by our College Data Analytics TeamA 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. Continue reading for the essential details every instructional media design student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering instructional media design programs.
In the U.S., instructional media design is a widely-pursued major, with 8,879 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Instructional Media Design Schools ranking analyzes these 296 schools to determine the best overall colleges for instructional media design students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of instructional media design programs later in this article.
Coursework for Instructional Media Design emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations instructional media design graduates commonly enter.
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.
The skill set developed in a instructional media design program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a instructional media design major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several instructional media design degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 107 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 116 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 150 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8,227 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 261 |
People currently working in careers related to instructional media design tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in instructional media design careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
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.
Studying instructional media design prepares you for many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to instructional media design.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to instructional media design.
| 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% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of instructional media design graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $64,362 |
| 4 years | $60,788 |
| 5 years | $68,561 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for instructional media design graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers instructional media design grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $67,096 |
| Training and Development Specialists | $63,210 |
| Instructional Coordinators | $40,936 |
With 296 different instructional media design programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased instructional media design school rankings to help you.
Students interested in instructional media design, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Educational/Instructional Technology | 8,879 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,054 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 42,255 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 39,881 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 33,988 |
| Education, General | 27,481 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21,331 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 13,714 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,695 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,092 |
| Education, Other | 4,326 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
