Wyoming, home to Old Faithful and the Grand Tetons, has inspired artists for hundreds of years. Perhaps that's why graphic design is thriving here.

By Jessica Santina
RWM Columnist
December 21, 2006

You already know that Wyoming boasts spectacular scenery--from Yellowstone National Park to the Grand Tetons--but it boasts something else, too. According to the Wyoming Business Council, this sparsely populated Rocky Mountain state was home to 1,055 arts-related businesses in January 2004.

The state contains more than 70 museums and art collections, nearly 450 visual arts and photography businesses, almost 200 film, radio, and TV businesses, more than 30 arts schools and services, and almost 200 design and publishing firms. If you're interested in a graphic design career, earning an Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in graphic arts in Wyoming makes a lot of sense.

What a Graphic Arts Program Can Do For You
An AOS in graphic arts is a technical, hands-on program that prepares students to use the most current graphic design technology available, including Flash, Javascript, Photoshop, Illustrator, DreamWeaver, Front Page, and desktop publishing programs. Plus, you'll gain experience in web design, database management, and certain aspects of marketing. Upon completion of this graphic arts program, you may be ready to work as an entry-level graphic designer for an advertising or marketing firm, at an in-house marketing department, as a web designer, or as a multimedia artist.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that of the five major design professions, graphic designers will see the most new jobs through 2014. Entry-level positions in the graphic design field earned a median salary of $32,000 in 2005, says the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

What Wyoming Has to Offer
For hundreds of years, the breathtaking views and fresh air of Wyoming have inspired the nation's artists and photographers. But there's plenty more inspiration to be found here when it comes to a career in graphic design.

First, Wyoming has been ranked the #1 Most Business Friendly State by sources ranging from Reuters to U.S. News and World Report. There are no corporate or personal state income taxes in Wyoming, energy costs here are low, and of course, the quality of life here is unparalleled.

Second, this state has truly embraced arts and culture as a valuable sector of the economy. Jackson Hole is home to one of the nation's premier annual film festivals, as well as an arts festival that draws visitors from all over the West. The town's 30-plus art galleries and shops have helped to make Wyoming a leading cultural center in the West. And Cheyenne is now home to Quark, Inc., one of the top graphic design software producers in the world. If Quark believes in Wyoming's graphic design potential, so should you!

Sources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Graphic Designers"
• The Cheyenne-Laramie County Corporation for Economic Development
• Wyoming Business Council

About the Author
Jessica Santina is a freelance writer with a background in media and marketing. She also teaches first-year writing courses at the University of Nevada, Reno.