### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Illustration is a valuable choice and typically a requisite first step for pupils endeavoring to enter a career as a logo creator, a product illustrator, or a comic book artist. Interestingly, illustration is an uncommon major being the 152nd most popular area of study. Last year, there were 2,000 illustration graduates. In-state tuition for illustration at private institutions is, on average, 3.5 times more expensive than their public counterparts.

 With just 63 institutions having programs for this degree there might be limited options as to the institutions you can choose from. If you are looking to surround yourself with other illustration undergraduates, consider looking at institutions in New York which have more students admitted to illustration than any other state. More generally, the best region to get a degree in illustration is in the Mid East region with [Maryland Institute College of Art](/colleges/maryland-institute-college-of-art), [Pratt Institute-Main](/colleges/pratt-institute-main), and [School of Visual Arts](/colleges/school-of-visual-arts) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick for the top conference to major in illustration is the Atlantic 10 Conference with [Virginia Commonwealth University](/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university) representing the conference. From our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our choice for the best college for illustration is [Rhode Island School of Design](/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design).

 The objectively best school does not have to be the 'best' school for every student. There can be many more angels to think about when choosing college. External stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food might affect your thoughts on which college to attend. Here at authority.org, we have weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you are intrigued by which illustration college has the top campus, the answer is [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university). If, for example, you are very interested in which university has the top campus, we have a whole page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, government databases, professor reviews, and more to compare every major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can find our well researched list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand from that list, our selection of the school with the best student life for illustration is [Rhode Island School of Design](/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design). Curious why? Continue reading to find out more about our top selections. Many of our conclusions might surprise you.

 If expense is a primary influence in your decisions, you might be cautious about [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university). [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university)&nbspis our most expensive college for illustration, at least for out of state students. That being said, we have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the cost at [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you may want to know that illustration is the 116th most expensive degree in the US, with an average bill of $37,500. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for illustration in the country is Rhode Island with expenses at the main college, Rhode Island School of Design, of $51,800. Even more broadly, the most costly region for illustration is the Mid East region which is best demonstrated with [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) with a cost of $49,770, [Pratt Institute-Main](/colleges/pratt-institute-main) with a cost of $51,754, and [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university) with a cost of $50,616.

 Our cheapest region for illustration is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design](/colleges/rocky-mountain-college-of-art-and-design) with a cost of $17,670 and [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790. In better news, the most affordable university for illustration is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). Authority's entire list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying about $11,600 for a degree in illustration. That price increases dramatically to an average of $25,300 for an out-of-state public-school undergraduate. On that note, our selection for the school with the best value for illustration: [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university). Through this link you will find our comprehensive list of the schools we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Do know, this idea is predicated on being an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for illustration students range widely, but within two years leaving college students will often earn in the neighborhood of $48,900. There can be a lot of variation in earnings potential; highest paid earners can bring in up to $89,800. Right out of school, the minimum earning jobs within the illustration field make $27,100, which could be worse. The top earning grads from illustration attended [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university)&nbspand if you are looking for universities with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The overall diversity of illustration ranks pretty high, coming in the 81st percentile of all programs. The school with the most composite diversity for illustration is [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school)&nbspand here you can find our general list of the schools which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of the Illustration major ranks only within the 32nd percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is greater than financial diversity, in the 79th percentile. White students compose the largest proportion, 52%, of those majoring in illustration. Additionally, 78% of scholars seeking an illustration degree are women.

 The median ranking of illustration's professors is 4.2 stars, a rating that is 5% above the median score for every major; which is a good score. If you want the most popular illustration instructor in the country, consider looking up Oliver Sin at [Academy of Art University](/colleges/academy-of-art-university). It might come as a surprise, but the highest ranked illustration professors from student rankings come from [Academy of Art University](/colleges/academy-of-art-university). If we including data beyond just rankings we find that the university with comprehensively the best professors for illustration is [College for Creative Studies](/colleges/college-for-creative-studies). One will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the best professors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest college to get into for illustration is [Rhode Island School of Design](/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we have an extensive list for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we do hope you understand that approaching college with context only informed by superlatives could cause problems. We hope you read our more focused pages on different topics and explore some of our background articles on essential things to look for as your university search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Illustration is the 152nd most popular degree in America, with 2,000 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #153 [Fashion Design](/rankings/best-colleges-for-fashion-design), and narrowly lost to #151 [English Teacher Education](/rankings/best-colleges-for-english-teacher-education).

 The degree is offered at a total of 63 colleges across the nation, and is the 234th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 3% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that nearly 1/5th of colleges offering illustration are public making it a quite inaccessible field.

 The mid east produces the most illustration graduates, largely led by [Maryland Institute College of Art](/colleges/maryland-institute-college-of-art), while it’s the Atlantic 10 Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, New York ranks highest, with particular help from [Fashion Institute of Technology](/colleges/fashion-institute-of-technology) and [Pratt Institute-Main](/colleges/pratt-institute-main).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more illustration graduates than [Kalamazoo Valley Community College](/colleges/kalamazoo-valley-community-college), which graduated 257 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study illustration). More students studied illustration as a percentage of total students at [Nossi College of Art](/colleges/nossi-college-of-art) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Illustration is the 116th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $37,533 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #117, [Human Resources](rankings/best-colleges-for-human-resources), with a median cost of $37,290).

 The Mid East has the most expensive colleges with top 50 illustration programs led by [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) with an annual cost of $49,778. The most expensive state for illustration is Rhode Island led by [Rhode Island School of Design](/colleges/rhode-island-school-of-design).

 Public schools with good programs generally charge 71.46% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 37.79% less than the median private school. So make sure to take a look at public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most expensive top 25 college for illustration is [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university), which is the 94th most expensive college in the US. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). It costs just $5,790 per year, and it is ranked 20th for its illustration program. Another more affordable choice would be #12, [Fashion Institute of Technology](/colleges/fashion-institute-of-technology) in New York County, NY with a cost of $5,190 for in-state students and $15,570 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Enrolling in college is a serious investment for most. It's important to have confidence you are well positioned to gain financially from that investment. With that in mind, we hope the following career and income insights help you make an informed decision when electing your major.

 Fresh out of school, Illustration graduates make $30,102 per year on average (bottom 20%). After some time in their employment, they can make up to $89,820 to as little as $27,132, but average near $48,861. To put it in context, that's 26% higher than the United States average.

 The most popular work position for an Illustration graduate is Account Executive, which for the most part earn more or less $36,000; next are Sales Consultant and Consultant, which for the most part earn approximately $36,000 and $56,000 respectively.

 The Far West has the most well paid Illustration graduates. OR has the most well paid Illustration graduates of any state. University Athletic Association has the highest grossing Illustration graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Illustration: Median Professor Rating: 4.2 / 5, which is above average.

 Instructors consistently play a colossal role in shaping your college experience, regardless of your major. A thoughtful instructor might provide inspiration and set a student up for future success. Conversely, an unpleasant professor can bring aggravation or even worse... fail you!

 Illustration professors have a median student rating of 4.2 / 5, putting these professors in the top 31st percentile in America based on overall professor quality. For context that's 5% higher than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Illustration professors just surpassed those from ["Forestry"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-forestry), whereas ["Drawing"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-drawing)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Illustration.

 Now for some statistics about Illustration professors. Colleges located in midsize suburbs tend to have the best Illustration professors. The Little East Conference has the highest rated Illustration professors. The New England region has the highest rated Illustration professors. Private institutions tend to have higher rated Illustration professors than public colleges. Finally, Massachusetts has the highest rated Illustration professors in the US.

 Oliver Sin, instructor at [Academy of Art University](/colleges/academy-of-art-university)&nbspin San Francisco, CA is the most popular Illustration professor in the US. Joshua Cochran, professor at [School of Visual Arts](/colleges/school-of-visual-arts)&nbspin New York, NY is the highest rated Illustration professor in the nation, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Want to know which schools have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College is an especially significant time of one's life; it is an opportunity for personal progress and expansion. Undergrads begin to find out their purpose and develop many of the crucial skills to be a prosperous member of society. But learning is not purely found in the classroom - the late nights discussing Adam Smith with a classmate, the nugget of wisdom received from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different stance on an issue. As such, attending a diverse college vastly improves what one gains from the time spent in school.

 Illustration is a more racially diverse major than average\*. 52% of America's Illustration majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(20%), latino students (12%), and asian students (10%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) located in New York, NY.

 In addition, Illustration significatly skews female, with in the region of 77.7% of students majoring in Illustration identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [Rochester Institute of Technology](/colleges/rochester-institute-of-technology) in Rochester, NY.

 Another substantial type of diversity is class diversity. Unfortunately, Illustration is one of the United States' least socioeconomically diverse subjects (Bottom 33%). 32% of its students come from homes that take home north of $110,000 per year, 17% are from families taking in between $75,000 and $110,000 a year, and 23% grew up in households who take home less than $30,000 a year. [University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth](/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-dartmouth) has the most economically diverse students in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall NY is the most diverse state for Illustration. The Mid East is the most diverse region, and the is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 10%
* Black: 6%
* Latino: 12%
* White: 52%
* Other: 20%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 22%
* Female: 78%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 23%
* 30k - 48k: 13%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 17%
* Over 110k: 32%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 52%
* Out of State: 39%
* International: 9%


2023 Illustration Salary

There are about 10,359 students enrolled in Illustration in the USA.

SALARY