by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Commercial & Advertising Art involves the study of Commercial And Advertising Art. A Program In The Applied Visual Arts That Prepares Individuals To Use Artistic Techniques To Effectively Communicate Ideas And Information To Business And Consumer Audiences Via Illustrations And Other Forms Of Digital Or Printed Media. Includes Instruction In Concept Design, Layout, Paste-Up, And Techniques Such As Engraving, Etching, Silkscreen, Lithography, Offset, Drawing And Cartooning, Painting, Collage, And Computer Graphics. Examples: [Sign Painting], [Commercial Art Painting]. Continue reading for the key facts every commercial & advertising art student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering commercial & advertising art programs.
In the U.S., commercial & advertising art is a widely-pursued major, with 2,987 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Commercial & Advertising Art Schools ranking analyzes these 165 schools to determine the best overall colleges for commercial & advertising art students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of commercial & advertising art programs later in this article.
Programs in Commercial & Advertising Art emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations commercial & advertising art graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a commercial & advertising art program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a commercial & advertising art major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several commercial & advertising art degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 420 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,319 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 472 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 768 |
People currently working in careers related to commercial & advertising art tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 66.7% |
| Some college courses | 10.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 8.9% |
| Master’s degree | 4.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in commercial & advertising art careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in commercial & advertising art opens doors to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to commercial & advertising art.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to commercial & advertising art.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 427,793 | 13.9% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | 387,029 | 12.4% |
| Graphic Designers | 267,813 | 4.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of commercial & advertising art graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,054 |
| 4 years | $41,389 |
| 5 years | $46,982 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for commercial & advertising art graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers commercial & advertising art grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $83,610 |
| Graphic Designers | $66,386 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $56,384 |
With 165 different commercial & advertising art programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased commercial & advertising art school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in commercial & advertising art, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 10,676 |
| Design and Visual Communications, General | 6,186 |
| Interior Design | 5,651 |
| Illustration | 3,192 |
| Fashion/Apparel Design | 3,186 |
| Game and Interactive Media Design | 2,986 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other | 1,640 |
| Industrial and Product Design | 1,395 |
| Commercial Photography | 899 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
