When the federal government predicts solid job growth for web graphics designers, it just makes sense to consider training in the field. In Ohio, technical and trade schools are offering two-year programs that can launch you into the profession.

By Gabby Hyman
RWM Columnist
September 26, 2006

Graphic designers with a technical focus on the Internet will have the best opportunities for jobs within the design professions, according to federal vocational projections. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that designers with animation or website specialties will find the most jobs through the year 2014. In Ohio, there are technical and vocational schools that currently offer two-year associate's programs that can qualify you for this swiftly rising trade.

Technical schools in Ohio offer well-rounded graphics design curriculum that will provide a solid foundation in concept development, typography, digital illustration and animation, and the fundamentals of web design. You'll be introduced to state-of-the-arts graphic design software used on the job and you'll receive hands-on instruction in digital programming.

Ohio Graphic Design Salaries and Trade School Financing
Many vocational school programs in graphic arts with a digital focus can be completed in as little as 10 to 20 months. If you live in the state, most Ohio-based technical schools offering Associates in of Applied Science degrees in graphic arts have a broad range of financial aid for incoming and continuing students.

Many students quality for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Direct Student Loans, Veterans Affairs or GI Bill benefits, or Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. You can also take work-study positions at your trade school that, combined with loans and grants, will finance your training.

When you've completed your graphics trade school program, you'll have a strong portfolio of projects that you can present to prospective employers. Across the country, more than 228,000 graphic designers held jobs in 2004, according to the BLS. Most worked for design service companies, website companies, print publishers, and advertising firms. Three out of ten were self-employed graphics contractors.

The BLS reported that the median salary for entry-level graphics designers in 2004 was at $32,000. But here in Ohio, median starting wages are already much higher in the largest metropolitan areas.

According to Salary.com, entry-level graphics designers in Cleveland draw down a median annual wage of $50,700. That should help you pay off your loans and earn a good living. In Cincinnati, median entry-level wages for graphics designers is approximately $49,800. And in Columbus, the entry-level annual median wage for the vocation was slightly higher at $49,900.

Strong entry-level wages, a solid outlook for future openings, and readily available, high-quality technical training programs make Ohio a sound location for building a successful career in graphic design.

Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary.com

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.