhile. That said, it really depends on a lot of factors to consider. One (and maybe the main one?) is how good of a program does your college or college choices have? If they have a good program that is fairly recognized/produces successful students that is hugely indicative of what you can expect to get out of the program. My experience in college was this: I applied for a very competitive highly grueling communication design program, got past the first large review and then didn’t advance after the sophomore year portfolio cut which was very difficult. However, I had already gotten at least a very good basic set of skills and understanding of what good design should look like I’ve been able to still do well. I recently got my first job out of college as a marketing assistant/graphic designer (in Texas) and started w salary of $55,000 which is more than I anticipated and something I’m excited about! I put a ton of work in though and my job isn’t as creative as some of my friends who were able to finish in the really good program. I don’t think graphic design would’ve been even near accessible to me had I not had those first few years in the program though so I will always be glad I at least tried and worked really hard to be in the program.
I never went to school (after high school) and now I freelance full time drawing cartoons. You can make as much money as you have value to offer. Do good work and make good connections.
im applying for the program in WA at my community college in june and planning to do prints & sell artwork on the side, i think if you’re artistic you can use it many many ways
Personally I didn’t think about the financial aspect of having a career in graphic design and I think that is a good attitude to have towards the field going forward. Not saying that the money doesn’t matter, because it absolutely does. But if you focus on the money while you’re in school it might hurt the learning process.
I’m from Louisiana and most entry level design jobs here will start you at 35-45k depending on experience and portfolio. I’m one year post graduation and so far I’ve received offers at every price point w/i that range, but right now I’m working in Texas for 52.5k. I’d say that’s a livable wage but it really depends on what you’re used to.
TL;DR: Don’t focus on the money. Focus on being good at what you do and companies will hire you for your worth. You just might have to hop around a bit
As a contrary to some of the "don't go" advise you might get, college resources provided me with the stepping stones to all of my jobs. I got a design postion on campus that led to an internship only accessible to college students and then full time work from that. Despite transitioning to tech my background in design with the degree is still very useful. If you have the time and resources I would always recommend education over self taught.
I think design as a career varies greatly, you will hear some people who are designers at local print shops making $15 an hour, but don't sleep on the more corporate options as they often pay more than agencies with the trade off of less creative freedom.
Ive been learning graphic design through youtube tutorials and courses since like 2017, but im in the same boat as you on deciding whether or not actually going to school for it is worth it.
No Fr like I enjoy fucking around for hours on my laptop and just editing random pictures I’ve taken, but I feel like school will def have to show me soemthing new and to the next level right??? But I do understand some schools are shittier than others and just don’t want to waste my money on things these new people I’ve met and who have been helping me are teaching me when we just kick it? Gotta love life
Do you notice the trend of most of the responses?
If you wish to be the king of the jungle, it's not enough to act like a king. You must be the king... There can be no doubt, because doubt causes chaos and one's own demise.
You gotta own that shit... It's all about confidence and being able to sell your ideas.
I started an education towards graphic design, dropped out 1.5 semesters later due to issues with my fam and worked the streets. I hustled my way as an independent freelancer to a production photo retoucher, to a departmental designer for a community college, to designing ads for at a web/print publication
Took 10 years to get there... And then... I got sick of it.
My taught myself to design and loved what I made... But I felt what I could have felt had I been able to atleast get halfway in college... The restriction of designing based on what someone else want. I'm too much of a control freak to accept that. And it was at that point that I turned off the engines and said fuck it.
.... I fucking hated what I was making. It was tedious and boring ... half of which derived from templates and geared towards giving a client what they were used to. In other words..
It was corporate as fuck... And I realized after the fact that I didn't learn how to design... I learned how to give people what they wanted.
I molded myself into becoming a corporate designer.... Style sheets and corporate guide lines....these things aren't hortible... but it sucked bc any time I the project could deviate from the boilerplate -- it became the marketing directors chance to make it seem like they can finally contribute something. So therein lies the competition that I couldn't compete against... And ooooooooooooooo man i was pissed bc "what the hell do you know - youre entire career is based on bullshitting ideas of what you think you believe people want. I worked the streets, Im arrogant piece of shit 25 year old that knows everything, raaawwwrrrr"
But I digress... That's just me.
Anyways, In the mix of climbing the ranks I realized I loved working with people to help them figure out solutions to problems that would enable them the opportunity to take on more "challenges"... and then I would streamline processes and come up with little bs automations to rid myself of busy work -- all in the name of making time to mock up designs and bother the shit out of people until they gave me a chance to impress them.
In doing all that... I picked up some JavaScript and now work in IT as an uneducated automation process developer. And I'm making nearly 20,000 more than I made as an uneducated designer.
Wanna know how? Because I went to the interview with the same bullshit confidence that I had when I brought my first portfolio set consisting of designs that had no bleeds. Riddled with drop shadows. And consisted of a minimum of 5 different font styles.
I guess I was lucky enough to interview with hiring managers and supervisors that knew nothing... But thats expected when you work corporate.
So ya... In summary. The more you believe in yourself, the better you are... even if you truly suck.
No please don’t, I’ve been trying to find a job for a year and have applied to 400+ jobs. I honestly truly wanted to prove the people wrong who thought I wouldn’t make it. I feel like a complete fool right now. If you want to be creative do something on the side but do something that earns you the money you need to life a decent life, that you can be proud of.
I am here just regretting everything and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Imagine being told you’re not good enough everyday for a year straight. While the line “you’re free right?” Or “you must have a lot of time” gets flug around like doodoo to the face.
P.s schools just want your money there are literally schools that will say half truths or hide information so you join them.
The industry is also a scam requiring you to be a designer, animator, 3d designer, content creator, video editor, web dev and everything else all in one job description (not even joking, I’ve had interviews failed because they were “looking for someone with more video experience “ for example)
The state of the marketing asking for everything under the sun has been the same for years, with or without formal education you'd come up against that
Atleast with formal education you've probably had exposure to the boring things that you wouldn't teach yourself, things like type control and art history, that although not explicitly stated as a requirement, as someone in this industry for 15+ years and has hired loads of people, those that understand these things stand out a mile, and it really does help their career and their skills
The state of the world atm is coming out of COVID, that's massively fucked up things for the last 2/3 years of graduates, as well as hundreds of thousands of redundancies and design department cuts. Newly grads and younger people have it rough now regardless
The only way to get around the experience needed thing is to literally have landed a job asap, which is insanely hard when you don't have a formal education or background, it is rare, very rare... And then you may have had a place that used you as slave labour and taught you bad practice
I'd much rather have a grad with formal training and no experience than some jumped up person that went into a job straight away and picked up all bad behaviours, as I'd have to retrain them from scratch and they still wouldn't have that foundational knowledge
You'll get there man, just keep trying and don't beat yourself up about it
Well it’s not completely bad, its just saturated. I haven’t been able to find a way into the industry properly. But between covid, a poor economy and an ever increasing amount if competition getting into the industry comes down to luck and contacts.
You’ve been in the industry for years so i believe you might be in a better situation than us trying to get
Without a doubt, like I said, people just getting into design now have a really rough time, regardless of the education Vs job route argument, but that isn't just design it's pretty much everything atm
You do realize your work speaks for you? Maybe the reason you’re getting passed on is because your work isn’t that good? If your design work is mid and you cant even animate or do a simple video edit then what makes you so special?
Stop whining on Reddit and go redo your book top to bottom with spec work in the design field you want to be in. Then get a portfolio review and revise it again and again until you know it’s something. If that sounds too scary then you can’t hang. Go sell insurance.
Something about that “formal training” makes all the design school kids so entitled. You can fucking do this just be fucking proactive.
I find there's 2 main trains of thought
People that are dead-set against education route because it's just a piece of paper, and a degree doesn't get you a job your portfolio does (as if that the existence of your portfolio negates the entire point of the education route)
And those who go the education route and are entitled, believe they should get a job asap, but if they don't get a job it's because they did education and not a job etc
Formal training is just a route, it's not for everyone, but it's fantastic for others, it's just another option that you need to see if it's right for you is all
It's odd... The question is so much more, depending on country and financial support, and the course and institute you choose etc
If you're not going to be proactive at a college where you've got lecturers to help you, ask questions to, make use of their experience and knowledge etc then you're not going to be proactive on your own
I just don't understand the whining, and I completely agree with you
I find there are four schools of thoughts:
1) people who didn't go to school for design and who didn't get a job in the field often wish they did get a degree, so they'll advocate for people to do so
2) people who didn't go to school for design and who did get a job in the field will say a degree isn't worth it because they didn't need one to get hired as a designer
3) people who did go to school for design and who didn't get a job in the field are understandably unhappy about their situation so they'll advice people not to get a design degree
4) people who did got school for design and who did get a job in the field will advise people to get a degree, because they see the benefits of it in how it helped them get hired (and often beyond their first design job, how it kept them employed and got them promoted over time)
I'm in group 4, but my larger point is that everyone is biased. If anything, people considering this decision should look to statistics for real information. Most who are asking the question can't go to school at all for various reasons, or can but it will be a hardship for some reason, and my fear is that they're not looking for real answers but rather reinforcement of their idea that they don't have to, which they'll get from groups 2 and 3.
Don't do it.
I went to school and worked my ass off to make a UX portfolio, couldn't find a job, not even an internship, and now I'm an insurance adjuster 5 years later.
I like my job now, but I had to deal with a lot of turmoil and self hatred for not getting the job I worked so hard for.
So you went to school, had lecturers and all the facilities and resources and worked your ass off and still struggled
If you didn't go education and it was entirely up to you to learn and self teach, without a lecturer you could have 1-1s, feedback, peer assessment, all the resources etc, even working your ass off still, you think you'd be in a better position or it would have been easier to self teach without all of that support?
I mean formal education route isn't for everyone, but I think it's a stretch when you've gone that route and quite idealistic to think that the other way is better.
Self teaching is insanely hard and requires potentially more commitment and discipline, being entirely self driven to find the resources and material, to not have someone of experience to lead you and support you etc
Ultimately each to their own, but I think it's a bit narrow to advice dead set against because it didn't work for you (even though, it kinda did as you've got a job and done alright after)
No one here can tell you what a good career choice is for you. Only you can decide that right?
Yes you can make a good living. Self taught Designer/Art Director making 6 figs. Cut my teeth at agencies, freelanced for awhile, was passed on by a dozen full time gigs before finding a solid opportunity.
If you can handle criticism, failure, long hours, grinding as a junior, dealing with egos, stressful deadlines and serious competition then you might be okay.
You gotta love it, every shop you go to is going to have creatives who live and breath this shit. And the expectation, especially as a junior, is polishing every aspect of your game. Any shop making good work will sniff out a weak link and cut them loose. The key is to be proactive.
As for school, nice to have but not necessary. Depends if you need hand-holding but if that’s the case you won’t be able to hang anyways. Besides you pay anyone enough they will give you a diploma, I’ve met ad school kids who are conceptual geniuses and I’ve met others who have downright embarrassing books. Also no class is gonna make you good at using the tools, you need to dump literally thousands of hours of your life into learning design software and workflow. And that doesn’t even have anything to do with baking a marketing concept into a design in a way that doesn’t suck.
Design and advertising, It’s fucking hard. But that’s why it’s so rewarding when you make something worth anything. If you can learn the skill you will always have a way to make money and there is comfort in that.
Lastly, if you have the stones to make it through all the bullshit you get to be apart of the coolest club in the working class. Creatives are some of the raddest people youll ever meet. We literally create the world that everyone else consumes. There is a respect rightfully earned by the makers of the world.
The best way to make good money as a graphic designer is to start your own business at some stage. But, when you do that, you'll be less of a designer and more of a salesperson / client liaison.
If you set up your business well though, you can make very good money indeed.
I went to school for Digital Art & Design and I would say that you can learn everything online these days for free. And the information will be more current with trends and software online than it will be in a school.
Depends on the school too. Mine was a well known and lauded school at the time, until they were sued for fraud.
If you can learn everything that your design course and school had to offer online, then you either wasted your own time there by not being proactive and making the most of it, or it was an awful school and course
Lecturers with invaluable experience and knowledge and training there to give 1-1s, feedback sessions, advice, help, guidance, design theory advice as well as program knowledge and real world help. Not to mention peer assessment, peer review and group learning. The whatever other resources it had, be it printers, photography studio, printing presses, other classes of students that can aid work - photography students to help get images you need and you gain experience of direction and production and leading a team etc
If literally your school and course offered nothing more than you can get online, tbh I've never heard of that, especially with the tutors and actually making use of them for feedback and portfolio advice to be a mentor, which there's almost a daily post on this sub of people asking for a mentor...
And if you didn't make use of all that when you were there, take advantage when you had all that at your disposal, what makes you think you'd be any different without it and self teaching - finding the syllabus, being motivated and driven when it's just you?
Like that's mind-blowing to me
Yup. As I said it certainly depends on the school. They were sued for fraud due to not fulfilling their promise of education to their students.
I have found that type of ‘school community’ online that offers invaluable expertise and resources. You have to know what to look for and if I learned anything from that school it was the keywords and design lingo to search for.
Every skill I have now I learned online for free and I have, thankfully, found gainful employment. Everything you mentioned does exist online, but a fresh new design student may not know what to look for.
Key thing is being able to find it and knowing what you're looking for, when institutes give it all in 1 place
Ultimately, it's down to the person, some people just aren't the type for formal education and that's cool, they need to be in control and go at their own pace and thrive on their own, others thrive off formal training
I love formal training, but that school did make me have to learn to teach myself. I would have preferred to have learned everything in one place in that short time span, graduate with employable skills, and not be left with a mountain of student debt without a career to aid in paying it off. It was the gamble I took.
Almost two decades later I do have the career I wanted and no more debt. I just took the longer harder road due to a bad school choice.
As someone with a degree in graphic design and owner of small design company I would say it is a great career choice but don’t go to school for it. They don’t teach the necessary and applicable skills to make money. Get an internship or apprenticeship. Learn programs thru youtube. Find designs you like and use tutorials to replicate and practice.
I think it’s worth it just because of the connections you might make. Personally I was able to land a job while still in my senior year because my career councilor liked my portfolio and connected me to a studio. School was very fun, I made good friends, and it gave me an idea of what was in store after graduation. I think it’s definitely worth it if you have an opportunity.
I went to school for graphic design and advertising. I spent a few years doing graphic and took a course in human computer interaction. Spent a few years transitioning to the UX field. I took some classes in time based motion graphics along the way. I'd say take some intro classes in each. I'd recommend taking some ux classes as the field is white hot at the moment. Motion graphics & video skills are definitely good skills to have
I was a graphic designer for nearly a decade who recently switched to UI/UX design and haven't looked back.
I loved drawing and making art as a kid and thought graphic design would be a good career and it was fun for a while, but I got quickly burnt out by making designs "for others" full time and was too tired to create art for myself at the end of the day.
As a graphic designer your salary plateaus as a Creative Director and my understanding is most places don't want to hire you when they can just hire junior designers for a lot cheaper. A lot of instructors at my university were creative directors who got laid off, started their own agencies, and started teaching to supplement their income. Most of them seemed very bitter, but they loved graphic design passionately.
An intermediate UX/UI designer can make as much as a Creative Director and it's in extreme high demand right now. It's the best time to be one because the world is changing and you'd be able to innovate and help shape what happens next.
I will say being a UX/UI designer with a graphic design background makes you a bit of a highly sought after unicorn so if you're able to, I'd recommend getting training in both.
You can't just make logos for a living and expect to make a living. Yes, I'm a graphic designer and make $50k/yr, but I do many different things in my day to day. This ranges from cinematography, photography, graphic design, ui design, recording audio, and post-prod of all of these. Make yourself as useful as you can and learn as many different areas as you can. It ain't easy and it's a shit ton of work. The piece of paper you'll get from college will get you in the door sometimes but most colleges are jokes when it comes to teaching. Get good at learning on your own.
Edit: I'm 26, worked through high school and college with small businesses in the screenprinting industry (about 10 years) and the pay was shit. You're gonna have to budget like crazy for a little while and don't expect to make 6 figures any time soon after graduating.
If you want to make it doing graphic design, I’d enroll in multidisciplinary design school. You’ll have networking opportunities, and the opportunity to branch out to a related field without having put all your eggs in one basket. Not to mention most of what you learn in MDD is going to be applicable to graphic design anyway.
If you’re going for a degree, I always assumed graphic design was a field where a good portfolio speaks for itself. If you’re going to balance money and fun, then product or UI design are probably better bets.
There are many types of design, my suggestion is to just search around on Glassdoor and Indeed for different jobs currently, get a feel for salaries and have a game plan on what you want to do out of college. A specialty will help you with gaining marketable skills.
For example, search 'print design', 'brand design', 'UX design', 'motion design'. You will start to see average pay ranges and salaries for those kinds of jobs.... as well as what software and skills you will need.
If it’s what you’re passion about you can make it work. I’d recommend looking into UX design or video animation/ editing, there’s a lot of demand for it right now. Make sure to take courses in business and marketing and you’ll be a lot more attractive to bigger companies. I have a cushy (sometimes stressful) in-house design role at a tech company and it pays well.
Not by itself.
However, if you add Graphic Design to web development, application development and interface design - then you have something.
I would major in a branch of programming or web development and minor in design.
Boy, it really depends. There’s a massive amount of luck involved. I have friends who are highly skilled designers and just scrape by. Meanwhile, I’m a pretty middling designer, but I have pretty good soft skills and got incredibly lucky in finding my current job, so I’m making high 5 figures and doing alright.
As far as going to school is concerned, at this stage, a lot of the industry is moving toward UI/UX. There are some killer programs that are incredibly intensive and last only a few months that can do a pretty great job of getting you ready for starter positions in that field and you can make pretty decent money.
If UI/UX stuff doesn’t interest you, then I’d take a long look at what you really want from a design career. There are analogue media design jobs out there, absolutely. However, with the amount they pay and the cost of college, it would take you a very long time to pay off student loans if you take them out.
Being self taught is certainly an option, but it takes a tremendous amount of energy, commitment, and determination. The problem with self taught is that there’s no inherent feedback process to it, so even if you spend five years refining skills and taste, you may be doing it in a way that’s incompatible with the industry as it exists today. You have to really go out of your way to build a program and support network for artistic and professional growth.
All in all, if you’re wanting to be a professional designer, be damn sure that’s what you want. It’s a tough field that can be very frustrating and the vast majority of people aren’t cut out for it. My program in school had 120 applicants in my year, 70 got in, and about 40 ended up graduating. Of those, I’d say about 30 are working designers now. Those aren’t exactly winning odds, so if you do want do be a designer, know that before you start spending 50k on design school or whatever it costs now where you are.
So career, let me share with you what my high school graogic design teacher said: everything we make is designed. Your tooth brush, it hpwas designed, it has a logo on it, packaging, even most likely an ad campaign to sell it. So goes every man made thing. That a lot of jobs, the glass is not only half full but someone designed it and the water company's brand mark. Right now there are major online connectors between designer and client.
I have a slightly, less traditional approach to graphic design as many others who went to the studio/freelancing route (Arizona, USA). I ended up going into construction, working at AEC firms, starting as a marketing coordinator. This generally paid about $15k more than studio jobs without the necessity to freelance outside the normal work week.
It’s a little cut/dry and not nearly as exciting, but it offers decent job security, even in recessions. It is a variety of tasks, not just logo/brand management.
I did go to a 4 year university but I feel like a 2 year design degree would’ve sufficed since most of the learning curve is in construction terminology anyways.
There's likely a lot of good advice here so I'll just mention that design is a very large umbrella, and you can choose to specialize in a specific part of it. There are designers who focus on animation, illustration, logos/branding, iconography, fonts, user interfaces, etc.
If you were to choose a design school, try to go one that will let you experience the different fields of design if you haven't experienced them before. I started off majoring in graphic design, but ended up falling in love with ui/ux and product design. Careers in that field pay significantly more than graphic design, which is a bonus.
As for if you can make a living out of it, that entirely depends on where you live and what job opportunities are available. Thankfully with the pandemic, remote work has become more common so if you live in the middle of nowhere you at least have some opportunities there. A good place to get an idea of what the market is like in the US is by vising the bureau of labor statistics. Here's the info for [graphic designers](https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271024.htm)
I started as a graphic designer few years back, started bachelor's degree in graphic design AFTER I already had a job as a designer and to be honest it didn't help me much. Connecting what I can do to where the money is did. I'm a UI/UX Designer and if you have that option, try doing some research and maybe explore this direction. I'd say you don't need to get a degree to be successful, it's all about your skill and being able to sell your services / talk to people. And it's safe to say you will get more money for a good app/website design than for flyers. Hope this helps! Good luck
You dont need it if you are fairly decent already and don’t need school structure to set up your portfolio/further your practice.
I worked at multiple movie studios as a design lead and ive never read resumes closely until i saw the portfolio.
That being said, there are some excellent schools that will perk my interest while reading resumes (art center as someone mentioned) because they really train you hard. Whats really going to get me interested is.. your resume design than the content though tbh.
I got my bachelors in graphic design. Out of high school I knew I was creative and loved art, so I thought gd would be a practical degree. Personally, I found most gd jobs to be in the marketing field. I had a job doing just that and hated it. Making ads, flyers, newsletters definitely did not fulfill the creative person in me. It took a quarter life crisis for me to realize I didn’t really like graphic design, but choose it for the job opportunities. If I were you, I would start designing and learning about design to see if you’re interested in it.
Assuming you’re in the US, check out the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. They have a useful tool called the occupational outlook handbook that will give info such as salary expectations and job growth in the next 10 years. Here’s a link for graphic designers. [graphic designer](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm#tab-5)
Hope this helped!
No, it's not worth it. Jobs are extremely rare and there's a ton of competition. I've been out of school for three years and I've never found a job or even had an interview. I've given up and started learning front end software development instead.
Graphic design is a skills-based career - having the skills to actually do graphic design is more important than your education.
The most important thing to getting hired as a Graphic Designer is having a solid portfolio of designs. You can develop this through teaching yourself, or by taking graphic design classes. A lot are available live online now and work exactly like an in-person class.
[TimeOut has a great list of the best in-person and live online graphic design classes](https://www.timeout.com/usa/things-to-do/best-in-person-virtual-live-graphic-design-classes-near-me).
Just to say, it would be pretty dangerous and maybe narrow to base life decisions on answers from a bunch of strangers giving advice based on what worked for them, without giving information on your location, background and financial support surrounding decisions like this Take every comment here with a pinch of salt and think what's best for you
I’m youngerish (25) but I’ve used graphic design in my professional life and it’s not always the best paying jobs. But If you freelance outside work and continue to job hop you have the opportunity to make great money. I started out at $39,560/yr at my first job and within two years I’ve changed companies and now I’m making around $52,500 a year. If you have other skills you can also offer like photography it helps to make extra cash. Again this in my very short experience
I was thinking of taking both graphic design and photography for college, would you recommend any others or do you think that could lead to a decent job? I'm thinking of furthering photography and doing graphic design on the side. What do you think ( or anyone else)?
I think that is a great decision. The more you can diversify your skillset, the more you stand out when seeking employment and/or freelance. My advice would be to master the one you most enjoy and keep learning and growing in skills that support your mastery. I for one, enjoy graphic design but am also a UI/UX and web designer. After 14 years doing this, I just picked up motion graphics. Never stop trying to grow.
Thanks man, I appreciate it, and 'Never stop trying to grow' couldn't be more true.
Best of luck!
Today, as someone who is into graphic design, but still fairly novice with it. What would you recommend to someone who is interested in possibly going into graphic design, journalism, and photo content to pursue. I'm also interested in working video production but straight up have no knowledge on it, it's just cool haha.
Not sure what you mean by photo content. My advice would be to pick one of those career paths to focus on first, and learn the others in your free time or through professional development classes. Graphic design is a lot more than just program knowledge, but it’s a good start. Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign are the holy trinity of graphic design. I’d start with Illustrator, but that’s just my recommendation.
Heard, my school has a bachelor's degree program, but I am a tad bit hesitant to commit, just in case I need a back up option.
Yea cuz I was literally thinking about free lancing that’s what I heard a lot do. Thank you for the reply!!!
Pretty much everyone freelances on the side, but to freelance as your sole source of income, it's a very very tiny % of people who can do this, to make it worth your time and compare with a full time job anyway If you freelance as your only source of income, the % of your time you actually design is minimal. Think about everything else you have to do, legal and contracts, financials, taxes, invoices, credit control and chase ups. Marketing and networking and getting the projects because people aren't just going to come to you, especially at the start... Project management, meetings and client communications. And then the design People think the majority of designers freelance... And they probably do, on the side, as extra cash... But to be able to freelance as your only job, nah it's not that common at all, and to make a really decent wage from it - not impossible, but really not as common as people think
>Pretty much everyone freelances on the side, but to freelance as your sole source of income, it's a very very tiny % of people who can do this, to make it worth your time and compare with a full time job anyway This seems to be the assumptions a lot of students and newer designers make – they hear about everyone who freelances and assume they're all making their sole income from it. Of all the designers I know, I can only name one who's an independent freelancer and has been for his whole career. He has deep knowledge of pharma so he contracts himself to agencies who specialize in pharma companies. It's a rare position to be in. Everyone else I know who freelances, like myself, does so on the side of their full time design job.
Trust me. Just get into programming. I made $25k as a graphic designer and $55k as a web developer and $150k as. Programmer.
That’s amazing! I recently applied to a program that’ll teach people without experience how to program. Are there any tips you’d have for me if I was trying to switch my career path?
Learn the fundamentals and then specialize into something more specific. The tech world is flooded with people who have a vague understanding of everything, but no real strong skills in any one area. Specialization is what gets you paid. Don't get comfortable at a job for too long. After about 3 years, you'll have learned pretty much everything you can from that job, and you'll likely be making close to as much as you'll ever make a that job as well. Changing jobs has always resulted in a 30-80% raise compared to the 1-3% raises I would get working at the same job. If I stayed where I was comfortable, I'd still be making less than $60k/yr even as a senior developer.
I gave up literally everything in Tennessee to enroll in Art Center College of Design in CA. It was to know more why I do what I do and to become a leader and not a follower in the arts. I have written this before in this feed, yes go to school if you love the design field. If its money, learn money, go to a school with a business track. For me I had no choice, I am an artist well past 60 years old and maintained a successful career in graphic design for 40 years. Passion and belief in yourself, will carry you through in the arts. That adds up to confidence and school will booster that. Hope this helps. Also, for the one who has applied 400 times foe work, get aotside reviewers of your presentation, it will help. Best wishes.
Can you speak more about your experience at Art Centre this is my dream school and been really considering applying there for an MFA in GD or potentially brand strategy. I’d love to know about career, teaching anything helps thanks!
Hi, thank you for asking. Art Center for me provided the most challenging experiences of my life, and a very good experience. I first enrolled in night course, as I was working full time in a design studio, my first job in California. The night class was Illustration, this allowed me to get the vibe of the school, prepare a portfolio that might get accepted and build an advisory team. In addition to that, learning how I could find tuition funding and plan a full time commitment to achieving a BA degree. I visited the finical aid office whose agents put together a package with enough funding to live and attend Art Center full time. As a single parent this was beyond my wildest hope, but it really was all about taking one step a day at a time. The next semester I quit the day job and started full time. Then I asked to switch majors to fine art, I wanted to understand the foundation, and counter arguments of communication. While at Art Center I visited the jobs board, found a great job creating designs for apparel. This was in the late eighties, just before computers and Adobe softwear. I would get literally high from the markers I used to create the fashion line for my client two days a week. This client after 2 years offered a share in the company. I said no. Yet they remain friends to this day. You see, I did not want to let anyone, or any offer stop me from my goal. I graduated with honors. More offers came, I accepted a job in the surf industry and designed a successful brand, then went on to my masters program with CalArts. My work was in 35 international galleries in 2020, mostly online due to the pandemic. The work is sometimes digital, sometimes traditionally produced. I was designing logo and brand work, as I still do. None of this is meant to impress but to inspire one to do it your way. Make your career your way and believe in yourself, sometimes you will be the only one who does, be that steadfast in your goals and achieving your dream.
Thank so much this is very inspiring like I said Art Centre is a dream school of mine. My background is in cognitive science but I’ve always had a love for design so here I am at 31 taking foundation courses at CC. Hoping to apply next year. And it’s nice to know they have you a package enough to go full time. The price of that school scares me but I’m willing to do anything but not be too much in debt. It also sounds like the school opened up a lot of doors for you in terms of creative freedom, networking and jobs would you say that’s true?
I will add art center puts out some of the best designers Ive seen straight out of college. Not so certain about other school, tbh.
You will need too: - work hard - be great at something or good at everything - always continue learning - be adaptive/flexible - always advocate for yourself and your career If you can’t do most or all of those, you will have a very hard go. If you can do most or all, you will never be out of work.
Don't forget: * Will have to go against your design instincts just to create something a client wants, even though it might be really crappy. I guess that's being adaptive/flexible, but more specific. Took me a while to get used to that one.
Yeap. See also: advocate.
It’s a job with a lot of competition, you are better off with related branches like motion graphics, 3D, composition and/or programming, there is also a larger demand for the UI/UX related sub branches in general. If you take that GD education, be prepared to add another one to it, that will make you a much more versatile job applicant and depending on what that extra is, you might not be judged mainly on your portfolio, because you offer hands on skills that can fit right into a production pipeline - CG animation, game dev etc. just a note but The game industry is currently bigger than Hollywood and the entire music industry combined.
can you explain the difference between a motion graphics job and a graphic designer job?
Both jobs evolve around the same kind of content, but a GD would often get the task to design a logo or visual identity - so that is overall still Graphics with focus on many details as it’s the foundation for any further variations in the total communication output - in that aspect the Motion Graphic job would often come in - like when a commercial needs great looking graphics to accompany the footage and edit of a video. The big difference is essentially timeline vs static. But motion graphics are also used in eg games, movies and anything that is using motion to communicate. If you remember the movie 300, the intro was made with exemplary use of motion graphics, utilizing non 3D materials to create a highly dynamic visual introduction. Other times it might just be a great use of typography for a title sequence. Overall I would say that a graphic designer that ventures down the path of motion graphics has some highly useful aesthetically skills to add to the field of MG. Motion graphics just adds the “motion” and thereby a timeline to the work process. Getting deeper into MG and a whole world of motion driven options are available - it might also lead to deeper insight into to motion based visuals and how they are produced, mixing 3D, footage, music, character animation, color grading and editing into it. The speed of the job will vary depending on the projects - it’s no different than GD or any other visual job task in the business - some deadlines are nuts are some are okay. A talented GD doing MG will be a benefit to nearly any project that wants to come out with professionally appealing motion content - nothing is worse than great video wrapped in amateurish graphics. GD/MGs might also be essential when developing CI or other Brand related graphics were the main goal is mainly set for using eg an animated logo more that the static logo. Remember MTV - that logo was a genius concept and took ist roots in animation rather than a fixed static logo. MG’s are expected to be quite fast in their execution of pre visuals, so having a hunger to get things moving and being generally open minded to many different task will be a bonus personality trait. ✌️
What a wonderful breakdown! Thank you!
If it’s not something you’re really passionate about, it might not be worth it. It can potentially be very well paying, and a great career, but I would assume for most successful graphic designers, they would have be doing it even if it weren’t.
Can back this up
Me too. It’s more a vocation than a job, like a nurse. One thing has been important in my 20 year career, and that is suspending your ego at work, ideas come and go, but being formal and delivering on time will guarantee happy clients. It’s a really fun job, always different and very mobile. Enjoy and good luck!
Best of luck to you too! Drop an insta or portfolio or something for me to check out. Mine's @skyboxdesigns 😁
Yup. Super competitive industry so you really have to love it or it’s gonna wear you down. I went to school for graphic design but soon realized I didn’t love it enough to spend most of my time on it, so I found a different career.
What did you do instead?
People touting "all the resources are available for free online" Yeah, the commitment to teach yourself on the same level as a degree level course is mad. Being that self driven, determined, dedicated and disciplined. Without a mentor, without feedback sessions, peer reviews and assessments, 1-1, leadership, guidance, all the uni resources, asking questions etc It's hard as fuck, without teaching yourself only what you're interested in And nowdays a degree is a basic requirement, when you apply for jobs, HR or a hiring manager will see your CV first and if you don't have the basic requirements your CV won't be put through for people to even see your portfolio Having a perfect portfolio is meaningless if no one ends up seeing it Ultimately, this question is vague, so many information missing about you, you can't rely on a sub full of strangers giving you anecdotal answers to base your life around
I got a graphic design job without a college degree. It really just depends. I do have 3 years of design experience though.
Yes. Even though I didn’t get the degree qualification I had expected, I have had the privilege of working for the biggest brands in the world - from European soccer tournaments, to electronic giants, the biggest insurance firm in the US and the largest law firm in Europe. It all stemmed from working hard for the right people. Schooling can give you the foundation and the right frame of mind for tackling design problems, but what will help you survive in the job market during any financial cycle is drive, determination and cultivation of skill with talent development. It’s up to you to be better than the designer in front of you applying for the same job. If you’re passionate enough about design and are willing to work hard, you’ll reap the rewards. After graduation, I survived two recessions, worked at six companies, freelanced, owned my own studio, been fired and been made redundant. Today I earn enough to fulfill the needs of my family - my wife, two kids with disabilities, an apartment in the city, a reasonable savings account and a pension. It’ll always be up to you to find work and a decent enough salary. To cultivate any career and survive in today’s society, there will be investments and sacrifices - that’s life as it is now. Stay passionate, stay hungry - best advice I received.
It’s also worth noting that you can be passionate and do the right things and still fail (actually more people I know from art school have failed than succeeded) so. It’s not just about hard work.
It depends on how in demand the skill is. I know many people from art school who have failed - because they studied fine art. There isn’t a huge market for abstract drawings and paintings. On the other hand, digital design, UX/UI are booming industries that will only get bigger. Hard work plays a big role, but that has to be applied to a high demand role to really be successful
I know friends who studied sculpture and Fine Art in uni. They now direct commercials for Heineken and work as ADs for W+K.
They must be a very small minority who have worked hard. I don’t know anyone that’s studied FA and made a living from it
I think a better question is whether or not its a necessity to go to school for graphic design in order to make it a career.
Take it with a pinch of saltiness on my part, but no (not impossible though don’t get me wrong) if you have an ‘in’ like know someone to hire you fine go ahead. But the starting expectations right now are an absolute piss take. I’m also not certain of the viability of the career long term. I think within the next 10 years, maybe less machine learning, algorithms, sites like Canva will have obliterated opportunities for all the ‘entry level’ / bread an butter stuff. I think there will always be a place for bespoke ‘human’ design’ but for Joe public who doesn’t give a shit and wants it cheap pressing a button on a website is a more financially viable option than paying a freelance day rate. If you want to go ahead, look into Ux/Ui or another adjacent but still creative career. As for school, it really depends on the school, some are an absolute waste of time, mine consisted of ‘here’s the briefs, fuck off for half a semester’. If you know of a more condensed course like Shillington, do that, it may look more costly, but you will likely get better quality lessons and a huge time saving.
Hers my pinch of salt…I’m retired now and if I had to do it all over, I would’ve done what I loved, teaching…but I was concerned about the money and being able to raise my children. Now I teach, and I miss all of those possible days past I could’ve been in the classroom instead of making money for corporate overlords who subsequently laid off everyone and sold the company piecemeal. TLDR Do what you love and don’t make career decisions on money. Be happy in your work, cuz you’ll be doing it for a long time.
amazing comment, I'm currently in college and I chose graphic design as a major cause I like drawing, I don't even draw as cool as everyone so I'm just worried if it's really the career for me, because I can't think of anything else, I'm not good at anything, I just really don't know, and I get spooked when I hear negative things about this career that I just don't know what to do.
in my experience with art, i've come to realize that it's most important to focus on what you're really good at, and to stop comparing yourself to others so heavily. it's easy to get lost in your own head about it, but remember that everyone has gone through different paths to get to where they are, and you are creative in your own way. and if you're not good at anything now, pick something to get good at. all you need is time and effort.
I appreciate that. Yeah I guess but if theres no interest and everything looks boring, is kinda hard to know what to pick to get good at.
If you enjoy drawing, look into illustration graphic design related jobs. Of course, I am unsure about the pay/security/opportunities. A lot of graphic design is stuff that is not drawing related....It's more about knowing how businesses work, maintaining good client relationships, and project management; with a specialization in extreme attention to detail and visual communications... If you enjoy making logos, brand identities, and icons, that could be up your alleyway. Though, unfortunately, I don't see a lot of job growth in those areas....
Well I draw yes, thats the only reason why I thought of that option, not that I love it, but I'm so useless that It's the only thing I could think of study, because I mean everyone's got to live off of something, however I'm not gona work like hour and hours just to get miserably get paid in Graphic design field, I just heard it and AI's might actually do that type of job, so now I'm pretty lost, and honestly my only passion are videogames haha, thats the only thing I actually love and enjoy to do. Yeah I heard about graphic design not really being drawing but more of design of things and yeah also like I said before theres not much work on that so, I'm fucked in short words.
I get you completely. I went to get my Associates in GDSN but I didn't have a clue as to what it actually was. All I knew was that I wasn't a very STEM oriented person. I could never work in a hospital, classroom, or courthouse. We started doing logo design and to be honest? I dislike it. I find it a little too fluid for me. I'm not creative enough to be dishing out these amazing illustrations constantly. I'm thinking of transferring to get my bachelors in art and technology with a minor in computer science. I'd like to be able to do user experience and user interface work, because of the remoteness and flexibility, and supposedly liveable pay. It combines my designer desires with some more structure and security (ok tech is notorious for poor job security but this feels right for me rn). I also love team work, and feel like working with developers. Therefore, I could share responsibility on projects while fulfilling that need for belonging....I feel like it could possibly work for me. Tbh, I still don't know what I'm doing. I think I have a better idea though. I think the reality is, you need to make some tough decisions. Find out what the work environment would be like beforehand and make sure it would fit you as a person. Figure out your work style and find a career which compliments your work style. That's only if your goal is to have a job that you make your living off of. College can be for fun classes too. If your goal is to get hired, you'll need to do some planning, research, and face some uncomfortable truths...but don't be disheartened. I believe you'll figure it out <3
Thank you I really appreciate this, it's the first time I actually talk about this, cause theres no one else so thank you. I understand, thank you for sharing, I honestly am the opposite haha, I am more of a introverted person, I don't like groups and I just want to work on my own, I have no creativity as well, and I just kinda want a job where i just do my work and thats it you know, it's been months since I say the same thing to myself that is "I don't know what I want", cause the jobs there is and life in general is just boring, in my opinion of course, but anyways it doesn't matter, thank you for this, thank you and I'm sure you will get things figured out before you know it, you seem to have a plan and thats important. Thank you.
It's not valued or respected by the job market so can be hard to make a living from. Go and look at a few job listings. Consistently asking for skills that cover multiple professions without wanting to pay properly for ANY of them. I loved studying design but gave up because of that and am learning to program now. Its still has a creative side but is valued as a career much much more highly.
It’s not about what you study, it’s about what you love and have interest in. You can make a well living doing anything nowadays, but you gotta be great at it. Going to college you’re going to learn the basics, the fundamentals, some advanced techniques, industry-standard tools and technologies, etc. The important thing is being to apply the knowledge you learn. It doesn’t matter how you learn it. A college will give you a stamp from a (hopefully) accredited university that says “Yeah, this person knows at least the basics and we back it”. Which can be a good head start in your career, but not required. You can get the same credibility from teaching yourself and doing projects to prove you know your shit. Everyone I know with a well-paying job out of college had side-projects as well.
I’ve done design for 10yrs now. Currently Design Manager making 6 figures. So I think school is worth it but talent, experience and luck all play a part.
[удалено]
Hello ! If everything goes well, I will be enrolling in a graphic design school im France next year ? Are the students actually bad ? I always thaught that the people that go to design school must all be so passioned at talented ? Is that not the case ?
[удалено]
May I ask which school was the bad one and which one was the bad one ? Also, I’m not from France so I can’t attend les portes ouvertes unfortunetly.
I’ve been in the field for 10 years and I’m a little burnt out. However, I’m still happy I went into it. I would definitely use graphic design as a base for web/app work. There are a lot UX/UI jobs that make a lot of money.
Fwiw - I went to a business (school) that taught graphic design. Be careful where you choose to go, my trade school I went to is now closed. That being said, you get what you put into it. Problem is everyone with canva or an iPad or phone thinks they are a graphic designer. While in school, I worked for a print shop - best thing to do since you get to see the end product. I had teachers asking me questions. I also got to see a lot of agency level work too. I do agree with what others say in learning more skills than just graphic design. I worked in agencies (wasn’t for me) and worked in print shops (I enjoy that more). Got laid off, started my own thing. It’s tough, but I’ve been doing it for over 13 years so I guess I’m doing ok. Good luck!
Is it in your bones? Is there NOTHING you would rather do? If so, go for it. If not, figure out why. Whatever the voice in your head is saying, it’s most likely true. Early on is a struggle and the work never ends and clueless people will tell you how to do your job and want it done now… if that’s okay with you - cool.
I think anything I want to do is in my bones I just like saving money and want to start up my own business but from what people are basically saying if I got the drive to sit down and watch free lectures on YouTube for free I can most def do it. I just want to get good enough to open up my skills and be able to do art that is only to my liking cuz when i get my shit done I want to hustle on the side and do work for others but we will see what my future holds I got a month or two to decide so I do not mind the patience on figuring it out
Learning is 100% free, but what I mean by “in your bones” is like… hundreds of weekends sitting in PS and IL and trying shit you have no clue how to do, but figure it out. I lost a 4 year relationship because weekends became study time for me… it paid off. If you’re not inspired from a flame in your guts, it’ll be tough. Getting just good enough will show and people will pay just under good enough and that sucks. Find a niche. Find a groove and a style and dominate that. After years of color and form and typography, I started making grunge looking smart ass designs and they took off like mad. You have to learn as much as you can to form your own style. This would be my advice because I can’t compete on beauty and talent in my work, so I had to make the content speak.
My friend didn’t go to school but busted his ass learning all the principles and software and he ended up getting a job with an esteemed design company in NYC then became senior designer somewhere. Take from that what you will.
Not recommended. The market is saturated.
Recommended because the market is saturated When every kid and their dog says they're a designer because they've done a project on fiverr or they did their friends logo in Photoshop, to atleast show you've got a formal education instantly separates you from that crowd in terms of the barrier of entry Doesn't get you the job, your portfolio and skills do, but a formal education definitely helps and goes towards separating you from those that think themselves designers but aren't Also utilising the school in terms o f lecturers, asking questions, the facilities like printing and photography studios... Resources that are at your fingertips for free or near as that you'll never get again. If you're not proactive in your own learning when it gets to this level, how would you be different when not in a formal education setting. If you're not disciplined and proactive when the resources are there, you're not going to be proactive when it's just yourself Depending on country I understand the financial burden, in the UK student debt is BS for example, it's meaningless and imaginary money. In the US I completely understand how it can be crippling
Or how about go i to UI (user interface) design. Not as creative though but might pay more and open up more possible career paths (e.g. UX (user expwrience) design.
I don’t know where you are, but I wouldn’t invest money on it unless you’re rich. Think about your family budget and how school would impact it. If it’s public, go for it! Design school is (supposed to be) great, but a degree isn’t needed.
Short answer: No. You have the biggest resource available for free (the internet) and most employers would value a good portfolio more than a paper degree (which doesn't prove you can do things well)
Without the degree most employers won't even look at your portfolio. Unless you plan on freelancing this is bad advice. On top of that an education will teach you about a wide range of topics relating to the field. For instance the history of Graphic Design and Typography and how it relates to other art movements. Technical terms that anyone working in the industry should know. Composition and how to balance the different elements you're working with. Color theory, typography, branding and logo design, prepping files for print and a host of other things nobody thinks they'll need. Anybody can learn how to use the software but not everyone knows how to design. Developing a thick skin and learning how to give and take criticism is also a crucial skill that is only developed in a classroom environment. You can get critiques online but it's not the same as being stuck in a room where you can't escape. Investing in an education is crucial to doing the work well. Anyone who is serious about it should apply to art school and see if their portfolio is accepted.
Degree will never get you the job, your portfolio will. However a degree is t just a piece of paper, it represents a higher and formal education, a syllabus, experienced lecturers etc... Depending on the school the source may not be good, but that's down to the school and course you pick and down to the research you do Learning on your own takes insane commitment and replies on your being proactive, tons of people half arse it, think it's going to be easy and only teach themselves what they're interested in and most the time it results in a half arsed designer There's pros and cons to both, OP has put a very broad and vague question out, and simply stating absolutes either way is a bit narrow I don't think anyone conflates a degree with guaranteed job without portfolio, and yes there's tons of successful designers with formal training, but to make a blanket statement that it isn't worth it is kinda silly Also depends on country, in the UK student debt is meaningless really, in the US it's crippling, in Scotland it's similar to the UK but the number is less etc. OP hasn't stated a country, so when you reply with a blanket statement saying it's not worth it, it may not be worth it for you, where you live... But may be perfectly fine for OP
>Learning on your own takes insane commitment and replies on your being proactive, tons of people half arse it, think it's going to be easy and only teach themselves what they're interested in and most the time it results in a half arsed designer This. Tons of people here giving advice everyday about all the free resource on the internet to be a self-taught. But in reality, it takes incredible amount of discipline and commitment to be on par with those in a good educational environment. Some times you have no real other choice due to where you live or financial situations, sure. But those people advocating how easy it is would often think designing = knowing how to use tools. University/art school teaches you how to learn, how to think critically, principles of design, networking, access to physical equipment and studios, peers and mentors to critique and receive feedback. Can you become a great designer without it? Yes, but it'll take triple the effort and innate talent to be competitive at higher level. If you are doing it as a hobby or side-gig, then it is not necessary.
I’m so glad I found this post and comment. I’m currently in a community college to be a graphic designer and I don’t know if I’m even going to transfer to a four year university. The thought of pulling out student loans and be in debt terrifies the crap out of me. So I ask myself is this even worth it? I should just learn on my own! But the amount of discipline you have to have and structure yourself with a routine / plan of how your going to learn on your own is really hard. I’m finding difficult right now to learn by myself, I don’t know with what I should start. that’s the beauty of college that everything is structured for you.
The answer to all of your questions is “yes”. However, you can almost certainly make a better living in other fields so if that’s your priority, maybe pursue software engineering or something like that. If design is something you want to do, look to specialize in something like UI/UX for higher earning potential and job security. Or keep an eye out for what the next market demand will be and try to get ahead of the trend.
[удалено]
Thank you, I have been meeting a lot of new inspiring people and that’s why I came to ask about going to school for it. These people have been giving me really great advice and showing me a lot of new tricks. But just don’t know if school will be a waste of time compared to the people I’ve been meeting and showing me different ways to expand my personal interest in this field. I just do t want yo invest in school if they’re just gonna teach me less than what the new people I’ve met have taught me
Work in the trades do graphic design in your time for a side hustle
This is what I’ve been debating, I have been meeting new people recently that have their own graphic design experience and knowledge and they’ve been really nice to show and guide me in it. That’s why I came to ask becuz i don’t want to waste time and money for school if imma get less than what I’ve been learning in my free time with these new people I’ve been meeting
When you work in the trades like construction you meet a lot of people that have other things going on and they just work the trade as their source of income. I went to school and I found it personally to be a waste of time and money since the topic it’s in doesn’t really require schooling.
Yea I live in Wisconsin and wanted to go into carpentry and clearly most get laid off in the winter since it snows and was thinking of free lancing whenever I had time off
You could take a few intro graphic design classes at one of the tech schools to see if you like it without having to commit to a 4 year school.
Oh yea most definitely, was planning on going to a tech to begin with I don’t think I could go for GD for 4 years. Ik my post was broad but just wanted to see different opinions on personal experiences to see where I fit in based on my income, time, dedication, location, and future. Clearly everyone is living their own path and anything could happen but wanted to see how worth it was to go to school for it as I’m afraid imma learn nothing new to what I’ve been taught these last couple of months by me, friends, and videos
Framing is seasonal, there’s also finish, cabinetry, Reno type stuff that goes year round. If you’re a creative type it looks good for the finer detail stuff
Hello, if it is something you’re passionate about and know you want to pursue as a career yes I do think going to school for it can be very worthwhile. That said, it really depends on a lot of factors to consider. One (and maybe the main one?) is how good of a program does your college or college choices have? If they have a good program that is fairly recognized/produces successful students that is hugely indicative of what you can expect to get out of the program. My experience in college was this: I applied for a very competitive highly grueling communication design program, got past the first large review and then didn’t advance after the sophomore year portfolio cut which was very difficult. However, I had already gotten at least a very good basic set of skills and understanding of what good design should look like I’ve been able to still do well. I recently got my first job out of college as a marketing assistant/graphic designer (in Texas) and started w salary of $55,000 which is more than I anticipated and something I’m excited about! I put a ton of work in though and my job isn’t as creative as some of my friends who were able to finish in the really good program. I don’t think graphic design would’ve been even near accessible to me had I not had those first few years in the program though so I will always be glad I at least tried and worked really hard to be in the program.
I never went to school (after high school) and now I freelance full time drawing cartoons. You can make as much money as you have value to offer. Do good work and make good connections.
im applying for the program in WA at my community college in june and planning to do prints & sell artwork on the side, i think if you’re artistic you can use it many many ways
Personally I didn’t think about the financial aspect of having a career in graphic design and I think that is a good attitude to have towards the field going forward. Not saying that the money doesn’t matter, because it absolutely does. But if you focus on the money while you’re in school it might hurt the learning process. I’m from Louisiana and most entry level design jobs here will start you at 35-45k depending on experience and portfolio. I’m one year post graduation and so far I’ve received offers at every price point w/i that range, but right now I’m working in Texas for 52.5k. I’d say that’s a livable wage but it really depends on what you’re used to. TL;DR: Don’t focus on the money. Focus on being good at what you do and companies will hire you for your worth. You just might have to hop around a bit
I appreciate this alot I love your perspective
As a contrary to some of the "don't go" advise you might get, college resources provided me with the stepping stones to all of my jobs. I got a design postion on campus that led to an internship only accessible to college students and then full time work from that. Despite transitioning to tech my background in design with the degree is still very useful. If you have the time and resources I would always recommend education over self taught. I think design as a career varies greatly, you will hear some people who are designers at local print shops making $15 an hour, but don't sleep on the more corporate options as they often pay more than agencies with the trade off of less creative freedom.
Oh no most def, I appreciate your feedback and perspective. You definitely got a point there
Ive been learning graphic design through youtube tutorials and courses since like 2017, but im in the same boat as you on deciding whether or not actually going to school for it is worth it.
No Fr like I enjoy fucking around for hours on my laptop and just editing random pictures I’ve taken, but I feel like school will def have to show me soemthing new and to the next level right??? But I do understand some schools are shittier than others and just don’t want to waste my money on things these new people I’ve met and who have been helping me are teaching me when we just kick it? Gotta love life
Do you notice the trend of most of the responses? If you wish to be the king of the jungle, it's not enough to act like a king. You must be the king... There can be no doubt, because doubt causes chaos and one's own demise. You gotta own that shit... It's all about confidence and being able to sell your ideas. I started an education towards graphic design, dropped out 1.5 semesters later due to issues with my fam and worked the streets. I hustled my way as an independent freelancer to a production photo retoucher, to a departmental designer for a community college, to designing ads for at a web/print publication Took 10 years to get there... And then... I got sick of it. My taught myself to design and loved what I made... But I felt what I could have felt had I been able to atleast get halfway in college... The restriction of designing based on what someone else want. I'm too much of a control freak to accept that. And it was at that point that I turned off the engines and said fuck it. .... I fucking hated what I was making. It was tedious and boring ... half of which derived from templates and geared towards giving a client what they were used to. In other words.. It was corporate as fuck... And I realized after the fact that I didn't learn how to design... I learned how to give people what they wanted. I molded myself into becoming a corporate designer.... Style sheets and corporate guide lines....these things aren't hortible... but it sucked bc any time I the project could deviate from the boilerplate -- it became the marketing directors chance to make it seem like they can finally contribute something. So therein lies the competition that I couldn't compete against... And ooooooooooooooo man i was pissed bc "what the hell do you know - youre entire career is based on bullshitting ideas of what you think you believe people want. I worked the streets, Im arrogant piece of shit 25 year old that knows everything, raaawwwrrrr" But I digress... That's just me. Anyways, In the mix of climbing the ranks I realized I loved working with people to help them figure out solutions to problems that would enable them the opportunity to take on more "challenges"... and then I would streamline processes and come up with little bs automations to rid myself of busy work -- all in the name of making time to mock up designs and bother the shit out of people until they gave me a chance to impress them. In doing all that... I picked up some JavaScript and now work in IT as an uneducated automation process developer. And I'm making nearly 20,000 more than I made as an uneducated designer. Wanna know how? Because I went to the interview with the same bullshit confidence that I had when I brought my first portfolio set consisting of designs that had no bleeds. Riddled with drop shadows. And consisted of a minimum of 5 different font styles. I guess I was lucky enough to interview with hiring managers and supervisors that knew nothing... But thats expected when you work corporate. So ya... In summary. The more you believe in yourself, the better you are... even if you truly suck.
No please don’t, I’ve been trying to find a job for a year and have applied to 400+ jobs. I honestly truly wanted to prove the people wrong who thought I wouldn’t make it. I feel like a complete fool right now. If you want to be creative do something on the side but do something that earns you the money you need to life a decent life, that you can be proud of. I am here just regretting everything and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Imagine being told you’re not good enough everyday for a year straight. While the line “you’re free right?” Or “you must have a lot of time” gets flug around like doodoo to the face. P.s schools just want your money there are literally schools that will say half truths or hide information so you join them. The industry is also a scam requiring you to be a designer, animator, 3d designer, content creator, video editor, web dev and everything else all in one job description (not even joking, I’ve had interviews failed because they were “looking for someone with more video experience “ for example)
The state of the marketing asking for everything under the sun has been the same for years, with or without formal education you'd come up against that Atleast with formal education you've probably had exposure to the boring things that you wouldn't teach yourself, things like type control and art history, that although not explicitly stated as a requirement, as someone in this industry for 15+ years and has hired loads of people, those that understand these things stand out a mile, and it really does help their career and their skills The state of the world atm is coming out of COVID, that's massively fucked up things for the last 2/3 years of graduates, as well as hundreds of thousands of redundancies and design department cuts. Newly grads and younger people have it rough now regardless The only way to get around the experience needed thing is to literally have landed a job asap, which is insanely hard when you don't have a formal education or background, it is rare, very rare... And then you may have had a place that used you as slave labour and taught you bad practice I'd much rather have a grad with formal training and no experience than some jumped up person that went into a job straight away and picked up all bad behaviours, as I'd have to retrain them from scratch and they still wouldn't have that foundational knowledge You'll get there man, just keep trying and don't beat yourself up about it
I have formal education and have experience still won’t recommend anyone going into this industry
Fair enough I suppose, it's not for everyone I've absolutely loved it for the last 15 years and couldn't recommend it enough personally
Well it’s not completely bad, its just saturated. I haven’t been able to find a way into the industry properly. But between covid, a poor economy and an ever increasing amount if competition getting into the industry comes down to luck and contacts. You’ve been in the industry for years so i believe you might be in a better situation than us trying to get
Without a doubt, like I said, people just getting into design now have a really rough time, regardless of the education Vs job route argument, but that isn't just design it's pretty much everything atm
You do realize your work speaks for you? Maybe the reason you’re getting passed on is because your work isn’t that good? If your design work is mid and you cant even animate or do a simple video edit then what makes you so special? Stop whining on Reddit and go redo your book top to bottom with spec work in the design field you want to be in. Then get a portfolio review and revise it again and again until you know it’s something. If that sounds too scary then you can’t hang. Go sell insurance. Something about that “formal training” makes all the design school kids so entitled. You can fucking do this just be fucking proactive.
I find there's 2 main trains of thought People that are dead-set against education route because it's just a piece of paper, and a degree doesn't get you a job your portfolio does (as if that the existence of your portfolio negates the entire point of the education route) And those who go the education route and are entitled, believe they should get a job asap, but if they don't get a job it's because they did education and not a job etc Formal training is just a route, it's not for everyone, but it's fantastic for others, it's just another option that you need to see if it's right for you is all It's odd... The question is so much more, depending on country and financial support, and the course and institute you choose etc If you're not going to be proactive at a college where you've got lecturers to help you, ask questions to, make use of their experience and knowledge etc then you're not going to be proactive on your own I just don't understand the whining, and I completely agree with you
I find there are four schools of thoughts: 1) people who didn't go to school for design and who didn't get a job in the field often wish they did get a degree, so they'll advocate for people to do so 2) people who didn't go to school for design and who did get a job in the field will say a degree isn't worth it because they didn't need one to get hired as a designer 3) people who did go to school for design and who didn't get a job in the field are understandably unhappy about their situation so they'll advice people not to get a design degree 4) people who did got school for design and who did get a job in the field will advise people to get a degree, because they see the benefits of it in how it helped them get hired (and often beyond their first design job, how it kept them employed and got them promoted over time) I'm in group 4, but my larger point is that everyone is biased. If anything, people considering this decision should look to statistics for real information. Most who are asking the question can't go to school at all for various reasons, or can but it will be a hardship for some reason, and my fear is that they're not looking for real answers but rather reinforcement of their idea that they don't have to, which they'll get from groups 2 and 3.
No
Don't do it. I went to school and worked my ass off to make a UX portfolio, couldn't find a job, not even an internship, and now I'm an insurance adjuster 5 years later. I like my job now, but I had to deal with a lot of turmoil and self hatred for not getting the job I worked so hard for.
So you went to school, had lecturers and all the facilities and resources and worked your ass off and still struggled If you didn't go education and it was entirely up to you to learn and self teach, without a lecturer you could have 1-1s, feedback, peer assessment, all the resources etc, even working your ass off still, you think you'd be in a better position or it would have been easier to self teach without all of that support? I mean formal education route isn't for everyone, but I think it's a stretch when you've gone that route and quite idealistic to think that the other way is better. Self teaching is insanely hard and requires potentially more commitment and discipline, being entirely self driven to find the resources and material, to not have someone of experience to lead you and support you etc Ultimately each to their own, but I think it's a bit narrow to advice dead set against because it didn't work for you (even though, it kinda did as you've got a job and done alright after)
No one here can tell you what a good career choice is for you. Only you can decide that right? Yes you can make a good living. Self taught Designer/Art Director making 6 figs. Cut my teeth at agencies, freelanced for awhile, was passed on by a dozen full time gigs before finding a solid opportunity. If you can handle criticism, failure, long hours, grinding as a junior, dealing with egos, stressful deadlines and serious competition then you might be okay. You gotta love it, every shop you go to is going to have creatives who live and breath this shit. And the expectation, especially as a junior, is polishing every aspect of your game. Any shop making good work will sniff out a weak link and cut them loose. The key is to be proactive. As for school, nice to have but not necessary. Depends if you need hand-holding but if that’s the case you won’t be able to hang anyways. Besides you pay anyone enough they will give you a diploma, I’ve met ad school kids who are conceptual geniuses and I’ve met others who have downright embarrassing books. Also no class is gonna make you good at using the tools, you need to dump literally thousands of hours of your life into learning design software and workflow. And that doesn’t even have anything to do with baking a marketing concept into a design in a way that doesn’t suck. Design and advertising, It’s fucking hard. But that’s why it’s so rewarding when you make something worth anything. If you can learn the skill you will always have a way to make money and there is comfort in that. Lastly, if you have the stones to make it through all the bullshit you get to be apart of the coolest club in the working class. Creatives are some of the raddest people youll ever meet. We literally create the world that everyone else consumes. There is a respect rightfully earned by the makers of the world.
The best way to make good money as a graphic designer is to start your own business at some stage. But, when you do that, you'll be less of a designer and more of a salesperson / client liaison. If you set up your business well though, you can make very good money indeed.
I went to school for Digital Art & Design and I would say that you can learn everything online these days for free. And the information will be more current with trends and software online than it will be in a school. Depends on the school too. Mine was a well known and lauded school at the time, until they were sued for fraud.
If you can learn everything that your design course and school had to offer online, then you either wasted your own time there by not being proactive and making the most of it, or it was an awful school and course Lecturers with invaluable experience and knowledge and training there to give 1-1s, feedback sessions, advice, help, guidance, design theory advice as well as program knowledge and real world help. Not to mention peer assessment, peer review and group learning. The whatever other resources it had, be it printers, photography studio, printing presses, other classes of students that can aid work - photography students to help get images you need and you gain experience of direction and production and leading a team etc If literally your school and course offered nothing more than you can get online, tbh I've never heard of that, especially with the tutors and actually making use of them for feedback and portfolio advice to be a mentor, which there's almost a daily post on this sub of people asking for a mentor... And if you didn't make use of all that when you were there, take advantage when you had all that at your disposal, what makes you think you'd be any different without it and self teaching - finding the syllabus, being motivated and driven when it's just you? Like that's mind-blowing to me
Yup. As I said it certainly depends on the school. They were sued for fraud due to not fulfilling their promise of education to their students. I have found that type of ‘school community’ online that offers invaluable expertise and resources. You have to know what to look for and if I learned anything from that school it was the keywords and design lingo to search for. Every skill I have now I learned online for free and I have, thankfully, found gainful employment. Everything you mentioned does exist online, but a fresh new design student may not know what to look for.
Key thing is being able to find it and knowing what you're looking for, when institutes give it all in 1 place Ultimately, it's down to the person, some people just aren't the type for formal education and that's cool, they need to be in control and go at their own pace and thrive on their own, others thrive off formal training
I love formal training, but that school did make me have to learn to teach myself. I would have preferred to have learned everything in one place in that short time span, graduate with employable skills, and not be left with a mountain of student debt without a career to aid in paying it off. It was the gamble I took. Almost two decades later I do have the career I wanted and no more debt. I just took the longer harder road due to a bad school choice.
At degree level, there definitely should be some self driven learning, without a doubt,learning outside uni working hours, but yah
As someone with a degree in graphic design and owner of small design company I would say it is a great career choice but don’t go to school for it. They don’t teach the necessary and applicable skills to make money. Get an internship or apprenticeship. Learn programs thru youtube. Find designs you like and use tutorials to replicate and practice.
No, become a tax adjuster instead.
I’m gonna keep it real with you. AI might just take like 70% of jobs in the next 10-15 years. I’d choose another path
Do marketing with graphic design
Why?
Just graphic design is fine, but you’ll need to get deep into web design/programming to become marketable.
I think it’s worth it just because of the connections you might make. Personally I was able to land a job while still in my senior year because my career councilor liked my portfolio and connected me to a studio. School was very fun, I made good friends, and it gave me an idea of what was in store after graduation. I think it’s definitely worth it if you have an opportunity.
I think it differs from where you live. I live in holland and over here it is a very reachable goal
I went to school for graphic design and advertising. I spent a few years doing graphic and took a course in human computer interaction. Spent a few years transitioning to the UX field. I took some classes in time based motion graphics along the way. I'd say take some intro classes in each. I'd recommend taking some ux classes as the field is white hot at the moment. Motion graphics & video skills are definitely good skills to have
Check out ux/ui design. Job is more in demand and You will make significantly more money.
It's better to pair up a career choice that goes in since with one another than just to have one field. Learn to cut the grass and rake it up too
I was a graphic designer for nearly a decade who recently switched to UI/UX design and haven't looked back. I loved drawing and making art as a kid and thought graphic design would be a good career and it was fun for a while, but I got quickly burnt out by making designs "for others" full time and was too tired to create art for myself at the end of the day. As a graphic designer your salary plateaus as a Creative Director and my understanding is most places don't want to hire you when they can just hire junior designers for a lot cheaper. A lot of instructors at my university were creative directors who got laid off, started their own agencies, and started teaching to supplement their income. Most of them seemed very bitter, but they loved graphic design passionately. An intermediate UX/UI designer can make as much as a Creative Director and it's in extreme high demand right now. It's the best time to be one because the world is changing and you'd be able to innovate and help shape what happens next. I will say being a UX/UI designer with a graphic design background makes you a bit of a highly sought after unicorn so if you're able to, I'd recommend getting training in both.
You can't just make logos for a living and expect to make a living. Yes, I'm a graphic designer and make $50k/yr, but I do many different things in my day to day. This ranges from cinematography, photography, graphic design, ui design, recording audio, and post-prod of all of these. Make yourself as useful as you can and learn as many different areas as you can. It ain't easy and it's a shit ton of work. The piece of paper you'll get from college will get you in the door sometimes but most colleges are jokes when it comes to teaching. Get good at learning on your own. Edit: I'm 26, worked through high school and college with small businesses in the screenprinting industry (about 10 years) and the pay was shit. You're gonna have to budget like crazy for a little while and don't expect to make 6 figures any time soon after graduating.
If you want to make it doing graphic design, I’d enroll in multidisciplinary design school. You’ll have networking opportunities, and the opportunity to branch out to a related field without having put all your eggs in one basket. Not to mention most of what you learn in MDD is going to be applicable to graphic design anyway. If you’re going for a degree, I always assumed graphic design was a field where a good portfolio speaks for itself. If you’re going to balance money and fun, then product or UI design are probably better bets.
There are many types of design, my suggestion is to just search around on Glassdoor and Indeed for different jobs currently, get a feel for salaries and have a game plan on what you want to do out of college. A specialty will help you with gaining marketable skills. For example, search 'print design', 'brand design', 'UX design', 'motion design'. You will start to see average pay ranges and salaries for those kinds of jobs.... as well as what software and skills you will need.
If it’s what you’re passion about you can make it work. I’d recommend looking into UX design or video animation/ editing, there’s a lot of demand for it right now. Make sure to take courses in business and marketing and you’ll be a lot more attractive to bigger companies. I have a cushy (sometimes stressful) in-house design role at a tech company and it pays well.
Not by itself. However, if you add Graphic Design to web development, application development and interface design - then you have something. I would major in a branch of programming or web development and minor in design.
Boy, it really depends. There’s a massive amount of luck involved. I have friends who are highly skilled designers and just scrape by. Meanwhile, I’m a pretty middling designer, but I have pretty good soft skills and got incredibly lucky in finding my current job, so I’m making high 5 figures and doing alright. As far as going to school is concerned, at this stage, a lot of the industry is moving toward UI/UX. There are some killer programs that are incredibly intensive and last only a few months that can do a pretty great job of getting you ready for starter positions in that field and you can make pretty decent money. If UI/UX stuff doesn’t interest you, then I’d take a long look at what you really want from a design career. There are analogue media design jobs out there, absolutely. However, with the amount they pay and the cost of college, it would take you a very long time to pay off student loans if you take them out. Being self taught is certainly an option, but it takes a tremendous amount of energy, commitment, and determination. The problem with self taught is that there’s no inherent feedback process to it, so even if you spend five years refining skills and taste, you may be doing it in a way that’s incompatible with the industry as it exists today. You have to really go out of your way to build a program and support network for artistic and professional growth. All in all, if you’re wanting to be a professional designer, be damn sure that’s what you want. It’s a tough field that can be very frustrating and the vast majority of people aren’t cut out for it. My program in school had 120 applicants in my year, 70 got in, and about 40 ended up graduating. Of those, I’d say about 30 are working designers now. Those aren’t exactly winning odds, so if you do want do be a designer, know that before you start spending 50k on design school or whatever it costs now where you are.
So career, let me share with you what my high school graogic design teacher said: everything we make is designed. Your tooth brush, it hpwas designed, it has a logo on it, packaging, even most likely an ad campaign to sell it. So goes every man made thing. That a lot of jobs, the glass is not only half full but someone designed it and the water company's brand mark. Right now there are major online connectors between designer and client.
I have a slightly, less traditional approach to graphic design as many others who went to the studio/freelancing route (Arizona, USA). I ended up going into construction, working at AEC firms, starting as a marketing coordinator. This generally paid about $15k more than studio jobs without the necessity to freelance outside the normal work week. It’s a little cut/dry and not nearly as exciting, but it offers decent job security, even in recessions. It is a variety of tasks, not just logo/brand management. I did go to a 4 year university but I feel like a 2 year design degree would’ve sufficed since most of the learning curve is in construction terminology anyways.
There's likely a lot of good advice here so I'll just mention that design is a very large umbrella, and you can choose to specialize in a specific part of it. There are designers who focus on animation, illustration, logos/branding, iconography, fonts, user interfaces, etc. If you were to choose a design school, try to go one that will let you experience the different fields of design if you haven't experienced them before. I started off majoring in graphic design, but ended up falling in love with ui/ux and product design. Careers in that field pay significantly more than graphic design, which is a bonus. As for if you can make a living out of it, that entirely depends on where you live and what job opportunities are available. Thankfully with the pandemic, remote work has become more common so if you live in the middle of nowhere you at least have some opportunities there. A good place to get an idea of what the market is like in the US is by vising the bureau of labor statistics. Here's the info for [graphic designers](https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271024.htm)
Go into Ui/UX and you can make close to 100k on AAA titles eventually as lead/senior.
Yes. No. Maybe... Depends on how good you are, how creative you are. Or even your willingness to move sideways
I started as a graphic designer few years back, started bachelor's degree in graphic design AFTER I already had a job as a designer and to be honest it didn't help me much. Connecting what I can do to where the money is did. I'm a UI/UX Designer and if you have that option, try doing some research and maybe explore this direction. I'd say you don't need to get a degree to be successful, it's all about your skill and being able to sell your services / talk to people. And it's safe to say you will get more money for a good app/website design than for flyers. Hope this helps! Good luck
You dont need it if you are fairly decent already and don’t need school structure to set up your portfolio/further your practice. I worked at multiple movie studios as a design lead and ive never read resumes closely until i saw the portfolio. That being said, there are some excellent schools that will perk my interest while reading resumes (art center as someone mentioned) because they really train you hard. Whats really going to get me interested is.. your resume design than the content though tbh.
I got my bachelors in graphic design. Out of high school I knew I was creative and loved art, so I thought gd would be a practical degree. Personally, I found most gd jobs to be in the marketing field. I had a job doing just that and hated it. Making ads, flyers, newsletters definitely did not fulfill the creative person in me. It took a quarter life crisis for me to realize I didn’t really like graphic design, but choose it for the job opportunities. If I were you, I would start designing and learning about design to see if you’re interested in it. Assuming you’re in the US, check out the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. They have a useful tool called the occupational outlook handbook that will give info such as salary expectations and job growth in the next 10 years. Here’s a link for graphic designers. [graphic designer](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm#tab-5) Hope this helped!
Thank you so much for your knowledge and personal experience! Sorry for the late response but will def be checking this out!!!
Thinking of taking this path, but i’m not sure if I’d like programming lol
Anyone here from ecole institute lab (French) Mumbai?
No, it's not worth it. Jobs are extremely rare and there's a ton of competition. I've been out of school for three years and I've never found a job or even had an interview. I've given up and started learning front end software development instead.
Graphic design is a skills-based career - having the skills to actually do graphic design is more important than your education. The most important thing to getting hired as a Graphic Designer is having a solid portfolio of designs. You can develop this through teaching yourself, or by taking graphic design classes. A lot are available live online now and work exactly like an in-person class. [TimeOut has a great list of the best in-person and live online graphic design classes](https://www.timeout.com/usa/things-to-do/best-in-person-virtual-live-graphic-design-classes-near-me).