Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects

Stem Major

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Total Degrees
Awarded in 2017

4,689

growing 7.08%

Median In-State
Public Tuition

$3,984

growing 10.2%

Median Out-of-State
Private Tuition

$34,350

growing 6.02%

Average Wage

$60,902

growing 1.05%

People in Workforce

85,930

growing 3.61%

Average Employee Age

36.7

declining 0.223%

About

The locations with the highest concentration of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects degree recipients are , Savannah, GA, and San Francisco, CA. The locations with a relatively high number of Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects degree recipients are Wilmington, DE, Redmond, WA, and Laguna Beach, CA. The most common degree awarded to students studying Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is a bachelors degree.

Communication Technologies Graphic Communications

Institutions

Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects and the types of students that study this field. Full Sail University awards the most degrees in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects in the US, but Cogswell College and Gnomon School of Visual Effects have the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects.

Tuition costs for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects majors are, on average, $3,984 for in-state public colleges, and $34,350 for out of state private colleges.

The most common sector, by number of institutions, that offers Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects programs are Public, 2-year institutions (140 total). The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded, is Public, 2-year (1,482 completions).

Institutions

Institution with the Most Degrees Awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects

The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, is Public, 2-year (1,482 completions).

The following chart shows the share of universities that offer Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects programs, by the total number of completions, colored and grouped by their sector.

Tuition Costs for Common Institutions

$3,984

Median In-State Public

$34,350

Median Out of State Private

Full Sail University has the most Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects degree recipients, with 405 degrees awarded in 2017.

The following bar chart shows the state tuition for the top 5 institutions with the most degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects.

Specialized Colleges

Highest Concentration Institution

Cogswell College
58.8%
Gnomon School of Visual Effects
56.3%
Digital Media Institute at InterTech
45.5%

Out of all institutions that offer Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects programs and have at least 5 graduates in those programs, Cogswell College and Gnomon School of Visual Effects have the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, with 58.8% and 56.3%, respectively.

Degrees Awarded by County

Counties with the Most Degrees Awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects

This map shows the counties in the United States colored by the highest number of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects by year.

Growth in Awarded Degrees

Counties with the Fastest Growing Number of Degrees Awarded

This map shows the counties in the United States colored by the highest growth in degrees awarded for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Communication Technologies graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.

The average salary for Communication Technologies majors is $60,902 and the most common occupations are Graphic designers, Other managers, and Artists & related workers.

The industry that employs the most Communication Technologies majors is Motion pictures & video industries, though the highest paying industry, by average wage, is Software publishing.

Wages

Yearly Income for Common Jobs

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

$60,902

Average Wage in Workforce

± $4,055

1.05%

1 Year Growth

± 10.9%

The average salary for Communication Technologies majors is $60,902 and the most common occupations are Graphic designers, Other managers, and Artists & related workers.

This chart shows the average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Communication Technologies majors.

Highest Paying Locations

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

Highest Paying Pumas

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States colored by the average salary of Communication Technologies majors.

Note that the census collects information tied to where people live, not where they work. It is possible that Communication Technologies majors live and work in the same place, but it is also possible that they live and work in two different places.

Occupations

Most Common

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

The most common occupations Communication Technologies majors, by number of employees, are Graphic designers, Other managers, and Artists & related workers.

Most Specialized

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

Compared to other majors, there are an unusually high number of Communication Technologies majors working as Broadcast & sound engineering technicians & radio operators, & media & communication equipment workers, all other, Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, and Artists & related workers.

Highest Paid

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

The highest paid occupations by median income for Communication Technologies majors are Chief executives & legislators, Management analysts, and Property, real estate, & community association managers.

Occupations by Share

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

85,930

2018 Workforce

± 7,195

3.61%

1 Year Growth

± 11.5%

The number of Communication Technologies graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 3.61%, from 82,940 in 2017 to 85,930 in 2018.

The largest single share of Communication Technologies graduates go on to work as Graphic designers (5.43%). This chart shows the various jobs filled by those with a major in Communication Technologies by share of the total number of graduates.

Industries

Most Common

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

The most common industries that employ Communication Technologies majors, by number of employees, are Motion pictures & video industries, Computer Systems Design, and Broadcasting (except internet).

Highest Paid

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

The highest paying industries of Communication Technologies majors, by average wage, are Software publishing, Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, and Independent artists, writers, and performers.

Industries by Share

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

85,930

2018 Workforce

± 7,195

3.61%

1 Year Growth

± 11.5%

The number of Communication Technologies graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 3.61%, from 82,940 in 2017 to 85,930 in 2018.

The industry which employs the most Communication Technologies graduates by share is Motion pictures & video industries, followed by Computer Systems Design. This visualization shows the industries that hire those who major in Communication Technologies.

Specialty Locations

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

PUMAS with a relatively high number of Communication Technologies majors

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States where there are a relatively high population of Communication Technologies majors.

Diversity

Demographic information on those who earn a degree in Communication Technologies in the US. The average age of a person in the workforce with a degree in Communication Technologies is 36.7, and the most common degree type these workers hold is a Bachelors Degree. Male employees are more likely to hold Communication Technologies degrees, and White students earn the majority (2,243) of the degrees.

Workforce Age

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

36.7

Average Age in 2018

± 0.93 Years

0.223%

1 Year Change

± 3.64%

This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Communication Technologies. The most common ages of employees with this major are 29 and 26 years old, which represent 5.67% and 5.48% of the population, respectively.

Degrees Awarded

The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects are Bachelors Degree, Associates Degree, and < 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate.

Workforce Degrees

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

The most common degree types held by the working population in Communication Technologies are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Professional degree.

Gender Imbalance for Common Institutions

Male (60.5%)

Most Common Gender with a Degree in this Field

This chart shows the granted degrees by gender at the 5 institutions that graduate the most students in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects.

Race & Ethnicity by Degrees Awarded

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
2,243 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
808 degrees awarded
Non-resident Alien
422 degrees awarded

This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects for each race & ethnicity. White students earned the largest share of the degrees with this major.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Race/Ethnicity and Gender Combination

White Male
654 degrees awarded
White Female
468 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Male
184 degrees awarded

This chart illustrates the differences by gender for each race & ethnicity of Bachelors Degree recipients in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects. White Male students, who earn most of the degrees in this field, are the most common combination of race/ethnicity and gender.

Global Diversity

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects is from the 2 Digit Course Communication Technologies.

Most Common Countries of Origin

India
1,072 degree recipients
Korea
968 degree recipients
Mexico
899 degree recipients

High Relative Number of Students

United Kingdom, not specified
7.59 times more than expected
Korea
4.2 times more than expected
India
1.55 times more than expected

There are a relatively high number of people that were born in United Kingdom, not specified that hold Communication Technologies degrees (7.59 times more than expected), and the most common country of origin by total numbers for non-US students earning a degree in this field is India (1,072 degree recipients).

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects majors need many skills, but most especially Active Listening. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects majors need more than the average amount of Operation and Control, Equipment Selection, and Programming.

These two visualizations, one a radial chart and one a bar chart, show the same information, a rating of how necessary the following skills are for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects majors. Toggle between "value" and "RCA" to see the absolute rating of that skill (value) and the revealed comparative advantage (RCA), or how much greater or lesser that skill's rating is than the average. The longer the bar or the closer the line comes to the circumference of the circle, the more important that skill is. The importance of Operation and Control is very distinctive for majors, but the Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking are the three most important skills for people in the field.