Digital Arts: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Digital Arts is an interdisciplinary field that centers on the creation and manipulation of visual and performative content using digital technologies as the primary medium. This program equips learners with the technical and creative competencies needed to thrive in dynamic, technology-driven industries that shape modern media landscapes.
- Graphic Design: The strategic use of typography, imagery, and layout to communicate messages effectively across digital platforms and print media.
- Digital Animation: The process of generating moving images through computer software, emphasizing storytelling, character development, and timing in both 2D and 3D formats.
- Motion Graphics: The integration of graphic design with animation and video to produce dynamic visual content for broadcast, web, and interactive applications.
- 3D Visualization: The creation of realistic or stylized three-dimensional models and environments for use in film, architecture, gaming, and product design.
- Game and Interactive Media Design: The development of immersive user experiences through game mechanics, interface design, narrative structure, and real-time rendering.
- Music and Sound Design: The composition, editing, and spatial placement of audio elements to enhance emotional impact and immersion in digital productions.
- Video Production: The end-to-end process of capturing, editing, and refining moving image content for distribution across multiple digital formats and platforms.
- Web Design: The development of visually compelling and functionally effective websites, emphasizing user experience, responsive layouts, and interactive features.
- Photography: The art and technique of capturing and manipulating digital images, with an emphasis on composition, lighting, and post-production refinement.
Digital Arts Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Digital Arts Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Digital Arts degrees, including Art Directors, Special Effects Artists and Animators and Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 442,400 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art Directors 27-1011 | $111,040 | $61,060 - $211,410 | 50,370 | $53.38 |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators 27-1014 | $99,800 | $57,220 - $174,630 | 21,280 | $47.98 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1121 | $80,190 | $47,040 - $194,530 | 97,890 | N/A |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other 27-1019 | $72,760 | $33,720 - $133,180 | 7,370 | $34.98 |
| Graphic Designers 27-1024 | $61,300 | $37,600 - $103,030 | 214,260 | $29.47 |
| Photographers 27-4021 | $42,520 | $29,610 - $94,760 | 51,230 | $20.44 |
Digital Arts Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $47,023 in South Dakota to $102,690 in District of Columbia—a 118% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 442,400 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Digital Arts by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Digital Arts programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Digital Arts is found at University of Central Florida (UCF) (453 graduates), Full Sail University (422 graduates), The University of Texas, Dallas (360 graduates), Otis College of Art and Design (105 graduates), and Austin Community College District (ACC) (100 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,713 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
453 | Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| Full Sail University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
422 | Winter Park, Florida | Private | fullsail.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
360 | Richardson, Texas | Public | utdallas.edu |
| Otis College of Art and Design |
Bachelor's
|
105 | Los Angeles, California | Private | otis.edu |
| Austin Community College District (ACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
100 | Austin, Texas | Public | austincc.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
|
81 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Bachelor's
|
74 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
|
73 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Utah Tech University (UT) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
68 | Saint George, Utah | Public | utahtech.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
66 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Fort Myers, Florida | Public | fgcu.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Bachelor's
|
59 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Academy of Art University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
|
59 | San Francisco, California | Private | academyart.edu |
| Wichita State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
Residency
|
58 | Wichita, Kansas | Public | wichita.edu |
| Gnomon |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Hollywood, California | Private | gnomon.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
55 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Bachelor's
|
54 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| CUNY Queensborough Community College (QCC) |
Associate's
|
54 | Bayside, New York | Public | qcc.cuny.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (KU) |
Bachelor's
|
40 | Kutztown, Pennsylvania | Public | kutztown.edu |
| Clark State College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
39 | Springfield, Ohio | Public | clarkstate.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
36 | Reno, Nevada | Public | tmcc.edu |
| Ocean County College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
36 | Toms River, New Jersey | Public | ocean.edu |
| Liberty University |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | liberty.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
|
32 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| National Park College (NPC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
30 | Hot Springs, Arkansas | Public | np.edu |
| University of Florida (UF Online) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufonline.ufl.edu |
| Lesley University |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | lesley.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
|
28 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
27 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| SUNY Oneonta |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Oneonta, New York | Public | suny.oneonta.edu |
| Kent State University |
Bachelor's
|
27 | New Philadelphia, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Champlain College |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Burlington, Vermont | Private | champlain.edu |
| Stetson University |
Bachelor's
|
25 | DeLand, Florida | Private | stetson.edu |
| University of St Thomas |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stthomas.edu |
| University of Wisconsin |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Whitewater, Wisconsin | Public | uww.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
23 | North Dartmouth, Massachusetts | Public | umassd.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
|
23 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| University of Advancing Technology (UAT) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
23 | Tempe, Arizona | Private | uat.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| Lipscomb University |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | lipscomb.edu |
| Tarleton State University (TSU) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Stephenville, Texas | Public | tarleton.edu |
| NUC University (NUC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Bachelor's
|
22 | Bayamon, Puerto Rico | Private | nuc.edu |
| Suffolk County Community College (SUNY) |
Associate's
|
21 | Selden, New York | Public | sunysuffolk.edu |
| Daemen University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Amherst, New York | Private | daemen.edu |
| University of Wisconsin |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
20 | Kenosha, Wisconsin | Public | uwp.edu |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Portland, Oregon | Private | willamette.edu |
| Volunteer State Community College (Vol State) |
Associate's
|
19 | Gallatin, Tennessee | Public | volstate.edu |
| Montgomery College (MC) |
Associate's
|
18 | Rockville, Maryland | Public | montgomerycollege.edu |
| CUNY Bronx Community College (BCC) |
Associate's
|
18 | Bronx, New York | Public | bcc.cuny.edu |
| Moore College of Art and Design |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | moore.edu |
| Aims Community College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
17 | Greeley, Colorado | Public | aims.edu |
| University of Saint Francis (USF) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Private | sf.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Other Award
|
17 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Washtenaw Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
|
15 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | wccnet.edu |
| New Mexico State University |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
14 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | dacc.nmsu.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Elmhurst University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Elmhurst, Illinois | Private | elmhurst.edu |
| Greenville University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Greenville, Illinois | Private | greenville.edu |
| Louisiana State University (LSUS) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Shreveport, Louisiana | Public | lsus.edu |
| Central Michigan University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | cmich.edu |
| Genesee Community College (GCC) |
Associate's
|
13 | Batavia, New York | Public | genesee.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Other Award
|
13 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Private | hpu.edu |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) |
Master's
|
12 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | mcad.edu |
| Bridgewater College (BC) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Bridgewater, Virginia | Private | bridgewater.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Gurabo) |
Other Award
|
12 | Gurabo, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
| Hillsborough Community College (HCC) |
Other Award
|
11 | Tampa, Florida | Public | hccfl.edu |
| St Petersburg College (SPC) |
Other Award
|
11 | St. Petersburg, Florida | Public | spcollege.edu |
| Hennepin Technical College (HTC) |
Associate's
|
11 | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota | Public | hennepintech.edu |
| The College of Westchester (CW) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | White Plains, New York | Private | cw.edu |
| Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Nampa, Idaho | Private | nnu.edu |
| Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | Santa Fe, New Mexico | Public | sfcc.edu |
| Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Elizabeth City, North Carolina | Public | ecsu.edu |
| Chemeketa Community College |
Associate's
|
10 | Salem, Oregon | Public | chemeketa.edu |
| Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Mitchell, South Dakota | Private | dwu.edu |
| Florida Southern College (FSC) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Lakeland, Florida | Private | flsouthern.edu |
| Alma College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Alma, Michigan | Private | alma.edu |
| State University of New York |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Cortland, New York | Public | www2.cortland.edu |
| SUNY College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Potsdam, New York | Public | potsdam.edu |
| Lander University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Greenwood, South Carolina | Public | lander.edu |
| Manhattan College |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Riverdale, New York | Private | manhattan.edu |
| Saint Vincent College |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Latrobe, Pennsylvania | Private | stvincent.edu |
| Johnson University (JU) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Private | johnsonu.edu |
| Daytona State College (DSC) |
Associate's
|
7 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Public | daytonastate.edu |
| St Lawrence University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Canton, New York | Private | stlawu.edu |
| SUNY Old Westbury |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Old Westbury, New York | Public | oldwestbury.edu |
| La Salle University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | lasalle.edu |
| Florida Gateway College (FGC) |
Other Award
|
6 | Lake City, Florida | Public | fgc.edu |
| Transylvania University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Lexington, Kentucky | Private | transy.edu |
| Saint Paul College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
6 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Public | saintpaul.edu |
| Webster University |
Other Award
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | webster.edu |
| Long Island University (LIU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Brookville, New York | Private | liu.edu |
| Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) |
Associate's
|
6 | Tonkawa, Oklahoma | Public | noc.edu |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) |
Associate's
|
6 | Okmulgee, Oklahoma | Public | osuit.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Digital Arts programs
How much can I earn with a Digital Arts degree?
Salaries for Digital Arts graduates vary by role and location. Art Directors earn a median of $111,040 annually, while Special Effects Artists and Animators earn around $99,800. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $102,690 compared to $47,023 in South Dakota. Approximately 442,400 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Digital Arts programs?
Currently 166 accredited institutions offer Digital Arts degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Central Florida (UCF) (453 graduates), Full Sail University (422 graduates), and The University of Texas, Dallas (360 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Digital Arts growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 414 in 2010 to 3,892 in 2023-24. This represents a 840% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Digital Arts degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Art Directors, Special Effects Artists and Animators, and Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 442,400 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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