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Commercial Art Degrees

Commercial artists are responsible for bridging the gap between business and design using a variety of media. Most of their services focus on advertising and marketing, but some commercial artists also work in the research and development stages as well (which explains why the iPod is so sleek or why Pepsi is red, white, and blue).

Commercial Art Degrees

Degrees in commercial art often touch on a broad range of disciplines. Through 2-4 years of post-secondary study, you might learn about advertising, marketing, 2-D art, graphic design, psychology, Web design, and photography. That's because businesses often expect commercial artists to give life to their products and services by connecting with consumers via logos, magazine layouts, billboards, and commercials. Given advertising's growing reliance on computer technology and the Internet, you should take IT courses in commercial design as well. Traditional pen and paper are becoming obsolete as more and more commercial artists switch to software and computer-aided design (CAD) technology.

Career Outlook with Commercial Art Degrees

Industry-wide growth for commercial artists is expected to be quite favorable through 2016 (7% to 13%). However, competition for many of the better paying jobs is expected to be quite keen, only highlighting the need for advanced training. In order to match or exceed the median salary of $40K a year, you should consider bolstering your education with as many IT courses as possible. It also pays to stay abreast of changes within the larger commercial art industry. It's not a bad idea to inundate yourself with movies, magazines, and other media to better understand media and advertising trends. You might also consider mastering whatever new software packages that come along. Understanding the latest photo-manipulation technology or CAD programs can help make you a more marketable candidate in the long-run.

Online Schools Offering Commercial Art Degrees


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