Best Graphic Designer programs in Iowa, ranked by enrollment
Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos.
30 schools in Iowa run programs that feed this job, graduating 466 people a year. The job pays a median of $50,310 in Iowa across about 2,100 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Iowa that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
7 programs in Iowa that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Iowa (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Iowa page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Designmain feeder CIP 50.0409In Iowa → | 159 | 34.1% | 14 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 2 | Commercial and Advertising Artmain feeder CIP 50.0402In Iowa → | 102 | 21.9% | 5 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 3 | CIP 11.0801In Iowa → | 78 | 16.7% | 7 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Design and Visual Communications, Generalmain feeder CIP 50.0401In Iowa → | 57 | 12.2% | 4 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 5 | Digital Artsmain feeder CIP 50.0102In Iowa → | 30 | 6.4% | 3 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 6 | Industrial and Product Designmain feeder CIP 50.0404In Iowa → | 25 | 5.4% | 1 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0803In Iowa → | 15 | 3.2% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
Top 25 schools in Iowa
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 5 of the 30 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · 3 feeder programs | 140 | Graphic Design | $37,565 | 75% | — | 89% |
| 2 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 80 | Commercial and Advertising Art | $25,265 | 39% | — | — |
| 3 | Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design | — | 45% | — | — |
| 4 | Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Graphic Design | — | 43% | — | — |
| 5 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 18 | Digital Arts | — | 43% | — | — |
| 6 | Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design | — | 58% | — | — |
| 7 | Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Digital Arts | — | 42% | — | — |
| 8 | Luther College Decorah, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Design and Visual Communications, General | — | 71% | $22,827 | 72% |
| 9 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Computer Graphics | — | 40% | $21,324 | 89% |
| 10 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Graphic Design | $38,637 | 68% | — | 93% |
| 11 | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Commercial and Advertising Art | $31,122 | 34% | $22,697 | 96% |
| 12 | Drake University Des Moines, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Commercial and Advertising Art | — | 74% | $28,855 | 64% |
| 13 | Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Design and Visual Communications, General | — | 50% | — | — |
| 14 | Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Graphic Design | — | 51% | — | — |
| 15 | Simpson College Indianola, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Graphic Design | — | 63% | $20,710 | 86% |
| 16 | Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Commercial and Advertising Art | — | 50% | — | — |
| 17 | Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design | — | 40% | — | — |
| 18 | Southwestern Community College Creston, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design | — | 59% | — | — |
| 19 | Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Graphic Design | — | 70% | $24,569 | 68% |
| 20 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Design and Visual Communications, General | — | 61% | $21,680 | 77% |
| 21 | Wartburg College Waverly, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Commercial and Advertising Art | — | 64% | $20,228 | 76% |
| 22 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Graphic Design | — | 62% | $17,609 | 78% |
| 23 | Clarke University Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Graphic Design | — | 56% | $21,417 | 72% |
| 24 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Graphic Design | — | 58% | $23,054 | 83% |
| 25 | Northwestern College Orange City, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Graphic Design | — | 66% | $22,419 | 80% |
All 30 schools in Iowa
Every school in Iowa with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State University | Ames | Public | 140 | 3 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 80 | 2 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 26 | 1 |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 24 | 2 |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 18 | 2 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College | Sheldon | Public | 17 | 1 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 15 | 1 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 1 |
| University of Dubuque | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 1 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls | Public | 15 | 1 |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette | Private not-for-profit | 12 | 1 |
| Drake University | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 10 | 1 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 10 | 1 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 8 | 1 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private not-for-profit | 8 | 1 |
What graphic designers earn in Iowa
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $62,960. Iowa pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Iowa
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Graphic Designers page.
How to become a Graphic Designer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Iowa
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Graphic Designers7 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0801Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design
- 11.0803Computer Graphics
- 50.0102Digital Arts
- 50.0401Design and Visual Communications, General
- 50.0402Commercial and Advertising Art
- 50.0404Industrial and Product Design
- 50.0409Graphic Design
Common questions
Answers for people weighing graphic designers programs in Iowa.
What degree do you need to become a Graphic Designer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Graphic Design, which awarded 159 degrees in Iowa in 2024-25, 34.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Graphic Designer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Design and Applied Arts, Computer Software and Media Applications, Visual and Performing Arts. Together they graduate about 466 people a year in Iowa.
How much do graphic designers earn in Iowa?+
The median is $50,310 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 20.1% below the U.S. median of $62,960. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for graphic designers growing?+
BLS projects a +2.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 20,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Iowa?+
30 institutions in Iowa reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do graphic designers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Artist, Designer, Graphic Artist, Graphic Designer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-1024.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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