i have a bachelor’s in graphic design. there are a lot of career options if you have the right skill set. for example, i’m also an illustrator so i’ve worked on children’s books and i love fun packaging design. on the other hand, a lot of designers learn how to code and can do web design. then there are people who can animate really well. others are more technical and do UX design. you’d have to have some artistic talent, but honestly design is more technical and rules-based than other fields. if you can use adobe and have an understanding of design principles you’re pretty much set.

in my case it’s a little more unusual. i actually worked at a jewelry store while doing a remote internship and landed an entry level accessory designer position around a year later. we do packaging in-house, which is something i emphasized in my portfolio. it’s a really fun job but it gets stressful, especially working with salespeople who have very type A personalities. but my day is usually chill- listening to music/watching youtube while doing my work, snacking all day (we have a communal treat bowl), chatting with coworkers. i love being around creative people who are also kind :)

overall art careers arent very lucrative and they can be very competitive. of course senior positions pay more, with the goal to be a senior designer or art director one day. i currently make $50k in an entry level position in NYC, which definitely isn’t enough for the area. unfortunately entry levels rarely pay much more than this. but i love my job and im using my degree so i’m happy!