by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 31 U.S. colleges awarded 170 degrees and certificates in Printmaking. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 73% of graduates. College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Printmaking Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $25,576 one year after completing, rising to $42,406 after four years.
A major in Printmaking explores Printmaking. A Program That Prepares Individuals Creatively And Technically To Express Emotions, Ideas, Or Inner Visions By Rendering Art Concepts Onto Surfaces And Transferring Images, Via Ink Or Dyes, Onto Paper Or Fabric. Includes Instruction In Monochrome And Color Printing; Tonality; Chemistry; Equipment Set-Up And Maintenance; Techniques Such As Serigraphy, Lithography, Intaglio, Woodcut, Block, Stencil, Relief, Etching, And Composite; And Personal Style Development.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., printmaking is a widely-pursued major, with 170 degrees awarded annually. 31 colleges award printmaking degrees, an average of 5 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 20.
By level, the 170 awards include 124 bachelor’s degrees and 46 master’s degrees.
Women earned 79% of printmaking degrees and certificates in the latest year (134 of 170). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (93) and Hispanic or Latino (26), and international students earned 16.
College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Printmaking Schools ranking, including 5 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks printmaking schools within 6 states. In all, 31 colleges offer printmaking programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Printmaking Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common printmaking credential is the bachelor’s degree: 124 of the 170 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to printmaking call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, Education and Training and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Originality, Oral Expression and Near Vision.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a printmaking degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 124 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 46 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to printmaking, at 32.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 20.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 14.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 9.3% |
| Some college courses | 8.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 6.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Printmaking, with an average median salary of $64,382; the strongest outlook belongs to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 9.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Orchestra Teacher, Woodshop Instructor, Media Arts Professor and Photography Teacher.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to printmaking, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Craft Artists | 402,867 | 5.7% |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 147,527 | -4.1% |
Printmaking graduates earn a median $25,576 one year after completing their program, $42,406 after four years and $41,309 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $25,576 |
| 4 years | $42,406 |
| 5 years | $41,309 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to printmaking is Craft Artists, with a median salary of $76,826.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Craft Artists | $76,826 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $69,338 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Printmaking has 12 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 39,472 degrees a year; the largest are Art/Art Studies, General (19,675), Fine/Studio Arts, General (12,239) and Art History, Criticism and Conservation (3,681). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Art/Art Studies, General | 19,675 |
| Fine/Studio Arts, General | 12,239 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 3,681 |
| Intermedia/Multimedia | 804 |
| Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 802 |
| Jewelry Arts | 727 |
| Painting | 652 |
| Drawing | 371 |
| Sculpture | 239 |
| Ceramic Arts and Ceramics | 175 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
