
School | City |
---|---|
Woodbury University | Burbank |
California State University | Fullerton |
Laguna College of Art and Design | Laguna Beach |
California State University | Long Beach |
Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles |
Chapman University | Orange |
Art Center College of Design | Pasadena |
California Institute of the Arts | Valencia |
California State University | Chico |
SAE Expression | Emeryville |
Academy of Art University | San Francisco |
California College of the Arts | San Francisco |
San Jose State University | San Jose |
Advances in technology and interactive media have forced today’s graphic designer to become more creative, computer savvy, and competitive. And that’s not all. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they also have to be multi-faceted. The Bureau states that jobseekers in this field are expected to face keen competition, so graphic designers with both web design and animation experience will have the best opportunities. This is especially true in the state of California.
To meet the strong demand for a new and improved kind of graphic designer, schools across America have added comprehensive graphic design programs or reworked existing programs. The result? It’s safe to say that the U.S. now has some of the best graphic design programs in the world. Although the best programs can be found across the map, some states have a higher concentration than others. California is one of those states.
With more than 26,000 graphic designers, California is home to the nation’s highest population of salaried graphic designers. It also has the highest number of accredited colleges in the U.S. Of the state’s 486 accredited colleges and universities, nearly two dozen offer some of the best graphic design programs in the world. These schools made the list of best schools based on factors such as faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, financial resources, student selectivity, number of program offerings, and peer assessment.
While many of the state’s best graphic design programs are offered at schools in Los Angeles, Hollywood, and San Francisco, cities such as Irvine, Emeryville, Pasadena, and Valencia offer some stiff competition. Continue reading to review some of California’s best graphic design school programs and what they have to offer.
Best Graphic Design School Programs Southern California
Burbank
Woodbury University - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Animation
Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Entertainment Art/Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration; M. F. A. Design – Graphic Design and Illustration Concentrations
Irvine
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising - Degrees Offered: A. A. Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment), Digital Media; many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management
Laguna Beach
Laguna College of Art and Design - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration, Game Art, Animation
Long Beach
California State University Long Beach - Degrees Offered: B. A. and B. F. A. in Art with Graphic Design or Illustration Option; M. F. A. Art with Concentration in Studio Art: - Graphic Design or Illustration/Animation Track
Los Angeles
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) - Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management
Loyola Marymount University - Degrees Offered: B. A. Animation, Studio Arts with Graphic Design Emphasis
Otis College of Art and Design - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration, Digital Media; M. F. A. Graphic Design
Northridge
California State University Northridge - Degrees Offered: B. A. Animation, Video/Digital art, Graphic Design, Illustration; M. A. Art, Studio Art Option with Video/Digital Art Concentration; Visual Communication Option with Illustration or Video/Digital Art Concentration; M. F. A. Art, Studio Art Option with Video/Digital Art Concentration; Visual Communication Option with Illustration, Video/Digital Art Concentration or Graphic Design Concentration
Orange
Chapman University - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Digital Arts with Emphasis in Animation or Visual Effects; Graphic Design; Studio Art: New Genres
Pasadena
Art Center College of Design - Degrees Offered: B. S. Entertainment Design; B. F. A. Graphic Design; B. F. A. Illustration
San Diego
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising - Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management
Valencia
California Institute of the Arts - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art, Graphic Design, Character Animation or Experimental Animation; M. F. A. Graphic Design (with or without specialization in Motion Graphics), Art and Technology, Experimental
Best Graphic Design School Programs Northern California
Chico
California State University - Degrees Offered: B. A. Communication Design – Graphic Design Option; B. F. A. Electronic Arts – Computer Animation Studio Pattern
Emeryville
Ex’pression College for Digital Arts - Degrees Offered: B. A. S. Motion Graphic Design, Animation and Visual Effects, Game Art and Design
San Francisco
Academy of Art University - Degrees Offered: A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Animation and Visual Effects; B. F. A., M. F. A. Game Design; A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Graphic Design; A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Illustration
California College of the Arts – Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration; M. F. A. Design
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising - Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management
San Jose
San Jose State University - Degrees Offered: B. A. Art: Design Studies with emphasis in Graphic Design, B. F. A. Art: Animation/Illustration, B. F. A. Art: Digital Media Art, B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. F. A. Art: Digital Media Art Concentration
Programs to Consider:
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#15) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#23) - 2020
- Top 40 Nationally for Illustration (#29) - 2020
- Winter Park, FL & Online
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Mobile Development - Bachelor's - Online
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#19) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#17) - 2020
- Top 5 in Florida for Graphic Design (#4) - 2020
- Online