Virginia · Graphic Communications

Best colleges for Graphic Communications in Virginia

Ranked by graduate earnings

George Mason University, Regent University and Danville Community College award the most Graphic Communications degrees and certificates in Virginia: 79, 29 and 9 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 5 Virginia colleges offer Graphic Communications and award 126 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Graphic Communications program focuses on the principles and practices of graphic design and visual communication. It is designed for individuals interested in transforming ideas and messages into visual formats, whether through print…

Institutions
5
offering CIP 10.03
States offered
41
with a program page
Degrees / yr
126
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$16,280
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,057
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
54%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Printing Press Operators
$45,650
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1George Mason University
Fairfax Public · Bachelor's degree
$29,1927968%—$23,000
2Regent University
Virginia Beach Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$16,2802957%$18,677$26,000

Colleges awarding the most Graphic Communications degrees in Virginia

Top 4 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1George Mason University
Fairfax Public
79$29,192
2Regent University
Virginia Beach Private not-for-profit
29$16,280
3Danville Community College
Danville Public
9Not reported
4Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg Public
5Not reported
Show the other 1 Virginia colleges offering Graphic Communications
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Bluefield UniversityBluefieldPrivate not-for-profit4

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Printing Press Operators (SOC 51-5112).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-8.1%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~13,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$45,160
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

MonitoringActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Printing Press Operators earn in Virginia

Jobs in Virginia
3,210
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$45,650
median $44,020
Best-paying metro
$56,800
Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

Related careers

Printing Press Operators
$45,650 avg · 3,210 jobs
Data Entry Keyers
$40,740 avg · 2,890 jobs
Special Effects Artists and Animators
$89,750 avg · 380 jobs
Prepress Technicians and Workers
$48,740 avg · 330 jobs
Etchers and Engravers
$41,040 avg · 160 jobs
Desktop Publishers
— avg · 50 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Graphic Communications programs in Virginia.

Which Virginia colleges award the most Graphic Communications degrees?+

George Mason University (79 graduates a year), Regent University (29 graduates a year) and Danville Community College (9 graduates a year) award the most Graphic Communications degrees and certificates in Virginia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 5 Virginia colleges offer Graphic Communications.

Which Graphic Communications program in Virginia has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, George Mason University tops the list at $29,192. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Printing Press Operators earn in Virginia?+

The average annual wage for Printing Press Operators in Virginia is $45,650 (median $44,020), across about 3,210 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Graphic Communications program?+

The Graphic Communications program focuses on the principles and practices of graphic design and visual communication. It is designed for individuals interested in transforming ideas and messages into visual formats, whether through print…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop monitoring, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Printing Press Operators?+

The national job outlook is about -8.1% growth with around 13,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card