Massachusetts is one of the oldest states in the U.S. It is home to the first public park in America—Boston Common, the city of Boston built the country’s first subway system (not New York), the very first basketball game was played in Springfield, and the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in Plymouth (1621). With so much history, it is not surprising that Massachusetts is also home to the oldest university in the U.S.—Harvard University, and many other prestigious (and historic) schools. Just a few include Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Amherst College, and Wellesley College.
The state is home to 124 Title IV degree-granting institutions total, and many have a reputation for being just as selective as the state’s top schools. A number of these schools are freestanding art and design schools, while others house top-tier art and design departments, colleges, and schools. Just a few include Massachusetts College of Art & Design (MCAD), The New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University and The College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Massachusetts Illustration Schools
Several top Massachusetts schools for artists and designers offer excellent illustration programs. Students can expect to find everything from a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Illustration to a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Design with an Emphasis in Illustration. Continue reading to find out which Massachusetts schools offer Illustration programs and where to find them.
Beverly
Montserrat College of Art - Degrees Offered: BFA Illustration, BFA Painting and Drawing, BFA Interdisciplinary Art
Boston
The New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University - Degrees Offered: BFA Illustration, Illustration Minor
School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) - Degrees Offered: Illustration Certificate
Cambridge
College of Art and Design at Lesley University - Degrees Offered: BFA Illustration, BFA Interdisciplinary Studies, Illustration BFA/Animation and Motion Media BFA, Illustration BFA/Fine Arts BFA, Illustration Minor, Advanced Professional Certificate in Illustration
Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - Degrees Offered: BFA Visual Design with a Concentration in Illustration, MFA Visual Design with an Emphasis in Illustration
More Illustration related programs to consider:
- Savannah, Atlanta, Hong Kong, France, and Online via SCAD eLearning
- Animation – B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Film and television – B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Motion media design – B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Illustration – B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Interactive design and game development – B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Sequential art – B.A., B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Visual effects – B.F.A., M.A., M.F.A.
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#7) - 2019
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#15) - 2019
- Top 40 Nationally for Illustration (#6) - 2019
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#13) - 2019
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#21) - 2019
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#28) - 2019
- Top 40 Nationally for Illustration (#40) - 2019
- Online
- Introduction to 3D Animation - 6 months
- Introduction to 3D Modeling - 6 Months
- Introduction to Concept Art - 6 Months
- Foundations for VFX & Game Design - 10 Months
- Advanced 3D Animation Diploma - 10 Months
- Advanced 3D Modeling Diploma - 10 Months
- Advanced Concept Art Diploma - 10 Months
- Advanced Illustration Diploma - 10 Months
Employment and Salary Trends for Massachusetts Illustrators
Massachusetts is home to 47,390 professionals working in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media (ADESM) occupations. Around 270 of these professionals are fine artists, including painters cculptors, and illustrators. They average $41,590 per year, down from $43,630 per year when the state was home to 330 professionals in this field. Although Massachusetts does not have the highest employment level for Fine Artists, the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division has the 10th highest employment level for this occupation among metro areas.
Nationwide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Fine Artists average $51,120 per year (mean) and employment is projected to grow four percent for the 2012-2022 decade. The states with the highest employment levels for fine artists are California, New York, Ohio, Florida, and Texas. The industries with the highest employment levels for Fine Artists are:
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
- Motion Picture and Video Industries
- Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers
- Software Publishers
The top paying states for fine artists are Arizona ($95,600 per year), New York ($75,940), Washington ($71,200), Connecticut ($70,070) and California ($62,950). The top paying industries for fine artists are:
- Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers - $119,870 per year
- Software Publishers - $94,680
- Scientific Research and Development Services - $76,580
- Employment Services - $72,120
- Motion Picture and Video Industries - $66,210
Whether you are interested in working in animation, film and video, advertising, publishing or another industry, Massachusetts is home to a large number of employers in these fields and more that are always looking for fresh talent. Some options include:
- Anzovin Studio, Florence
- Arnold Worldwide, Boston
- Bark! (A Creative Agency), North Chelmsford
- Clambake Animation, Watertown
- Connelly Partners, Boston
- DigitasLBi, Boston
- Dreamlight Animation Studio, Boston
- Full Contact, Boston
- Gabriel Polonsky Studio (GPS), Boston
- Global Mechanic, Boston
- Havas Edge, Boston
- Hero4Hire Creative, Waltham
- Hill Holiday, Boston
- Machinegraphics Animation, Boston
- MMB, Boston
- Mullen Lowe, Boston
- New England Studios, Devens
- Red Sky Studios, Allston
- Six-Point Creative Works, Springfield
- Soup2Nuts, Watertown
While opportunities can be found throughout the state, you can increase your chances of landing a position by searching major cities such as Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell, Cambridge.
Awesome Animation Fact: In Monsters, Inc. (2011), when Boo attempted to get Sully to stay and play at the end of the film, she offered him a toy Nemo, the first glimpse we got of Nemo, who would be the focus of Finding Nemo two years later. It’s common, in fact, to introduce future characters in background scenes of Pixar films. -Pajiba
