Graphic designer
Graphic designers create visual content that communicates ideas, such as logos, brand identities, packaging, posters, publications, websites and social media graphics.
What can you do with a design degree?
Also called: Graphic design · Product design · Industrial design · Interior design · Fashion design · Digital design · Communication design
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
A design degree teaches how to create visual communication, products, spaces, clothing and digital experiences that work well for people. Most programmes focus on one area, such as graphic, product, interior, fashion or digital design. Graduates become graphic designers, UX/UI designers, interior designers, fashion designers, animators and game designers, and many work freelance or in creative agencies.
Careers with a design degree
Design graduates work in agencies, in-house design teams, manufacturers, retailers, technology companies, publishers and studios, and many work freelance. Graphic designers and UX/UI designers are needed wherever brands and digital products are made. Product and industrial designers create objects from furniture to medical devices, interior designers plan spaces, and fashion designers create clothing and accessories. Some become animators or game designers. Less obvious options include exhibition design, packaging, service design, design research and teaching. Competition is strong, so your portfolio matters more than your degree title.
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UX/UI designer
UX/UI designers make websites, apps and digital services easy and pleasant to use.
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Animator
Animators create moving images for films, television, games, advertising, websites, apps and education.
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Interior designer
Interior designers plan the inside of homes, offices, shops, hotels, hospitals and other buildings so that spaces are practical, safe and attractive.
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Fashion designer
Fashion designers create clothing, footwear and accessories, from the first idea to the finished product.
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Game designer
Game designers decide how a video game works: its rules, goals, levels, characters, story and the experience players have.
Other roles graduates go into: Product designer · Industrial designer · Motion designer · Packaging designer · Illustrator · Art director
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Design principles, colour and composition
- Drawing, sketching and visual communication
- Typography and layout
- Digital design tools and 3D modelling
- User research and user experience design
- Materials, making and prototyping
- Design history and theory
- Professional practice and portfolio development
Skills you gain
- Generating and developing creative ideas
- Using professional design software
- Researching users and testing designs
- Building and presenting a strong portfolio
- Taking feedback and improving your work
- Managing projects and working with clients to a brief
How the degree differs around the world
Design degrees usually take three years in the UK and much of Europe and four years in the United States and many Asian countries. In the UK, many students first take a one-year foundation course in art and design. Degrees are offered by universities, art and design schools and universities of applied sciences, and most focus on one specialism from the start or after a general first year. Entry often depends on a portfolio, an interview or a design aptitude test as much as on school grades. Design is mostly unregulated, although interior designers need a licence or registration in a few places, such as some US states.
How do design graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Arts”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 95 (2023) | 92.8% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Mexico | 93 (2023) | 81.2% (2024) | 81.5% |
| Slovenia | 89 (2020) | 87.5% (2024) | 90.8% |
| Denmark | 86 (2023) | 76.9% (2021) | 87.8% |
| Australia | 85 (2020) | 86.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Austria | 84 (2023) | 84.7% (2024) | 86.4% |
| South Korea | 84 (2023) | — | — |
| Sweden | 82 (2023) | 83.8% (2024) | 89.6% |
| Finland | 81 (2022) | 86.7% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Norway | 78 (2023) | 86.8% (2024) | 89.3% |
| United Kingdom | 77 (2020) | 82.0% (2021) | 84.6% |
| United States | 77 (2023) | 80.8% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Estonia | 76 (2023) | 90.1% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Chile | 75 (2023) | 85.2% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Latvia | 75 (2023) | 81.1% (2024) | 87.7% |
| Canada | 74 (2020) | 76.4% (2021) | 80.4% |
| Switzerland | 73 (2023) | 86.8% (2024) | 89.5% |
| Costa Rica | 71 (2023) | 58.3% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Portugal | 70 (2020) | 85.6% (2024) | 90.7% |
| Germany | 68 (2020) | 85.6% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Luxembourg | 65 (2023) | 84.8% (2024) | 85.7% |
| Poland | — | 90.7% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Iceland | — | 90.4% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Czechia | — | 90.1% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Netherlands | — | 90.1% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Slovakia | — | 87.9% (2024) | 90.5% |
| Belgium | — | 86.6% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Croatia | — | 85.1% (2024) | 89.7% |
| Lithuania | — | 84.4% (2024) | 90.4% |
| France | — | 83.2% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Greece | — | 80.5% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Peru | — | 80.1% (2024) | 81.7% |
| Spain | — | 77.3% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Italy | — | 75.2% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Ireland | — | 72.1% (2021) | 86.9% |
| Hungary | — | 71.4% (2024) | 76.2% |
| Türkiye | — | 66.5% (2016) | 72.9% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone. Where a country publishes only broad fields, we use “Arts and humanities”.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Design studies” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £22,000 | £15,700 | £25,600 | 83.6% |
| After 3 years | £25,600 | £20,600 | £30,000 | 84.8% |
| After 5 years | £28,200 | £22,100 | £35,100 | 86.0% |
| After 10 years | £31,600 | £20,900 | £43,900 | 84.5% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment.
Is a design degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You love making things and have ideas you want to develop.
- You notice how things look and work, and how they could be better.
- You are ready to accept criticism and keep improving your work.
Think twice if
- You want a secure, regular salary soon after graduating, as many designers start freelance or on short contracts.
- You find open-ended projects without a single right answer stressful.
- You do not want to keep building a portfolio and promoting your work in a competitive field.
Further study
Many designers go straight into work, where a strong portfolio and experience matter more than further degrees. A master's degree can help you change specialism, for example into UX, service or product design, or develop a research focus. A master's or PhD is useful for university teaching. Short courses in new software, coding or user research are common throughout a design career.
Questions about studying design
What jobs can you get with a design degree?
Common jobs include graphic designer, UX/UI designer, product or industrial designer, interior designer, fashion designer, animator, game designer and illustrator. Graduates also work in motion graphics, packaging, exhibition and set design, art direction and design research. Many designers work freelance or in agencies, and some start their own studios or brands.
Do you need a degree to become a designer?
Not always. Many design jobs are open to anyone with a strong portfolio and relevant skills, and some designers are self-taught or trained through short courses. A degree gives you time to develop your ideas, access to workshops and tools, and contacts in the industry. Some fields, such as interior design in certain places, have formal education requirements.
Which design specialism should I choose?
Choose the area you enjoy most, then research job opportunities in the places where you want to work. Graphic and digital design are used in almost every industry, while product, interior and fashion design depend more on local manufacturing, construction and retail. Many skills transfer between specialisms, so changing direction later is possible.
Will AI replace designers?
AI image tools can already produce simple graphics and design variations quickly, which is changing routine design work. Designers who understand clients, solve real problems, direct AI tools and create original ideas are likely to remain valuable. Learning to use AI tools well, alongside strong design judgement, is becoming part of the job.
Related subjects
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Architecture
An architecture degree teaches how to design buildings and spaces that are safe, useful and beautiful, combining creative design with technology, history and the needs of people and the environment.
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Computer science
A computer science degree teaches how software, data and computer systems work, from programming and algorithms to networks and artificial intelligence.
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Marketing
A marketing degree teaches how organisations understand customers, develop products and brands, and promote them through advertising, digital channels, sales and public relations.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH25-01-03 — Design studies
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 0211, 0212
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a design degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/design/ (accessed September 26, 2026)