by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 162 U.S. colleges awarded 3,106 degrees and certificates in Commercial & Advertising Art. Associate degrees are the most popular award, at 44% of graduates. College Factual ranks 80 schools in its 2027 Best Commercial & Advertising Art Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $32,258 one year after completing, rising to $50,151 after four years.
Studying Commercial & Advertising Art involves the study of Commercial And Advertising Art. A Program In The Applied Visual Arts That Prepares Individuals To Use Artistic Techniques To Effectively Communicate Ideas And Information To Business And Consumer Audiences Via Illustrations And Other Forms Of Digital Or Printed Media. Includes Instruction In Concept Design, Layout, Paste-Up, And Techniques Such As Engraving, Etching, Silkscreen, Lithography, Offset, Drawing And Cartooning, Painting, Collage, And Computer Graphics. Examples: [Sign Painting], [Commercial Art Painting].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., commercial & advertising art is a widely-pursued major, with 3,106 degrees awarded annually. 162 colleges award commercial & advertising art degrees, an average of 19 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 215.
By level, the 3,106 awards include 450 certificates, 1,370 associate degrees, 504 bachelor’s degrees and 746 master’s degrees.
Women earned 62% of commercial & advertising art degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,934 of 3,106). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,533) and Hispanic or Latino (655), and international students earned 138.
College Factual ranks 80 schools in its 2027 Best Commercial & Advertising Art Schools ranking, including 47 for associate degrees, 21 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks commercial & advertising art schools within 17 states. In all, 162 colleges offer commercial & advertising art programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Commercial & Advertising Art Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common commercial & advertising art credential is the associate degree: 1,370 of the 3,106 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to commercial & advertising art call most for Active Listening, Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Design, Computers and Electronics and Engineering and Technology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Originality, Near Vision and Fluency of Ideas.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a commercial & advertising art degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 450 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,370 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 504 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 746 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to commercial & advertising art, at 66.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 66.7% |
| Some college courses | 10.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 8.9% |
| Master’s degree | 4.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Commercial & Advertising Art, with an average median salary of $68,793; the strongest outlook belongs to Artists and Related Workers, All Other, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Designer, Memorial Designer, Ornamental Metalwork Designer and Creative Designer.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to commercial & advertising art, at 427,793.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 427,793 | 13.9% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | 387,029 | 12.4% |
| Graphic Designers | 267,813 | 4.6% |
Commercial & Advertising Art graduates earn a median $32,258 one year after completing their program, $50,151 after four years and $47,460 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,258 |
| 4 years | $50,151 |
| 5 years | $47,460 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to commercial & advertising art, with a median salary of $83,610.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $83,610 |
| Graphic Designers | $66,386 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $56,384 |
Commercial & Advertising Art has 9 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 36,800 degrees a year; the largest are Graphic Design (10,828), Design and Visual Communications, General (6,817) and Interior Design (5,801). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 10,828 |
| Design and Visual Communications, General | 6,817 |
| Interior Design | 5,801 |
| Fashion/Apparel Design | 3,254 |
| Illustration | 3,183 |
| Game and Interactive Media Design | 2,975 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other | 1,743 |
| Industrial and Product Design | 1,433 |
| Commercial Photography | 766 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
