The term visual communications covers a wide range of skills, uses, and careers, but its meaning is obvious: the use of visual imagery to communicate ideas and messages to targeted audiences. Information provided through visual communications typically employs graphic design, digital design, illustration, photography, or web design. Your visual communication degree program may be focused on advertising and the power of images in marketing, but specific skills for creating visual communications depend on the type of design program you choose. You may learn commercial art and design, desktop publishing, web design, 3-D animation, multimedia development, and video production, then further your skills in one area. Visual communications programs range from diplomas to master’s degrees.

Visual Communications Careers

Visual communications professionals work in marketing and advertising, publishing, and entertainment. Specific visual communications careers include graphic designers, illustrators, commercial artists, art directors, digital designers, multimedia artists, and animators. There are also less obvious visual communications careers such as forensic artists working in criminal justice and law enforcement and medical illustrators for medical textbooks and journals.

What’s the Visual Communications Job Outlook?

Competition for salaried jobs in visual communications is fierce because there are often more artists and visual communications workers than there are jobs. Also, many companies prefer to hire visual communications professionals on a contract basis, so you may stay steadily employed if you can develop a clientele that is constantly growing.

How Much Does Visual Communications Pay?

In 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that approximately 60% of artists and related visual communications workers are self-employed, so the pay varies widely. Approximate median annual pay included:

• Salaried art directors: $77,000 ($80,000 in advertising, public relations, and related services)
• Salaried fine artists and illustrators: $43,000
• Salaried multimedia artists and animators: $56,000 ($65,600 in the movie and video industries and $52,500 in advertising)