California Graphic Design Schools: Most Expensive to Least Expensive

California is home to so many graphic design schools you’ll lose count. Many of these schools are part of a larger college or university, while others are part of an art and design school or specialty college. According to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) National Center for Education Statistics, California is home to 454 Title IV degree-granting institutions.

These schools are eligible for federal financial-aid programs based on five requirements by the U.S. Department of Education. They have (1) accreditation recognized by the Department, (2) been in business for at least two years, (3) signed a participation agreement with the Department, (4) grant an associate's degree or higher, and (5) offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length.

Many of the state’s Title IV schools offer excellent graphic design programs to fit a variety of goals and budgets. Fortunately, whether these schools are expensive or not, students can count on a variety of federal financial aid programs to help manage tuition costs. If you’re ready to shop and compare California’s graphic design schools, take a look at the most to least expensive schools below and what you can expect to pay. 

Most Expensive California Graphic Design Schools

Chapman University, Orange - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $44,710 for the 2014-2015 school year.

Find a school

California Institute of the Arts, Valencia - Tuition Cost: $43,400 for the 2015-2016 school year.

California College of the Arts, San Francisco - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $41,592; Graduate $17,340 (12 units or $1,445 per unit) for the 2014-2015 school year.

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $41,385 for the 2014-2015 school year.

San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $39,226; Graduate $41,100 for the 2014-2015 school year.

Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $38,290; Graduate $39,290 for the 2014-2015 school year.

Art Center College of Design, Pasadena - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $37,330; Graduate $39,452 for Spring and Summer 2015.

Biola University, La Mirada - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $34,498; Graduate $557 per credit hour for the 2015-2016 school year.

Woodbury University, Burbank - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $34,448; Graduate $586 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year.

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County (Irvine), San Francisco - Tuition Cost: A. A. Digital Media, $29,815 for the 2014-2015 school year. 

Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $28,100 for the 2015-2016 school year.

Least Expensive California Graphic Design Schools

Academy of Art University, San Francisco - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate Online & Onsite $835 per unit/$10,200 for 12 units/$20,400 for 24 units; Graduate $935 per unit/$11,220 for 12 units/$22,440 for 24 units for the 2014-2015 school year. 

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $13,641, nonresidents $37,665 (tuition and fees); Graduate residents $11,220, nonresidents $34,098 for the 2014-2015 school year. 

University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), Santa Cruz - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $13,398, nonresidents $22,878; Graduate residents $13,260, nonresidents $15,102 for 2014-2015 school year.

California State University Northridge, Northridge - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,348, nonresidents add $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year; Graduate residents $6,738, nonresidents add $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year.

California State University Chico, Chico - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $5,472, nonresidents add an additional $372 per unit for the 2014-2015; Graduate residents $8,268, nonresidents add an additional $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year.

California State University, Long Beach - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate resident $5,472, nonresidents add $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year; Graduate residents $6,738, nonresidents add $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year.

San Jose State University, San Jose - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate resident $5,472, nonresidents add $372 per unit for the 2014-2015 school year; Graduate residents $6,738, nonresidents add $254/semester unit (professional program fee), plus $372/semester unit (nonresident fee) for the 2014-2015 school year.

Programs to Consider:

Request info

Academy of Art University

Selected Campus Locations:

• San Francisco & Online

Selected Programs: 

• Animation
• Game Development
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Interaction & UI/UX Design
• Visual Effects

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#10) - 2024
• Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#34) - 2024
• Top 50 Nationally for Illustration (#24) - 2024
• Top 25 Nationally for UX/UI/HCI (#13) - 2024
• Top 25 Nationally for Visual Effects (#5) - 2023

Request info

Full Sail University

Selected Campus Locations:

• Winter Park, FL & Online

Selected Programs: 

• Computer Animation - Online
• Computer Animation - Florida Campus
• Game Design - Online
• Game Design - Florida Campus
• Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Online
• Graphic Design - Florida Campus
• Simulation & Visualization - Campus
• User Experience – Online
• Artificial Intelligence - Online

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#14) - 2024
• Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#12) - 2024
• Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#36) - 2024

Request info

Southern New Hampshire University

Selected Campus Locations:

• Online

Selected Programs: 

• BA in Game Art & Development
• BS in Game Programming & Development
• BA in Graphic Design
• BA in Graphic Design & Web Design
• BA in Graphic Design + User Experience Design (UX)

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• Top 50 Private Graphic Design Schools in the US (#46) - 2024

Request info

Image Campus

Selected Campus Locations:

• Buenos Aires, Argentina & Online

Selected Programs: 

• Desarrollo de Videojuegos (Tecnicaturas Superiores)
• Producción y Game Design (Tecnicaturas Superiores)
• Arte y Animación para Videojuegos (Tecnicaturas Superiores)
• Producción y Animación 3D (Tecnicaturas Superiores)
• Realización Integral de Dibujos Animados (Tecnicaturas Superiores)
• Tecnicatura Superior en Animación 3D para Videojuegos (Tecnicaturas Superiores) - NUEVA - ONLINE
• Programación de Videojuegos con Unreal, Unity y Godot (Tecnicaturas Superiores) - NUEVA - ONLINE
• Unreal Connectors (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Virtual Production (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Introducción a Unreal Engine (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Diseño de Interacción 3D en Realidad Virtual con Unreal Engine (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Realidad Aumentada con Unity (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Realidad Virtual para Arquitectura (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Audio Inmersivo (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Animación Profesional 3D (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Modelado Profesional 3D (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Visualización Arquitectónica (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Motion Graphics (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• VFX (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Environments para Videojuegos con Unreal Engine (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Desarrollo de Videojuegos con Unity (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Game Design (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Concept Art (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Game Art (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Game Audio (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)
• Game Quality Analyst (Programas Profesionales - 100% Online en Vivo)

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• Top 25 International Animation Schools - 2024 (#23)

Request info

CG Spectrum College of Digital Art & Animation

Selected Campus Locations:

• Online

Selected Programs: 

• 2D Animation
• 3D Animation
• 3D Modeling
• Concept Art
• Digital Illustration
• Game Art & Animation
• Game Design
• Game Programming
• VFX Compositing and FX
• Real-time 3D & Virtual Production
• Game Development - Programming, Design, Game Art & Animation, Real-time 3D & Virtual Production

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• Top 25 International Animation Training Programs (#18) - 2024

Request info

Grand Canyon University

Selected Campus Locations:

• Online

Selected Programs: 

• BA in Digital Design: Animation
• BA in Advertising and Graphic Design
• BA in Digital Film: Editing and Visual Effects

California Graphic Design Scene

California is the undisputed entertainment capital of the world, but did you also know that the state is home to the largest number of graphic designers in the country? Graphic designers work in all fields here from advertising to visual effects to web design. California is home to more production studios, and creative agencies than any other place in the nation, so opportunities for graphic designers are limitless. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, California has the highest employment level in this occupation. The state is home to 26,290 salaried graphic designers and possibly thousands of freelance designers. 

At an average salary of $57,070 a year, California is also the third highest paying state for graphic designers. In addition, the Los-Angeles-Long-Beach-Glendale Metropolitan area has the nation’s second highest employment level for graphic designers. Advertising, web design, publishing, printing, and computer systems design are major industries for California graphic designers. The state is home to some of the world’s top creative agencies including:

• 180LA, Santa Monica
• Amazon Advertising, San Francisco
• BBDO, San Francisco
• David & Goliath, El Segundo
• Deutsch Inc., Los Angeles
• Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco
• J. Walter Thompson, Los Angeles
• Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance
• Young Company, Laguna Beach
• Young & Rubicam (Y&R), San Francisco

The state is home to hundreds of other creative agencies as well as more than 5,000 technology firms, hundreds of other design firms, and thousands of printing companies and book publishers. Jobs for graphic designers are plentiful in Los Angeles as well as San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Redwood City.

Awesome Animation Fact: According to animation & multimedia training center, Arena Animation Malleswaram, in 1868 a novelty called "the flipper book" appeared worldwide and it remained the simplest and most popular device. It's just a pad of drawings bound like a book along one edge. Hold the book in one hand along the bound edge and with the other hand flips the pages and "see 'em move." The result is animation—the illusion of continuous action.