6 Most Affordable Online Art Schools (2023)
CONTENTS
- 6 Most Affordable Online Art Schools (2023)
- What jobs can I get with an online Art School degree?
- What is it like to get an online art school degree?
- How long are online Art School degree programs?
- Admission requirements for online Art Schools
- Cost of online Art Schools
- Scholarships for online Art School applicants
- Accreditation for online Art Schools
- Licensure and Certifications for online Art School graduates
- Professional organizations for online Art School students and graduates
Esteemed 20th century sculptor, Henry Moore, once said, “to be an artist is to believe in life”. We here at FutureYoupedia believe that to pursue an online Art School degree is to believe in yourself.
Contrary to the old popular image of a “starving artist”, an art career in today’s digital, social media-driven world is both fulfilling and profitable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of an art degree major can range from $77,000 for Animators to $199,250 for top earning Art Directors.
Pursuing an online Art degree is easier than ever before in 2023. There are tons of online Art School options in various artist fields that allow you to pursue your degree when and where you want.
If you’re a passionate artist and want to make a serious living from your art, continue reading to discover how an online art degree can take your art to the next level.
What Jobs Can I Get With an Online Art School Degree?
In today’s digital world there are many job opportunities available to artists. Nearly every type of business needs some form of creative visual representation to market their brand and sell their products. The following list of available jobs for art degree graduates is by no means exhaustive. But it gives a general idea of some of the most popular careers online art school students pursue after graduation:
- Illustrator
- Photographer
- Animator
- Art Director
- Graphic Designer
- Museum Curator
- Art Teacher / University Lecturer
Illustrator
A career as an illustrator can be incredibly rewarding, as they are the backbone of the picture-book industry, especially the industry of children’s books. Experts believe picture books help develop a child’s brain to have strong critical thinking skills. Thus, illustrators not only make reading more fun, they are quite literally responsible for strengthening young minds through art.
According to ZipRecruiter, book illustrators can take home an impressive $138,500/year at the top of their careers, with the average illustrator making about $60K annually. This is an ideal career for artists who like conveying stories through drawings.
Photographer
A talented photographer can capture the beauty and complexity of the world around us in just a single shot. They are most heavily relied on in the billion dollar industries of fashion and travel and are handsomely compensated for their work. According to comparably.com, the top 86% of fashion photographers average an annual salary of $247,376 per year.
Special Effects Artists & Animators
From cartoons to commercials and even our favorite Pixar movies, it’s hard to imagine the modern film & television industry without the contributions of animators. This is a fantastic career choice for art students interested in working in the Hollywood entertainment industry one day. The average animator takes home about $77,700 plus the added perk of seeing your name on the big screen rolling credits!
Art Director
Students interested in both art and management should consider a career as an art director. Generally speaking, art directors “are responsible for the overall visual aspects of an advertising or media campaign”. They often lead teams of varied art staff members (photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, etc.) to deliver one final product for a company or client. They often bear the weight of responsibility (good or bad) for a client’s finished product and are paid accordingly. As one of the highest earning careers for art degree majors, art directors take home an average salary of $97,270 per year.
Graphic Designer
The best brand logo can convey a company’s entire mission and services without the help of any words. And graphic designers are the artists who make this possible. But the job of a graphic designer expands far beyond just brand marketing. In today’s digital-era, you can find graphic designers in almost every industry imaginable. The BLS lists the average salary for graphic designers at $53,380. But most graphic designers are also able to supplement their income with an abundance of freelance work.
Museum Curator
This is the perfect career for anyone interested in both art and history. Museum curators are responsible for designing, installing and arranging all the artifacts and art pieces of a museum’s exhibits. Museum curators are highly regarded in the field of Fine Art and Ancient History. The top 86% of earners are paid an average salary of $396,665 per year.
Art Teacher / University Lecturer
Students interested in sharing the gift of artistry to others should consider a career as an Art Teacher. From the elementary to the university level, helping people develop their craft as an artist can be deeply satisfying. According to comparably.com, the average salary for an art professor is $63,208 per year.
What is it Like to Get an Art Degree Online?
Prospective applicants of online art schools should be encouraged that earning their art degree online will be just as comprehensive and rewarding as an on-campus experience.
Most online art schools offer their students all the same benefits of their on-site curriculum while allowing you to learn on your schedule. This includes access to art studios, creative technologies and supplies for e-learners who are willing and able to commute to campus occasionally.
How Long are Online Art School Degree Programs?
The length of the program will depend on the degree level you are pursuing. A typical Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program will run from 3 to 4 years. Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) programs take about 2 to 3 years to complete. And some online art schools also offer post-graduate certificate programs that can be completed in as little as 3 months.
What are the Admission Requirements for Online Art Schools?
For applicants interested in pursuing a BFA, the admissions requirements are more or less the same as a typical undergraduate college plus some additional art specific requirements.
In addition to a solid GPA (3.0 or higher), SAT/ACT scores, recommendation letters and a personal statement, most online art schools ask you to submit a portfolio of your previous artwork. Online art schools that don’t require a portfolio submission encourage applicants to submit a portfolio to be considered for special grants & scholarships.
International applicants will need to prove proficiency in English by submitting their scores from any of the following exams: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL), or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA).
MFA and MA applicants need a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent), GRE scores, a resume, personal statement and a portfolio of artwork.
How Much do Online Art Schools Cost?
Four year online art schools have comparable tuition costs to a typical undergraduate college. And similar to non-art undergraduate schools, the costs of online art schools can vary wildly.
A survey by CampusExplorer found that the average cost of online art schools is $42,000. But some schools like the University of Florida cost much less than that – about $15,600. While other schools like the Academy of Art University can cost up to $130,000 without the help of financial aid.
Grants & Scholarships for Online Art Schools
Students interested in attending an online art school should not be dismayed by the cost as most programs offer a mixture of grants, scholarships and financial aid to students who need it.
There are also many outside organizations that offer scholarships to students who have achieved exceptional academic success in the arts. Here’s a sample list of scholarship programs with the largest awards:
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Doodle 4 Google Competition
Amount: $30,000
“The Doodle 4 Google Competition provides young artists the chance to be featured on Google’s homepage, in addition to receiving a $30,000 educational award. Students can create doodles in any medium—from crayon to clay—but they must submit them in a 2D format. The theme of the competition changes from year to year; in 2020 the doodle theme was ‘I show kindness by…’ “
-
Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest
Amount: $31,000
“The VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest began in 1979, and continues to support up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism”
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Interpretive Fellowships at Art Museums
Amount: $30,000
“The scholarship is intended to encourage students to explore interpretive careers in art museums, whether as future museum educators or curators; to strengthen the profession of museum educator within the art museum community; to strengthen ties between museum educators and curators in the shared task of interpretive programming in art museums; and to expand the range of promising career options available to students of art history and related fields.”
Many online art schools offer scholarships and discounted tuition for military personnel and veterans.
Websites like ScholarshipOwl, scholarships.com and scholarships360.org have put together huge databases of grants & scholarships available to students applying to online art schools.
Accreditation for Online Art Schools
The leading organization for accrediting art schools is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Students interested in pursuing an online art degree should verify that their schools of interest are accredited. Accreditation by CHEA ensures that the school meets the minimum standards of a quality education.
American colleges and universities can be either regionally or nationally accredited. Attending an online art school with either type of accreditation will allow you to qualify for federal financial aid.
In addition to CHEA, the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD) is responsible for accrediting individual art programs. To find out whether or not an art school or program is accredited, you can use the U.S Department of Education’s accreditation status database.
Licensure and Certifications for Online Art School Graduates
Art school graduates can demonstrate mastery of a specific art skill (e.g. digital graphic design) by earning certifications and professional licensure.
These credentials will help you to stand out to potential employers and allow you to charge future clients higher prices for your creative services.
See below for a list of common art certifications and licensures:
-
Adobe Certified Expert (ACE)
This certification is most commonly used in the fields of graphic design, illustration and photography. By passing this multiple choice exam you can demonstrate your proficiency with Adobe Systems software products like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Lightroom. -
Board-certified Art Therapist
This license is administered on the national level by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). The ATCB manages the credentialing and testing processes of art therapists in alignment with the American Art Therapy Association. They also administer the following credentials at the national level: Registered Art Therapist (ATR); Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-Provisional); and Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS). Certification for these credentials requires a master degree in Art Therapy, completion of a supervised residency program and a passing score on the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE). -
Forensic Art Certification
This certification is administered by the International Association for Identification and demonstrates expertise in the profession of Forensic Art. Forensic Art is most often used in law enforcement and legal proceedings for things like crime scene sketching and image identification drawings.
Professional Organizations for Online Art School Students and Graduates
There are dozens of professional organizations that serve as hubs of networking, professional development and creative-shares for students and graduates of online art school. See below for a list of the largest and most well-regarded organizations:
- College Art Association – “the world’s largest professional association for artists, art historians, designers, arts professionals.”
- Association of Professional Art Advisors – “a membership-based organization of leading independent art advisors, curators and corporate art managers.”
- ArtTable – “the leading professional organization devoted to supporting women in the visual arts.”
- National Art Education Association – “the leading professional membership organization exclusively for visual arts, design, and media arts education professionals.”
- American Institute of Graphic Arts – “a nationwide network of professional designers, educators, students and design enthusiasts served by more than 70 chapters.”
- Women’s Caucus for Art – “A National Membership Organization with 21 chapters throughout the United States dedicated to creating community through art, education and social activism”
- Society of Illustrators – “a professional society based in New York City. It was founded in 1901 to promote the art of illustration”
- Visual Resources Association – “a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management within the educational, cultural heritage, and commercial environments.”
- International Association of Art Critics – “founded in 1950 to revitalize critical discourse, which suffered under Fascism during World War II”
- Association of Art Museum Curators – “a membership organization offering professional development, leadership skills, and direct connections for art curators working in the not-for-profit sector.”
Top 6 Cheapest Online Art Schools
The Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) is one of the most recognized and decorated online art schools in the world. It also has four physical campus locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; Hong Kong; and Lacoste, France.
SCAD’s online eLearning platform allows students and art professionals all over the globe to access any of its award-winning art degree programs from the comfort of their own home.
As an online student, you can experience the entirety of SCAD’s world-renowned art curriculum and faculty as part of a global community of artists without compromising on the quality of education you receive. Designed with flexibility in mind, SCAD’s online courses do not have specific meeting times and are available 24/7.
And with over 20 art degree programs to choose from, there’s an excellent chance that SCAD can cater to your educational and professional goals no matter what field of art you plan to pursue. Check out a full list of SCAD’s degree programs below:
- Advertising (BA, BFA, Minor)
- Animation (MA, MFA)
- Architectural History (Minor)
- Business of Beauty & Fragrance (Minor)
- Creative Business Leadership (MA)
- Design Management (MA)
- Fashion (MA, MFA)
- Fashion Marketing & Management (BFA, Minor)
- Graphic Design (BA, BFA, Certificate, MA, MFA, Minor)
- Illustration (MA, MFA)
- Interactive Design & Game Development (BA, MA, MFA, Minor)
- Interior Design (MA)
- Luxury & Brand Management (MA, MFA)
- Motion Media Design (MA, MFA)
- Painting (MFA)
- Photography (BA, BFA, MA, MFA, Minor)
- Preservation Design (MA)
- Sequential Art (BA, BFA)
- Service Design (MA)
- Social Strategy & Management (BFA)
- Writing (MFA)
Liberty University is a christian-based college based in Lynchburg, Virginia that offers both an on-campus and online education from a christian-world view. Since its founding in 1971, Liberty University has been dedicated to offering its student a high quality education in the shortest time possible.
The University’s 100% online Studio & Digital Arts (SADA) degree allows students and art professionals the opportunity to learn from top-notch art faculty from anywhere in the world. And within the SADA degree program, prospective applicants will find an array of concentrations to choose from.
Liberty University is a fantastic online art school option for all artist types, from sculptors to digital graphic designers. Students looking to turn their craft into careers can check out Liberty University’s degree program offerings here:
- Graphic Design (BFA, MFA)
- Digital Design (BS)
- Character Design (BS)
- Illustration Design (BS)
- Visual Communication Design (BS, MA)
- Digital Merchandising Design (BS)
- Photographic Design (BS)
- Media Design (BS)
Home to 3,000 on-campus students and a whopping 80,000 online students, Southern New Hampshire University is one of the largest schools in the U.S. The institution is dedicated to providing quality education at an affordable cost and has some of the lowest tuition rates in the country – SNHU hasn’t raised its cost in over a decade! On-the-go artists who are interested in a career centered around digital art forms should seriously consider one of SNHU’s online Digital Art & Design degrees.
Applicants are not required to submit SAT or GRE scores and there is no application fee. For undergraduate applicants, no portfolio submission is required but it is encouraged in order to qualify for scholarships. Enrollees have a lot of flexibility to choose when they start classes – SNHU offers six 8-week term start dates for undergraduates and five 10-week term start dates for graduate matriculants.
Here’s a look at the degree options offered in SNHU’s Digital Art & Design program:
- Digital Photography (AA, BA)
- Game Art & Development (BA)
- Game Programming & Development (BS)
- Graphic Design & Media Arts (BA)
- 3D Modeling & Animation (BA)
- Web Design (BA, MS)
- Information Technology (MS)
- Music Business (MBA)
Full Sail University’s School of Art & Design offers the ultimate flexibility for busy art students and professionals looking to advance their careers. The school’s online Art & Design programs are designed to cater to students who want a “fast-paced, immersive learning experience with 24/7 flexibility”. Students are free to complete their coursework at any time of the day at whatever pace they desire. And the University has recently implemented their trademarked program – “Project LaunchBox” – which grants all of their students “a laptop plus professional software and industry technologies”.
Take a look at Full Sail University’s Art & Design degree offerings below:
- Computer Animation (BA)
- Game Art (BA)
- Graphic Design (BA)
- Media Design (MFA)
Students looking to earn an online art degree at a bargain price should apply to the University of Florida (UF). Ranked #1 for affordability by affordablecollege.com, the university’s online Digital Arts & Sciences program is a steal for students interested in the digital art space. Tuition costs around $15,600 for the full program. Students pay an average of only $8,057 for the program after financial aid and scholarships are factored in.
Applicants with a GPA as low as 2.0 will be considered, but a portfolio submission is required for admission. UF doesn’t offer as many different degree program options as some of the other schools on the list, but the university’s Digital Arts & Science program will prepare students for any of the following art careers:
- 2D/3DAnimator
- Game Designer
- Motion Graphics Animator
- UI/UX Designer
- Concept Artist
- Level Designer
- Visual Effects Artist
- Cinematographer
- Character Modeler
- Production Coordinator
- Software Engineer
- Technical Animator
- Character Artist
- Graphical User Interface Programmer
- Digital Storyteller
- Interaction Designer
Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) is our top pick for busy art professionals looking to expand their careers with an advanced degree. MCAD offers 2 asynchronous online graduate art degrees and several post-graduate certificate programs that allow students to complete their coursework when and where they desire.
Here is the full list of MCAD’s online art programs for graduate students:
- Master of Arts in Sustainable Design (30 credits, 10 courses)
- Master of Arts in Graphic and Web Design (30 credits, 10 courses)
- Design Foundations Certificate (3 courses)
- Web Development Certificate (5 courses)
- Biomimicry Certificate (3 courses)
- User Experience (UX) Certificate (4 courses)
- Teaching Art and Design Online Certificate (3 courses)
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