New York Community Colleges
Art Programs
Art and visual-arts coursework at community colleges in this state. Studio art, art history, and design-track classes for fine-arts transfer.
5 colleges · 135 sections · 134 unique courses · Spring 2026 · Updated today
New York community college art programs span studio art (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics) and applied design (graphic design, digital media, illustration). The 135 sections across 5 CUNY colleges this term include intro studio courses, art history, design fundamentals, and software-specific training (Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate, Blender for 3D).
Two distinct outcomes: the studio-art associate is largely transfer-prep for BFA programs at four-year art schools; the graphic-design AAS is a direct-to-career credential preparing students for entry design roles, agency junior positions, and in-house marketing teams. Compare colleges below — programs with strong portfolio-development emphasis place graduates better than those focused purely on technique.
Earnings & outcomes for Art graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 5004 — Design and Applied Arts. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Art
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsborough Community College | 39 | 39 | 12 | 113 | $33,696 |
| Borough of Manhattan Community College | 35 | 35 | 9 | 134 | — |
| Queensborough Community College | 35 | 35 | 5 | 56 | — |
| Bronx Community College | 23 | 23 | 11 | — | — |
| Stella and Charles Guttman Community College | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
Art Availability Snapshot
How art sections are being offered across 5 colleges in New York this term (135 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person93 (69%)
- online37 (27%)
- hybrid5 (4%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)70
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)37
- Evening (5 PM and after)2
- Asynchronous / TBA26
Start dates
Sections begin on 3 distinct dates. 42 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 73 distinct instructors across 5 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Borough of Manhattan Community College2 programs
Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College1 program
Degree Requirements - Associate in Science
60 creditsSee catalog for course list
General Education Requirements - Required Core
- ENG 101Composition I: An Introduction to Composition and Research(3 cr)1 section
- ENA 101Composition I Accelerated(3 cr)1 section
- ENG 102Composition II: Writing through Literature(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 107Mathematics in the Modern World(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 115College Algebra and Trigonometry(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 119Statistics with Elementary Algebra(3 cr)1 section
- MAT 120Elementary Statistics I(3 cr)1 section
- SCB 101Topics in Biological Sciences(3 cr)1 section
- SCC 101Topics in Chemistry(3 cr)1 section
- SCC 102Chemistry of Photography(3 cr)1 section
- SCP 101Topics in Physics(3 cr)1 section
- SCP 105Life in the Universe(3 cr)1 section
- SCP 140Topics in Astronomy(3 cr)1 section
Major Requirements - Program Core
- FAF 101First Year Seminar for Fine Arts(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 103Beginning Drawing(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 104Introduction to Design(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 165Art History: Prehistoric through Gothic(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 166Art History: Renaissance through Modern(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 180Life Drawing(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 289Art and Design Seminar(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 106Three Dimensional Design(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 110Beginning Painting(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 115Color Theory(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 120Beginning Sculpture(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 130Beginning Photography(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 150Beginning Printmaking(3 cr)not offered
- HUA 185Illustration(3 cr)not offered
- HUA 203Intermediate Drawing(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 210Intermediate Painting(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 220Intermediate Sculpture(3 cr)not offered
- HUA 285Graphic Narrative(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 196Latin American Art(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 200Art of the Twentieth Century(3 cr)1 section
- HUN 195Art in New York: A Museum/Gallery Seminar(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 202History of Photography(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 215Art of the Renaissance in Italy(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 216Afr,Oceania,&Pre Col(3 cr)not offered
- HUV 150The Art of Film(3 cr)1 section
- HUP 107Philosophy of Art(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 294Experiential Learning in the Fine Arts(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 212History of Design(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 107Form and Structure(3 cr)not offered
- HUW 125Introduction to Computer Art(3 cr)1 section
- HUW 126Computer Art II(3 cr)1 section
- HUA 207Modelmaking(3 cr)not offered
- HUA 230Intermediate Photography(3 cr)not offered
- HUA 167Introduction to African Art(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Kingsborough Community College2 programs
Queensborough Community College2 programs
Common Art courses
- ART 101Introduction to Studio Art(2 sections)
- ART 10Art Survey(1 section)
- ART 102Survey of Art History I(1 section)
- ART 102HSurvey of Art Hist I (Honors)(1 section)
- ART 104Survey of Art History II(1 section)
- ART 106Modern and Contemporary Art(1 section)
- ART 107Color and Design I(1 section)
- ART 11Introduction to Art History(1 section)
- ART 113History of Graphic Design(1 section)
- ART 12Intro Art Hist: Afr, Ame, Asia(1 section)
- ART 120Perspectives in Photography(1 section)
- ART 122History of Photography(1 section)
Career outlook for Art graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare New York’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
New York's typical pay is about 33% above the typical state — a strong sign of healthy local demand.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I be a graphic designer with just a community-college degree?
- Yes — the AAS in graphic design is a complete entry-level credential, and most New York programs are designed to build a portfolio strong enough for junior designer roles. Hiring is heavily portfolio-driven; the degree gets you in the door but your portfolio determines whether you get the role. Software fluency (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) is table stakes.
- Will my art credits transfer to a BFA program?
- Studio courses (drawing, painting, sculpture) typically transfer as elective credit toward a BFA but may not fulfill specific BFA major-requirement slots — BFA programs usually want their own foundation sequence. Art history and gen-ed courses transfer cleanly. The associate of fine arts (AFA) is the strongest transfer-prep pathway if you know you'll continue to a BFA; check articulation agreements with target schools.
- What's the difference between studio art and graphic design programs?
- Studio art is fine-art-oriented (creating original work, often for galleries or commission); graphic design is commercial-art-oriented (creating work to client briefs for marketing, branding, packaging, web). The career economics are very different — graphic designers have many more entry roles available; studio artists typically need to build a separate career while developing their practice.
- Do I need to be 'good at art' to start?
- Less than you'd think for graphic design — the program teaches design principles and software from the foundation up. Studio art programs assume more foundational drawing skill but most New York CCs offer beginner-level studio courses; the question is whether you have time and motivation to put in the hours of practice that any visual-art career requires.
Compare Art programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how New York’s art programs stack up.
Other programs in New York
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.