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Jewelry Design Degree - Online and Campus Programs

What is it Like to Be a Jewelry Designer?

Jewelry designers work with precious metals, gems, and stones, and create imaginative, unique pieces that please customers and have mass appeal. While about half of jewelry designers are self-employed, selling their wares independently at events or in boutiques, the other half, work for fashion accessory manufacturers. Jewelry designers must understand and anticipate trends in the marketplace, which involves a lot of research about fashion and the market value of gems and metals. And, of course, they need to have not only an artistic sensibility, but good hand-eye coordination and a talent for doing intricate work by hand and with small tools.

Should I Earn a Jewelry Design Degree?

Traditionally, jewelry design has been a self-taught or apprenticeship trade, with no formal training involved. However, because jewelry design programs teach students how to use important tools, how to purchase gems and stones, and even certain business skills, a jewelry design degree or certificate may enhance your employment opportunities with retailers, wholesalers, or manufacturers, or even as you pursue self-employment. Such a program would provide training in jewelry making, setting and polishing stones, use and care of equipment, and grading and identification of stones.

Career Outlook for Jewelry Designers

Most fashion jewelry and precious gemstones are imported, which may continue to slow job growth in this field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5 percent job growth through 2018?this is slower than average for all fields. The median annual salary for jewelry design jobs in May 2008 was $32,940.

Featured Schools

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Penn Foster Career School

Advance your career with our affordable, self-paced, career-focused distance education programs.

Visit http://www.pennfoster.edu/

Selected Campus Locations:

Online

Selected Programs:

Jewelry Design and Repair

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Academy Of Art University

Academy of Art University, founded in 1929 by artists for artists, is the nation's largest accredited, private art and design university with over 18,000 students.

Selected Campus Locations:

San Francisco

Selected Programs:

Associate-Jewelry and Metal Arts
Master-Jewelry and Metal Arts
Bachelor-Jewelry and Metal Arts
Coursework-Fashion
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Ashworth College

Earn your degree or diploma on your schedule and succeed at Ashworth College.

Visit www.ashworthcollege.edu

Selected Campus Locations:

Online

Selected Programs:

Jewelry Design and Repair

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Jewelry & Watch Repair School of New England

Welcome to the Jewelry & Watch Repair School of New England! Here, you will turn your interest in jewelry, watches, and clocks into practical, real world experience in the jewelry repair, clock repair, and watch repair industries. Our correspondence courses allow you to study at home at a comfortable pace, while our video-guided lessons get you repairing watches, clocks, and jewelry right away.

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