How Much is a Design Course?

When considering a design course, you’ll find options ranging from free online tutorials to university degree programs costing $100,000 or more. For career-focused training, you can expect to pay between $2,000 and $15,000 for comprehensive bootcamps and certificate programs. These mid-range options tend to provide a balance of in-depth instruction and affordability, making them popular choices for those looking to launch a career as a designer in any of the several sectors of the field.

As you compare your options, you’ll note that short courses, both introductory and advanced, can range from roughly $100 to $1,000. These courses offer focused skill development catering to learning objectives of a smaller scope, such as an introduction to the basic concepts of graphic design or mastery of a tool like Photoshop. Your investment should align with your career goals and learning style, as the best choice ultimately depends on your personal circumstances and where you are in your design learning journey. 

College Design Programs: The Most Expensive Option

By far the most expensive option for a design education, tuition for college degree programs runs students tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Students may pursue associate’s, bachelor’s, master's, or even PhD degrees at schools ranging in reputation and price from local community colleges to prestigious design schools. As one may expect from the most costly learning option, college degree programs provide the most comprehensive, in-depth training available in design, including classes in theory, history, and other topics not often covered by the curricula of different course formats. 

However, prospective students should carefully weigh the cost and benefits of this option and consider whether the latter is worth it to meet their individual goals. The vast majority of designer industries today are accessible without a college degree. Hiring managers are interested in whether the potential employee has the skills and designer’s eye to do the job, and individuals can develop these and the portfolio to prove it in a career-focused bootcamp or certificate program for a fraction of the price of a college education. That said, college degrees can be worthwhile for some design career paths, such as those who wish to work in academia or research or streamline their career path to a management position. If an individual has the financial resources to invest in a college degree, it can be a worthwhile experience, but cheaper alternatives to a professional level of training in any design sector are available.

Professional Development Programs: Immersive Career-Focused Classes

For those seeking professional-level design training without the lengthy time commitment and hefty price tag of a college degree, certificate-granting programs and bootcamps are an attractive option. These immersive, career-focused programs typically range from $2,000 to $15,000, depending upon their depth, format, and the specific discipline covered by the program. Certificate programs like those offered by Noble Desktop are designed to equip students with both technical proficiency and industry-relevant creative skills in a matter of weeks or months rather than years.

The courses balance affordability and depth of instruction, making them ideal for those looking to break into any design sector quickly and without going into extensive debt. They often include portfolio development, career support, and networking opportunities, giving graduates a competitive edge in the job market. While more expensive than short courses, these programs offer a significant return on investment for committed learners aiming to launch or advance their design careers efficiently.

Live Introductory Classes: Ideal for Beginners and Unsure Students

Aspiring designers sometimes find that live introductory classes are an ideal starting point for launching a more extensive education. These short courses, typically ranging from one day to a week, provide a cost-effective way to explore design fundamentals and industry-standard software like Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma. Usually priced between $100 and $1,000 but found at many different prices, these classes offer a low-risk opportunity to gauge whether an individual enjoys design work enough to commit to the expense of a career-focused certificate program or bootcamp. These courses can also be helpful for individuals feeling certain they wish to pursue a career in design but struggling to determine whether they prefer graphic design, digital design, web design, or another sector of the field.

Introductory design courses cover essential topics like foundational graphic design concepts, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, and overviews of the various design disciplines. These classes allow students to interact with instructors in real-time, ask questions, and get a feel for the design process. While these classes won’t provide comprehensive career preparation, they serve as a valuable foundation for further study and can help individuals make informed decisions about their design learning journey moving forward. Additionally, these introductory short courses in design topics can help some students reach their learning goals, especially when their objectives are in the realm of adding basic design knowledge to an existing adjacent skill set or learning Illustrator for personal use as a hobbyist.

On-Demand Classes: Excellent Supplements at Reasonable Prices

On-demand design classes feature the most variation in pricing, depending on their platform, quality, topic, and scope. On sale, design courses on Udemy are often $14.99 or less, while comprehensive on-demand classes can reach thousands of dollars. Attempting to gain a professional level of expertise in an asynchronous class—another name for on-demand courses—is inadvisable, however, for the vast majority, as the lack of a live instructor during learning of this depth and scale often leads to severe roadblocks and confusion for students. The likelihood of these prepackaged, relatively passive income curricula becoming outdated can be high, especially in such a rapidly evolving field as design. Additionally, while students are often drawn to these courses due to their flexibility, the lack of a set schedule and learning community of any kind often leads to student discouragement in those who aren’t highly motivated and self-driven.

Despite these caveats, on-demand classes can have their place in some individuals’ design education. Smaller-scale introductory and intermediate courses tend to be reasonably priced, accessible options for beginners looking for a low-stakes alternative somewhere between a YouTube video and a live short course. They are also a level up from intermediate-level free tutorials for those interested in learning a specific tool of the trade or an intermediate-level technique. Hobbyists may especially enjoy on-demand classes, where they are free to skip pre-recorded lectures that don’t interest them and have no need to take high-pressure exams or complete projects unrelated to their specific goals. However, anyone wishing to learn any discipline of design at a professional level will appreciate the access to a live instructor, learning community, and set schedule of a live online or in-person class.

Free Resources: What Are They Good For?

The design field offers a wealth of free learning resources, ranging from YouTube videos and podcasts to tutorials on software company’s websites and free design seminars hosted by professional training centers like Noble Desktop. These free options cover various design topics, tools, and techniques, often answering common questions that arise either at the beginning of a design learning journey or throughout it. Seminars and other content feature introductions to disciplines such as graphic design, digital design, and web design, helping aspiring designers compare these and other career paths to help make an informed decision before investing in an introductory short course or comprehensive certificate program. Other learners may find videos on the foundational concepts of design helpful while waiting for their beginner-friendly class to begin to learn the vocabulary and build some familiarity with key ideas. Another valuable free resource for beginners is Noble Desktop’s Learn Hub articles on design, which answer numerous questions on design and the learning process, supporting aspiring designers through the process of mapping their educational journey from day one.

Free resources can also be valuable supplements to a design education. Googling or searching trusted websites for questions that arise during independent study time between class meetings can connect learners with clear explanations and alternative viewpoints that can help them get through roadblocks in homework and inspire discussions in their next class session. Some may wonder if they can assemble a professional design education using free resources, but this is virtually impossible considering their limitations. Serious design learners highly benefit from the structure of a live online or in-person class featuring a carefully planned curriculum crafted by experienced designers invested in their students’ success. These expert instructors can guide students through real-time lectures, discussions, and the vital hands-on projects necessary to mastering any design sector, leading to the development of the professional portfolios necessary for impressing prospective employers or clients in a designer’s career.

Learn Design Skills with Noble Desktop

Design and coding school Noble Desktop provides a vast menu of design classes led by live expert instructors whether you choose to attend in-person in NYC or live online from anywhere in the world. Their flexible scheduling options allow you to participate as a full-time or part-time student, ensuring you can meet your learning goals no matter your current calendar. Noble Desktop provides classes in a variety of scopes and design-related topics, from beginner-friendly short courses on tools like Photoshop or After Effects to comprehensive career-focused certificate programs in various design disciplines, including graphic design, web design, UX/UI design, motion graphics design, and video editing. Noble keeps their class size small to ensure all learners can receive personalized guidance and immediate feedback from their expert instructors, all of whom are experienced industry professionals invested in the success of their students. Noble Desktop’s dedication to helping their students achieve their goals is evident in its many perks, including verified digital certificates of completion, free retakes of all their courses within one year, and one-on-one mentorship in all career-focused certificate classes. 

If you’re interested in learning design skills to launch a career as a Graphic Designer, you may wish to enroll in Noble Desktop’s Graphic Design Certificate program. Students in this course will learn essential graphic design principles and turn them into practical knowledge through extensive hands-on projects, creating projects such as signage, infographics, product packaging, logos, and branded merchandise. Students will be job-ready by the end of the certificate program, having built expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and they will have a professional quality portfolio ready to showcase their design skills to prospective employers alongside their impressive verified certificate of completion for the program.

Noble Desktop’s Digital Design Certificate program will arm you with the design skills you need to work in digital design, user interface (UI) design, web design, or graphic design. In this certificate program, you’ll learn the core tools of the trade—Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma—and key digital design concepts and theory. With no coding required, this program allows you to focus on what matters to you—designing aesthetically pleasing and functional user interfaces, websites, and other digital products. Like all of Noble Desktop’s Certificate Programs, the Digital Design Certificate features one-on-one mentorship for career support, portfolio-building assistance, and a verified digital certificate of completion.

Noble Desktop’s Motion Graphics Certificate program offers practical training in motion graphics and visual effects using Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Audition, and Cinema 4D in After Effects. With the help of your expert instructors, you’ll develop skills in motion graphics design, animation, and video production. With career support, portfolio-building assistance, and a free retake option, students will be ready to impress hiring managers looking for a new entry-level Motion Graphics Designer.