by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 298 U.S. colleges awarded 9,479 degrees and certificates in Instructional Media Design. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 93% of graduates. College Factual ranks 139 schools in its 2027 Best Instructional Media Design Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $64,369 one year after completing, rising to $73,381 after four years.
A major in Instructional Media Design will provide you with the knowledge needed to revolutionize the educational system. You will discover new ways to teach and learn how to use current and future technology in teaching and assessments. This major also prepares you to develop instructional material for online and other nontraditional methods of education. You will successfully learn how to integrate technology into educational curriculum while still coordinating with educational standards and current content.
To become certified in this field, you may be required to take courses such as advertising, computer applications, drawing, art, design, and education. This major may vary by university.
A degree in Instructional Media Design covers Educational/instructional Media Design.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., instructional media design is a widely-pursued major, with 9,479 degrees awarded annually. 298 colleges award instructional media design degrees, an average of 32 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 2,262.
By level, the 9,479 awards include 94 certificates, 115 associate degrees, 174 bachelor’s degrees, 8,791 master’s degrees and 303 doctorates.
Women earned 76% of instructional media design degrees and certificates in the latest year (7,239 of 9,479). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (5,715) and Hispanic or Latino (1,094), and international students earned 518.
College Factual ranks 139 schools in its 2027 Best Instructional Media Design Schools ranking, including 2 for associate degrees, 6 for bachelor’s degrees, 118 for master’s degrees and 9 for doctorates. It also ranks instructional media design schools within 31 states. In all, 298 colleges offer instructional media design programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Instructional Media Design Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common instructional media design credential is the master’s degree: 8,791 of the 9,479 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to instructional media design call most for Speaking, Instructing and Learning Strategies, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Expression.
As a person working in education you should have a passion for empowering the youth of tomorrow. Your passion, excitement and dedication to education will lead to success in your work. Creativity is also an important trait to posses as someone who will be working on educational technology, computer applications, multimedia instruction, and web-based instruction. To design and produce educational software and materials you should also be an innovative thinker. Students will need knowledge and understanding in reaching all different types of learners.
As an instructional designer you will be in charge of balancing the work of designing programs while still connecting to state standards. You will have to be organized and efficient in making sure that these instructional methods and programs are used effectively in schools.
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How long an instructional media design degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 94 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 115 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 174 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8,791 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 303 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to instructional media design, at 45.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 45.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 7.5% |
| First professional degree | 2.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.6% |
| Some college courses | 2.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Instructional Media Design, with an average median salary of $57,081; the strongest outlook belongs to Training and Development Specialists, at 11.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Curriculum Developer, Courseware Developer, Course Developer and Instructional Technologist.
Depending on the focus you choose to take with a degree in instructional media design you have many possible career paths. You may become an instructional media designer, interactive media designer, digital media designer, multimedia design professional, or an instructional design specialist. This is a growing field that is essential to educational institutions as a support staff.
Another way into this field is to earn you undergraduate degree in digital media and web design to get the understanding of graphics, communications, computers, and media. You may choose to focus on instructional media design and continue on to obtain a master's degree in where you will also learn different teaching techniques to make your work more effective.
The occupation related to instructional media design with the most projected jobs is Instructional Coordinators, at 1,448,345.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Coordinators | 1,448,345 | -1.3% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 622,945 | 11.3% |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | 298,768 | 9.4% |
Instructional Media Design graduates earn a median $64,369 one year after completing their program, $73,381 after four years and $68,537 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $64,369 |
| 4 years | $73,381 |
| 5 years | $68,537 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to instructional media design is Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, with a median salary of $67,096.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $67,096 |
| Training and Development Specialists | $63,210 |
| Instructional Coordinators | $40,936 |
Instructional Media Design includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Educational/Instructional Technology (9,479). It has 14 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 316,355 degrees a year; the largest are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (108,824), Educational Administration and Supervision (44,746) and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (40,395). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Educational/Instructional Technology | 9,479 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,824 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 44,746 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 40,395 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 35,428 |
| Education, General | 26,982 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 23,141 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 14,088 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,808 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,483 |
| Education, Other | 4,291 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
