Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Frederick, MD (2026)

Frederick, Maryland has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs. Frederick has a population of about 80,617. Median household income is $95,150 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Art Director at a median $105,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Frederick

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Frederick, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Frederick 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 Frederick. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Frederick Community College

Frederick, MD 1.2 miles from Frederick BOC Score 71.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,449
Avg net price $9,465/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Frederick

Frederick is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Maryland statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$85,420Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$78,439
Art Director$105,990Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$97,328
Web and Digital Interface Designer$97,000Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$89,073
Special Effects Artist and Animator$92,760Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$85,179

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.


Frederick at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population80,617Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$95,150Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.9 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Frederick-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Frederick, MD?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Frederick. The closest is Hood College in Frederick, MD (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hagerstown Community College (21.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Frederick are: Art Director ($105,990), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($97,000), Special Effects Artist and Animator ($92,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Maryland statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hagerstown instead of Frederick?

Hagerstown, MD is 21.7 miles from Frederick 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.

Is Frederick an affordable place to study graphic design?

Frederick’s median household income of $95,150 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Frederick while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maryland public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

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 Frederick

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

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.