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Medical Illustration

A program that prepares individuals to apply the principles and techniques of art and computer-assisted imaging, graphics, and animation to create visual materials to facilitate the recording and dissemination of biomedical knowledge for educational, research, and clinical purposes. Includes instruction in anatomy, physiology, pathology, histology, embryology, neuroanatomy, medical terminology, artistic media and techniques, illustration techniques, three-dimensional modeling, prosthetics, data display design, exhibit design and production, medical photography, multimedia, computer graphics and animation, digital imaging, business management, production technology, and instructional design.

Types of Degrees Medical Illustration Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Medical Illustration can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	46
Master’s Degree	48

What Medical Illustration Majors Need to Know

Studies in Medical Illustration develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Medical Illustration graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Medical Illustration emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Design — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Fine Arts — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Medical Illustration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Learning — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Medical Illustration careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Originality — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Fluency of Ideas — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Visual Color Discrimination — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Medical Illustration graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.8 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.6 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.6 / 7
Working with Computers	3.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.5 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.3 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.2 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Medical Illustration professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Xara Designer Pro X	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Corel Painter	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
FileMaker Bento	Data base user interface and query software	—
ArtScope.net eArtist	Data base user interface and query software	—
Perforce Helix software	Configuration management software	—
Unity Technologies Unity	Development environment software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	—
C#	Object or component oriented development software	—
Paintbrush	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Corel Photo-Paint	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Unreal Technology Unreal Engine	Development environment software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Medical Illustration graduates include:

• Political Cartoonist
• VFX Artist (Visual Effects Artist)
• Landscape Painter
• Production Illustrator
• Muralist
• Forensic Artist
• Comic Artist
• Watercolor Artist
• Manga Artist
• Stained Glass Artist
• Texture Artist
• Ice Sculptor
• Oil Painter
• Silhouette Artist
• Statuary Painter

What Can You Do With a Medical Illustration Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Medical Illustration commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators	-4.1%	$69,338	$59,408–$79,268

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Medical Illustration graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Some college courses	37.0%
Bachelor’s degree	35.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	27.3%
Postsecondary certificate	0.3%
First professional degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Medical Illustration?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 90.4% of Medical Illustration degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	85	90.4%
Men	9	9.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Medical Illustration graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	55	58.5%
Asian	18	19.1%
Hispanic or Latino	8	8.5%
Black or African American	3	3.2%
Two or More Races	7	7.4%
International Students	3	3.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Medical Illustration Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Medical Illustration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$83,588
4 years	$85,034
5 years	$93,260

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $93,260 — roughly 12% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Medical Illustration Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Medical Illustration graduates earn a median of $85,034 four years after completion — roughly 124% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Medical Illustration and Informatics	3,154
Medical Informatics	3,054
Medical Illustration and Informatics, Other	6

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.