Drawing: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Drawing is a foundational visual arts discipline focused on the deliberate and expressive use of line to convey emotion, concept, and perception. This program cultivates both technical precision and creative intuition, empowering students to translate inner vision into compelling visual form across diverse media and subjects.
- Eye-hand coordination: Develops the physical and cognitive skills necessary for precise, intentional mark-making and control over drawing tools.
- Line, value, shape, and perspective: Explores core visual principles that structure composition, create depth, and establish form on a two-dimensional surface.
- Figure and still life drawing: Builds observational accuracy through structured studies of the human form and inanimate objects, emphasizing proportion, gesture, and spatial relationships.
- Media exploration: Provides hands-on experience with a range of traditional drawing materials including pen and ink, graphite pencil, charcoal, pastel, and brush techniques.
- Personal style development: Encourages artistic identity through experimentation, critical reflection, and the refinement of individual visual language.
Drawing Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Drawing Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Drawing degrees, including Special Effects Artists and Animators, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. 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 133,540 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators 27-1013 | $60,560 | $26,420 - $140,660 | 10,000 | $29.12 |
| Craft Artists 27-1012 | $38,480 | $22,620 - $65,850 | 4,370 | $18.50 |
Drawing Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $46,977 in Kentucky to $129,330 in Hawaii—a 175% difference. The highest-paying states include Hawaii, California, and New Jersey. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 133,540 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 Drawing by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 31 institutions offering Drawing 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 Drawing is found at Georgia State University (138 graduates), Columbus State University (16 graduates), Sinclair Community College (15 graduates), Pratt Institute, Main (12 graduates), and Cerritos College (7 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 254 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
138 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| Columbus State University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Columbus, Georgia | Public | columbusstate.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Other Award
|
15 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| Pratt Institute |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Brooklyn, New York | Private | pratt.edu |
| Cerritos College |
Associate's
|
7 | Norwalk, California | Public | cerritos.edu |
| Oakland University (OU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Rochester Hills, Michigan | Public | oakland.edu |
| Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | cia.edu |
| Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Marion, Indiana | Private | indwes.edu |
| Drake University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Des Moines, Iowa | Private | drake.edu |
| Daemen University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Amherst, New York | Private | daemen.edu |
| Diablo Valley College (DVC) |
Other Award
|
4 | Pleasant Hill, California | Public | dvc.edu |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) |
Other Award
|
4 | Moorhead, Minnesota | Public | mnstate.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Associate's
|
3 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| New York Academy of Art (NYAA) |
Master's
|
3 | New York, New York | Private | nyaa.edu |
| Cuyamaca College |
Associate's
|
2 | El Cajon, California | Public | cuyamaca.edu |
| Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
2 | South Lake Tahoe, California | Public | ltcc.edu |
| Mendocino College |
Associate's
|
2 | Ukiah, California | Public | mendocino.edu |
| Palomar College |
Associate's
|
2 | San Marcos, California | Public | www2.palomar.edu |
| West Los Angeles College (WLAC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Culver City, California | Public | wlac.edu |
| Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | mica.edu |
| Ferris State University (FSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Big Rapids, Michigan | Public | ferris.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | San German, Puerto Rico | Private | sg.inter.edu |
| De Anza College |
Associate's
|
1 | Cupertino, California | Public | deanza.edu |
| Grossmont College |
Associate's
|
1 | El Cajon, California | Public | grossmont.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| San Diego Mesa College |
Associate's
|
1 | San Diego, California | Public | sdmesa.edu |
| San Diego Miramar College |
Associate's
|
1 | San Diego, California | Public | sdmiramar.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
1 | North Dartmouth, Massachusetts | Public | umassd.edu |
| Trident Technical College (TTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
1 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | tridenttech.edu |
| University of South Dakota (USD) |
Other Award
|
1 | Vermillion, South Dakota | Public | usd.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Drawing programs
How much can I earn with a Drawing degree?
Salaries for Drawing graduates vary by role and location. Special Effects Artists and Animators earn a median of $99,800 annually, while Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $80,190. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Hawaii average $129,330 compared to $46,977 in Kentucky. Approximately 133,540 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 Drawing programs?
Currently 31 accredited institutions offer Drawing degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Georgia State University (138 graduates), Columbus State University (16 graduates), and Sinclair Community College (15 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 Drawing growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 331 in 2010 to a peak of 361 in 2020, before declining slightly to 254 in 2023-24. This represents a 23% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, 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 Drawing degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Special Effects Artists and Animators, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, and Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators. Related occupations employ approximately 133,540 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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