Best institutions to study 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.
31 U.S. institutions graduated 165 Printmaking students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 50.0710, a specialization of Fine and Studio Arts (CIP 50.07), and leads most directly to the Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators occupation (BLS SOC 27-1013).
About Printmaking programs
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: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Printmaking program, part of Fine and Studio Arts, is designed for individuals who wish to express their emotions and ideas through various artistic techniques. This program focuses on rendering art concepts onto surfaces and transferring images onto paper or fabric, providing students with both creative and technical skills essential for a career in visual arts.
Students in the Printmaking program will learn a variety of techniques, including serigraphy, lithography, intaglio, and relief printing. Coursework emphasizes critical thinking, design principles, and personal style development, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful artistic expression.
Credentials awarded
What Printmaking graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree119 graduates / yr · 24 institutions72%
- Master's degree43 graduates / yr · 8 institutions26%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year3 graduates / yr · 2 institutions1.8%
Graduates over time
Printmaking completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 300 |
| 2013 | 288 |
| 2014 | 242 |
| 2015 | 199 |
| 2016 | 186 |
| 2017 | 188 |
| 2018 | 156 |
| 2019 | 173 |
| 2020 | 186 |
| 2021 | 152 |
| 2022 | 160 |
| 2023 | 142 |
| 2024 | 148 |
| 2025 | 165 |
Top 31 institutions for Printmaking, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 20 | 75% | — | $22,108 |
| 2 | Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 19 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 3 | Pratt Institute - Main Brooklyn, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 16 | 74% | $49,088 | $18,451 |
| 4 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 16 | 89% | $41,764 | $16,510 |
| 5 | Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 72% | $37,659 | $21,138 |
| 6 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MAPublicBachelor's | 9 | 69% | — | $21,461 |
| 7 | Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 9 | 58% | $29,039 | $22,906 |
| 8 | Maine College of Art & Design Portland, MEPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 52% | $34,336 | $24,555 |
| 9 | Cranbrook Academy of Art Bloomfield Hills, MIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | — | — | — |
| 10 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NYPublicBachelor's | 7 | 63% | — | $14,984 |
| 11 | Pacific Northwest College of Art Portland, ORPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 7 | 29% | $40,553 | $25,906 |
| 12 | Montserrat College of Art Beverly, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 4 | 53% | $34,176 | $21,543 |
| 13 | Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico San Juan, PRPublicBachelor's | 4 | 45% | — | $7,453 |
| 14 | California College of the Arts San Francisco, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 61% | $40,041 | $17,690 |
| 15 | Rhode Island College Providence, RIPublicBachelor's | 3 | 48% | — | $28,241 |
| 16 | University of Hartford West Hartford, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 54% | $28,311 | $25,465 |
| 17 | Salem State University Salem, MAPublicBachelor's | 2 | 50% | — | $26,180 |
| 18 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 94% | $14,126 | — |
| 19 | State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NYPublicBachelor's | 2 | 72% | — | $18,842 |
| 20 | Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 58% | $31,870 | $18,839 |
| 21 | Ohio University - Main Campus Athens, OHPublicMaster's | 2 | 65% | — | $29,053 |
| 22 | Arcadia University Glenside, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 67% | $23,796 | $22,389 |
| 23 | South Dakota State University Brookings, SDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 62% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 84% | $26,589 | — |
| 25 | Wichita State University Wichita, KSPublicMaster's | 1 | 51% | — | $27,518 |
| 26 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 51% | $24,998 | $14,829 |
| 27 | Santa Fe Community College Santa Fe, NMPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 23% | — | — |
| 28 | Art Academy of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 41% | $39,344 | $13,252 |
| 29 | Marywood University Scranton, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 72% | $21,769 | — |
| 30 | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 58% | $44,184 | $10,780 |
| 31 | University of Dallas Irving, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 73% | $20,960 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Fine and Studio Arts field (CIP 50.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 19 states & territories
Where Printmaking graduates come from. Each state links to all Fine and Studio Arts programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 3 | 25 | Pratt Institute - Main16 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 24 | Temple University20 / yr |
| Connecticut | 2 | 21 | Yale University19 / yr |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 19 | Rhode Island School of Design16 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 15 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design9 / yr |
| Missouri | 2 | 11 | Kansas City Art Institute9 / yr |
| Maryland | 1 | 10 | Maryland Institute College of Art10 / yr |
| Maine | 1 | 7 | Maine College of Art & Design7 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 7 | Cranbrook Academy of Art7 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 7 | Pacific Northwest College of Art7 / yr |
| Ohio | 3 | 5 | Cleveland Institute of Art2 / yr |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 4 | Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico4 / yr |
| California | 1 | 3 | California College of the Arts3 / yr |
| South Dakota | 1 | 2 | South Dakota State University2 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 1 | University of Miami1 / yr |
| Kansas | 1 | 1 | Wichita State University1 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 1 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design1 / yr |
| New Mexico | 1 | 1 | Santa Fe Community College1 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 1 | University of Dallas1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-1013, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Printmaking program often pursue careers as fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators. The job outlook for these positions shows a slight decline of 1.2%, with approximately 2,200 annual openings. The median wage for fine artists is around $60,560, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 50.0710
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustratorsprimary SOC 27-1013 | $55,490 | -1.2% Decline | ~2,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1121 | $78,620 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~9,000 | Master's degree |
Craft Artists SOC 27-1012 | $46,080 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~1,000 | No formal educational credential |
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Printmaking programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.
- Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.
- Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
- Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.
- Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites.
- Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.
Tools and technology used
Other Fine and Studio Arts specializations
The 12 other 6-digit CIP codes under Fine and Studio Arts (CIP 50.07).
- Art/CIP 50.0701
Art Studies 19,283 graduates / yr717 institutions - Fine/CIP 50.0702
Studio Arts 11,751 graduates / yr637 institutions - Art HistoryCIP 50.07033,195 graduates / yr356 institutions
- Intermedia/CIP 50.0706
Multimedia 797 graduates / yr39 institutions - Fine Arts and Art StudiesCIP 50.0799771 graduates / yr69 institutions
- Jewelry ArtsCIP 50.0713725 graduates / yr20 institutions
- PaintingCIP 50.0708638 graduates / yr52 institutions
- DrawingCIP 50.0705368 graduates / yr33 institutions
- SculptureCIP 50.0709230 graduates / yr38 institutions
- Ceramic Arts and CeramicsCIP 50.0711172 graduates / yr44 institutions
- FiberCIP 50.0712100 graduates / yr10 institutions
- Metal ArtsCIP 50.0714partial data6 graduates / yr3 institutions
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in Printmaking?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree in Printmaking, along with shorter award programs.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active learning, and various artistic techniques.
What types of careers can I pursue with a degree in Printmaking?+
You can work as a fine artist, art teacher, or craft artist.
What is the job outlook for printmakers?+
The job outlook shows a slight decline, with a median wage of $60,560 and about 2,200 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Printmaking?+
Printmaking is CIP 50.0710 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Fine and Studio Arts (CIP 50.07). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer Printmaking programs?+
31 U.S. institutions reported Printmaking graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 19 states & territories, awarding 165 credentials in the year. That is 0.4% of all Fine and Studio Arts graduates.
How much do Printmaking graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators occupation, which Printmaking most directly leads to, pays a median of $55,490 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Fine and Studio Arts field report median earnings of $21,461 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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