Best Graphic Design Schools Near Decatur, AL (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Decatur, Alabama has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $5,220 to $27,392 per year for indexed programs. Decatur has a population of about 57,974. In Alabama, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Art Director at a median $77,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Graphic Design Schools to Decatur

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Decatur, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Decatur city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Decatur. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

John C Calhoun State Community College

Tanner, AL 5.5 miles from Decatur
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,192
Avg net price $7,660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville

Hanceville, AL 36.6 miles from Decatur
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,842
Avg net price $13,170/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,220
Out‑of‑state$9,090
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Samford University

Birmingham, AL 77.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,469
Avg net price $32,622/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lawson State Community College

Birmingham, AL 77.8 miles from Decatur
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,701
Avg net price $6,275/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, AL 87.1 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,235
Avg net price $14,279/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL 99.3 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,221
Avg net price $22,420/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,180
Out‑of‑state$34,172
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 115

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Auburn University

Auburn, AL 161.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
76.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 46%
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,337
Avg net price $24,323/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,890
Out‑of‑state$34,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 151

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Chattahoochee Valley Community College

Phenix City, AL 186.5 miles from Decatur
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
36.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,438
Avg net price $4,244/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,100
Out‑of‑state$8,970
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama graphic design page.

Graphic Design Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Decatur, AL metro area (BLS area code 19460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$46,170Decatur, AL$52,947
Art Director$77,220AL statewide$88,555
Web and Digital Interface Designer$51,860AL statewide$59,472
Special Effects Artist and AnimatorN/AAL statewide–

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Decatur at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Decatur, AL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Decatur. The closest is John C Calhoun State Community College in Tanner, AL (5.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville (36.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying graphic design roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Decatur are: Art Director ($77,220), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($51,860), Graphic Designer ($46,170). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Athens instead of Decatur?

Athens, AL is 14.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local graphic design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Graphic Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Decatur

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Decatur:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Graphic Design Schools in Alabama: Online Programs (2026)