Top Cities for Photoshop Classes & Training

Students interested in learning Photoshop at a dedicated training facility will find that almost all of their options are located in major metropolitan areas. Since this is also where you can find many of the highest-paying jobs, students looking for a career change may want to consider exploring training programs in cities that offer robust options for aspiring photographers and graphic designers. 

Here, we’ll share several cities that provide students with plenty of creative inspiration, job opportunities, and multiple in-person Photoshop courses. 

What is Photoshop?

Available within the Adobe Creative Cloud, Photoshop’s primary functions include editing, enhancing, and creating digital images from scratch. Professionals across nearly every industry use Photoshop to design anything from graphics for social media to the interface of an entire website!

You can use Photoshop to adjust lighting and colors, or create a single image from your favorite components of existing photos. It comes with several retouching tools, enabling you to remove anything that makes your image less than perfect. Photoshop also contains rudimentary animation capabilities, meaning users can create GIFs as well. 

Read more about what Photoshop is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Photoshop Skills?

Photoshop allows you to edit, add, or remove almost anything to create your perfect final image. However, Photoshop is used for so much more than enhancing images. Because the program allows users to combine multiple images, designers in any industry can use Photoshop to demonstrate how a proposed design would appear on a product. This helps clients clearly visualize a final product and quickly make changes, saving time and money. Although you can’t code a website in Photoshop, you can create mockups of components that designers will add to a website later. Photoshop contains powerful compression tools, ensuring the images on a website aren’t pixelated.

New York, NY

Unsurprisingly, New York City is an appealing destination for all kinds of artists. The city has long been known as the pinnacle of art, culture, and theater. Across five distinct boroughs, any professional can take inspiration from local museums, historical sites, and performances. Equally exciting, the annual wage for graphic designers in New York is over $74,000, much higher than the national average for design salaries in other US cities.

Noble Desktop offers a wide range of Photoshop classes for students living in and around New York City. These classes are available virtually or in person at the school’s Manhattan campus. There are shorter courses covering one skill, like Photoshop Animated GIFs, and more extended programs for students who want a more comprehensive Photoshop education. All of Noble’s classes are taught by expert instructors and focus on hands-on experience, so students walk away with concrete projects to add to their portfolio or personal website. 

Dallas, TX

Texas may not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of art and creativity, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. For aspiring professionals looking for creative inspiration, Dallas is home to establishments like the Dallas Museum of Art, the Wyly Theatre, and the Nasher Sculpture Center, home to several iconic pieces by Picasso. Dozens of design agencies are located in Dallas, including WebFX and Anderson Collaborative. Dallas is also one of the cities in Texas with the highest level of employment for graphic designers and related creative professions.

For in-person Photoshop classes in Dallas, students have a few options. Lumenbrite offers a few short courses for beginners just getting started with Photoshop. Digital Training & Designs has a few introductory classes to help students master fundamental Photoshop techniques. Schools like Certstaffix and ONLC Training Centers provide training as well, but these courses are taught by a remote instructor, and students can attend at a local computer lab.

Chicago, IL

Chicago has a lively and well-established arts scene, making it an excellent spot for creatives to call home. The West Loop and River North neighborhoods offer numerous galleries, and photographers like Aaron Siskind gained notoriety by taking pictures of local architecture. Performance artists can also find plenty to enjoy in Chicago, like improvisational comedy shows at Second City or the annual Chicago Blues Festival. Designers in Chicago earn at least $56,000 per year, with more senior positions paying over $80,000. 

Many in-person Photoshop classes in Chicago exist for beginners and more advanced students. CTS Training offers three different courses for various skill levels and includes information about video editing and 3D compatibility. Students can also enroll at Ascend Training, which covers the use of Photoshop for print and digital media. Other Chicago schools include Future Media Concepts, New Horizons, and the Training Connection. 

Houston, TX

Located a few hours southeast of Dallas, Houston is another Texas city that boasts a strong artistic community. The city contains a vibrant museum district with treasured pieces from cultures around the world, like the Asia Society Texas Center and the Houston Czech Center Museum. It is also one of the only cities in the country that is home to a world-renowned opera, symphony, and ballet company. In terms of employment, Houston has plenty of job openings in careers that require Photoshop skills.

There are several options for in-person Photoshop classes in Houston. New Horizons offers in-person training for beginners and more advanced Photoshop users. Both Lumenbrite and Ledet Training provide longer bootcamp courses for students who require more intensive training. One class at Ledet Training also covers Lightroom, which is another Adobe program used in tandem with Photoshop to manage and export images. 

Denver, CO

Most people think of skiing in the mountains when they think of Colorado, but this state’s capital city offers an array of artistic opportunities. The city has eight distinct art districts, including over 30 art galleries on Santa Fe (a main thoroughfare in the downtown area) and the River North Art District, home to studio spaces and eclectic street art. Salaries for careers requiring Photoshop skills typically pay $60,000 or more in Denver. Those who wish to live a little closer to the mountains may want to check out Boulder, a nearby college town where Graphic Designers earn an average of $65,000 per year.

Students who want to attend in-person Photoshop classes in Denver have a few options at their disposal. The Digital Workshop Center offers two 14-hour courses, one for introductory skills and one covering more advanced Photoshop techniques. This school also has a 38-hour bootcamp for more comprehensive training. Other options include Ledet Training, New Horizons, and Certstaffix Training. 

Atlanta, GA

Eccentric and unique are just two words that describe Atlanta’s fascinating art scene. The Midtown neighborhood is home to the High Museum of Art, an architectural marvel that is home to more contemporary pieces, and Castleberry Hill offers free gallery tours on the second Friday of every month. Graphic Designers in Atlanta earn around $60,000 per year.

Creative professionals looking for in-person Photoshop training in Atlanta can attend Emory University’s continuing education program, which provides weekend lessons in beginner and intermediate-level skills. Ledet Training also offers several classes, including a five-day bootcamp and a two-day intensive designed specifically for photographers. Lumenbrite and New Horizons also offer Photoshop training in the Atlanta area.

Seattle, WA

While Seattle might be more known for being the birthplace of musicians like Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, artists of all kinds can find something to inspire them in this coastal city. Dozens of galleries, theaters, and cultural events are sure to provoke a creative spark. Design professionals earn around $63,000 annually in Seattle, but some jobs requiring Photoshop skills can earn even more. For instance, User Interface Designers in Seattle earn over $100,000.

If you’re looking for in-person Photoshop training in Seattle, you may be interested in Luminous Works Training. This program offers an introductory course and more targeted classes for photographers and illustrators. Sonic Training would be an excellent option for students who already have the Photoshop basics down, since this school focuses on intermediate and advanced skills. Other options in the Seattle area include the School of Visual Concepts, Certstaffix, and New Horizons. 

Miami, FL

There are multiple neighborhoods in Miami known for different types of art and culture. The Wynwood Art District is a trendy area known for sculptures, video installations, and indie film festivals. Budding fashion designers will feel at home in the Design District, located in a melting pot of Haitian and Cuban communities. Coral Gables contains an eclectic mix of architectural styles that photographers and designers will surely enjoy. On average, design professionals in Miami earn over $60,000 a year. 

For in-person Photoshop training in Miami, students can browse the following programs: Ledet Training has a beginner and advanced course, and a longer Photoshop bootcamp, which covers both introductory and intermediate skills. The Academy also has a range of courses for different skill levels, including a class specifically focused on retouching for photographers. Students can also look into courses at Certstaffix and New Horizons. 

San Francisco, CA

This California city is as well-known for its culture as it is for its sea views and authentic Mexican cuisine. No matter what creative medium you enjoy, artists can attend several festivals throughout the year. These include the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and Fillmore Jazz Festival. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Graphic Designers in San Francisco earn an annual salary of over $80,000. This is much higher than the average salary for Graphic Designers in other cities, making San Francisco even more appealing. 

Locals hoping to attend an in-person Photoshop class in San Francisco have several schools to choose from. Academy X, Sonic Training, and the Bay Area Video Coalition offer beginner and intermediate or advanced Photoshop courses, so students who already have some experience with Photoshop can continue to boost their skills. Learnit also provides advanced Photoshop training through a project-based model that mimics the types of assignments design professionals would receive during a typical workday. 

Washington, D.C.

Most people think of Washington, D.C. as a political and historical center, but it’s also home to a thriving artistic community. The Smithsonian American Art Museum has one of the most diverse art collections in the world, and several neighborhoods are covered in murals and other forms of outdoor artwork. The city also has a renowned theater community, with many shows premiering here before opening on Broadway. Additionally, Graphic Designers in Washington, D.C. earn nearly $70,000 a year, much higher than the national average. 

There are plenty of in-person Photoshop classes available in Washington, D.C. Students can attend Future Media Concepts, which offers a beginner course and two advanced courses depending on your chosen medium– web and video or print and photography. Softek Services also has beginner, intermediate, and advanced Photoshop classes, so students of all skill levels will find something new to learn. Other options include New Horizons, Lumenbrite, and Ledet Training. 

Learn Photoshop Skills Online

The major cities listed above are great options for in-person Photoshop training. Students who don’t live near these areas may worry that they cannot learn to use Photoshop, but there are plenty of online options to choose from. Live online classes work very similarly to in-person programs. Instructors teach in real-time so students can receive immediate feedback on their work and ask questions when they need support. 

You can learn more about live online Photoshop courses by exploring your options with Noble Desktop Classes Near Me Tool.

Learn Photoshop Skills with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop’s Photoshop classes meet various scheduling needs and learning styles. Whether students attend in-person or virtually, they’ll learn from expert instructors in small groups. All courses include a free retake within one year, giving students additional practice if needed.

Noble’s quick Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp guides students through projects like adjusting colors, creating composite images, and removing components to improve a final image. The Graphic Design Certificate teaches Photoshop and two other Adobe programs– Illustrator and InDesign. The UI Design Certificate teaches using Photoshop alongside Figma and other Adobe tools to design web and mobile interfaces. Participants will also create a portfolio they can show to potential employers.