Illinois Animation Schools

Unlike California, Illinois is home to only one large city—Chicago. While artists live in many cities across the state, most live and work in Chicago near the city’s major production studios, animation studios, advertising agencies, and graphic design firms. They also choose Chicago as the number one city to study and train. The city is home to major art schools and colleges with top art programs such as The School of the Art Institute, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, The American Academy of Art, Columbia College, and DePaul University.

Illinois Animation Schools

Illinois is home to a number of art schools, technical schools, and traditional colleges that offer a variety of degrees for aspiring animators. Students can choose from a variety of degree programs from animation to instructional simulation and gaming to visual effects. Scroll through the list below to review the state’s best options for aspiring animators and what they have to offer.

Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. with Specialization in Communication Design; M. F. A. Media Arts

Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, New Media; M. F. A. Art and Design with Concentration in Graphic Design, M. F. A. Studio with Concentration in New Media

Charleston
Eastern Illinois University - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Graphic Design

Chicago
Columbia College - Degrees Offered: B. A. Art and Design; B. A. Film and Video with Animation (Traditional or Computer) Concentration; B. A. Game Design with Concentration in Game Art, Game Development, Programming or Game Sound; B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration; B. A., B. F. A. Interactive Arts and Media
DePaul University - Degrees Offered: B. A./B. S. Animation; B. A. Art, Media and Design with Concentration in Art and Design or Media Arts; B. S. Computer Game Development, Computer Graphics and Motion Technology; B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. S. Computer Game Development, Computer Graphics and Motion Technology
School of the Art Institute of Chicago - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. with departmental or interdisciplinary emphasis; SAIC departments include Animation, New Media and Visual Communication Design.  M. F. A. Visual Communication Design
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy - Degrees Offered: A. A. S. Animation and Visual Effects, Game and Interactive Media
University of Illinois at Chicago - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Electronic Visualization, Graphic Design; M. F. A. Graphic Design, New Media Arts

DeKalb
Northern Illinois University - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Design – Visual Communication, Illustration, Time Arts; M. F. A. Studio Art, Studio Art – Design, Time Arts

Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Art and Design

Normal
Illinois State University - Degrees Offered: B. A., B. S., B. F. A. Graphic Design

Macomb
Western Illinois University - Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Art with Emphasis in Graphic Design; B. S. Instructional Simulation and Gaming

Peoria
Bradley University - Degrees Offered:  B. A., B. S., B. F. A. Art with Concentration in Graphic Design; B. A., B. S. Interactive Media with Concentration in Animation and Visual Effects, Game Design or Web and Application Design; M. A., M. F. A. Drawing/Illustration, Visual Communications and Design

Springfield
University of Illinois, Springfield - Degrees Offered: B. A. Visual Arts

More Illinois Schools with Animation related programs:  

Employment and Salary Trends for Illinois Animators

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently updated salary and employment information for Illinois animators and multi-media artists. In 2002, Illinois was home to 2,830 animators and multi-media artists. The talent pool decreased to 910 in 2009, but in 2010 the figure increased to 970. Salaries have fluctuated since 2002, with an increase between 2002 and 2009, and a slight decrease between 2009 and 2010. The average salary for Illinois animators and multi-media artists was $42,220 in 2002.

In 2009 animators averaged between $60,120 and $63,310. In 2010, the average salary for animators decreased slightly to $59,310. The mean annual wage for animators and multi-media artists nationwide was $62,810 in 2009. The lowest paid animators earned $32,360 and the highest paid animators earned $99,130. It is important to keep in mind that many Illinois animators are self-employed and the Bureau does not include employment and salary figures for this large community of artists.  In addition, average salaries overall vary greatly by industry, location, type of company, experience & education, and other factors.