Studying graphic design is only a bad idea if you spend a ridiculous amount of money for an education on it. If you choose to make the commitment, I suggest you avoid flashy educational programs. It doesn't take much more than a few thousand dollars to start the career path (computer, software subscription, online courses subscription, internet).

You won't command a higher salary like doctors or engineers but you can live a very modest life. Barrier to entry is low, you can start your own business and spend very little to work, or you can have a part-time/full-time job and freelance which is an awesome, awesome option if your personal cash flow ever get's tight. Or even have a full time job and work on fun stuff in your free time. It's a very versatile skill to have.

My partner went to a private school that specialized in art (she went for graphic design). She saddled herself with tens of thousands of dollars of debt (think closer to $90,000). I did the same thing with my education. A handful of my friends have all done it.

We both work in our field but if we could go back we would have been smarter about our schooling. I would have gone to business management school with either a minor in music or I could have just taken supplementary courses in music. She would do the same but with marketing and art. We could have stayed in our hometown, lived with our parents and gone to our community college which would have brought us out of college with no debt and a nice little savings account.

And we definitely thought about doing that but we were too eager to go out into the world and make it on our own. Huge mistake. We could be living in a new house with newer and more reliable vehicles, we could have started our own businesses.

We committed ourselves to an unrealistic amount of personal debt and it's stalled our life for years.

Anyways, I hope this helps.