Career Options for Graphic Design Majors

Graphic design is a dynamic and versatile artistic discipline that combines one’s creativity with skills in technology and virtual creation, allowing for design of important components of websites, company branding, advertising and more. In today’s digital world, graphic design is an exciting field for artists of many types. At Concordia Nebraska, the graphic design program prepares students for professional creative careers by honing their design skills and providing them with unique experiences that will help them stand out to future employers.  

While completing their undergraduate studies, graphic design students should focus on developing a well-rounded portfolio that showcases their best creative work. Often, this can assist them in securing an excellent position after graduation. At Concordia, students who major in graphic design have two paths from which to choose; they may either pursue a B.A. degree or a B.F.A. The B.F.A., which stands for Bachelor of Fine Arts, is a more rigorous and technical degree for students who wish to pursue careers as professional artists.   

On average, graphic designers earn around $58,000 annually, although amounts can vary based on one’s specialty, industry and several more factors. Management or directorial positions are generally the highest-paid in the field of graphic design; however, these typically require several years of experience to obtain. Although the graphic design industry is not growing at a particularly fast rate – only 2% annually – there are still plenty of positions available each year.  

Some common career options for graphic design majors include:  

Graphic Designer: Communicate images visually as a freelance graphic designer; you can be self-employed or work for a specific company.  

Art Director: Create and outline ideas for involved graphic design projects, supervise other graphic designers and direct a focused team. 

UX (User Experience) Designer: Use various digital creative tools to make apps and websites aesthetically appealing so that consumers will be drawn to them. 

Web Designer: Oversee the digital visual aspects of a company’s website or app; work with a team to develop an online presence that will sell a product or service. 

Industrial Designer: Come up with ideas for new manufactured products and transform concepts into working models; involves working in an engineering or architectural capacity. 

Motion Designer: Use specialized graphic design skills to create 2-D or 3-D animations. 

UI (User Interface) Designer: Work to develop an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive experience for users interacting with a particular website or online tool.  

For students with an active imagination, there are few limits to where a career in graphic design can take them. Whether they find themselves as a freelance designer, web designer or working in a specialized industry, graphic design is the perfect field for driven artists who are fascinated by the intersection of art and technology.  

The graphic design program at Concordia Nebraska encourages students to analyze and find solutions for Web-based visual problems. It also teaches students the skills they need in communication, illustration, marketing and more to succeed in the fast-paced and technical design industry. Learn more about applying to the graphic design program here.