| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School of Visual Arts | New York |
| 2 | Rhode Island School of Design | Rhode Island |
| 3 | Pratt Institute | New York |
| 4 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| 5 | The New School | New York |
| 6 | Maryland Institute College of Art | Maryland |
| 7 | Syracuse University | New York |
| 8 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Massachusetts |
| 9 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Virginia |
| 10 | Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | Pennsylvania |
| 11 | Rochester Institute of Technology | New York |
| 12 | Moore College of Art and Design | Pennsylvania |
| 13 | University of Hartford | Connecticut |
| 14 | University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| 15 | University of Connecticut | Connecticut |
| 16 | Lesley University | Massachusetts |
| 17 | Maine College of Art and Design | Maine |
| 18 | Queens College | New York |
| 19 | George Mason University | Virginia |
| 20 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
Our 2025 list of the Top 20 Illustration Schools in the East. For reference, we define the East Coast as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here.
School of Visual Arts (SVA) provides several paths to study illustration including a Comics BFA, Illustration BFA, and Illustration as Visual Essay MFA. All students have opportunities to participate in exhibitions at SVA’s Chelsea Gallery; enter competitions hosted by Graphis Inc., and the Society of Illustrators; and work with publications such as The New Yorker and The Village Voice. SVA Comics and Illustration graduates have gone on the establish careers in fields such as advertising, graphic design, book publishing, packaging, animation, greeting card design, printmaking, fine art, and fashion design.
With approximately 300 undergraduate students, the Illustration BFA at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is the schools largest program. In 2022, the school launched a two-year, 60-credit Illustration MFA designed for students seeking leadership roles in art or academia. All students have access to RISD Museum, Woods-Gerry Gallery, and many others; Fleet Library; and labs such as the Color Lab, Co-Nature Lab, and Works Research Lab. Graduates have been hired at places such as DreamWorks, HBO, and Pixar. Some RISD alumni have also gone on to launch their own studios and freelance businesses.
The School of Art at Pratt Institute (Pratt) houses an Illustration AOS program and a Graphic Design/Illustration AAS program. Established in 2014, Pratt’s School of Design houses a Communications Design BFA with an emphasis in Illustration. Across programs, students benefit from courses taught by industry insiders; access to state-of-the-art maker spaces and labs; internships; study abroad experiences in Berlin or the UK; and intensive portfolio development courses. Graduates have been hired at places such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Amazon, DreamWorks, Scholastic, Disney, Cartoon Network, Penguin Random House, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Gameloft, and Hasbro.
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) houses the School of Art and Design, which provides AAS, BFA, and MFA degrees in Illustration. Undergraduate programs feature mentoring workshops led by professional illustrators; participation in student art exhibitions; and access to the industry's top professional organization—the Society of Illustrators. Students in the BFA program may also participate in the FIT Internship Program and/or study abroad in Florence. FIT Illustration MFA students will participate in an exhibition that takes place at a local gallery. FIT Illustration alumni have been hired at places such as Disney, Vogue, DreamWorks, Revlon, Harper’s BAZAAR, BBDO Worldwide, Hallmark, and Ogilvy.
The New School is home to Parsons School of Design (Parsons). Within Parsons is the School of Art, Media, & Technology (AMT), which provides an Illustration BFA program that allows students to add a minor such as Immersive Storytelling or enroll in a dual BA/BFA. Students also benefit from internships with Apple, Nickelodeon, or The New York Times, among others; access to the state-of-the-art Making Center; and participation in events such as Comic Arts Brooklyn and MoCCA Fest. Program alumni have been hired at places such as Rockstar Games, The New York Times, Urban Outfitters, LAIKA, The Society of Illustrators, Vice Media, Viking Books, Tiffany & Company, Amplify, and Brooklyn Print House.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) has several paths to study Illustration including an Illustration BFA with Preproduction and Sequential Art tracks; an Illustration MA; the Illustration Practice MFA; and an Illustration minor. All students benefit from MICA’s relationships with organizations such as the Museum of Comics and Cartoon Arts, Baltimore Comic-Con, the Small Press Expo, and the Toronto Comics Art Festival. Graduates have freelanced for or been hired at places such as DreamWorks Animation, DC Comics, The New York Times, Pixar, Johns Hopkins Institute of Nanobiology, Google, Apple, National Geographic, and Anthropologie. Some Illustration alumni have also gone on to launch their own independent studios.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) at Syracuse University (SU) houses the School of Art. Within the school are BFA and MFA degrees in illustration with opportunities to attend MoCCAFest in New York, study abroad in Florence, Italy, or spend a semester in Los Angeles through the VPA LA Semester program. BFA students may focus in areas such as Editorial or Visual Development. In addition to exhibition opportunities on campus and in New York, MFA students have opportunities to interact with professionals within the arts and publishing industries. SU VPA graduates have been hired at places such as Apple, CBS, Netflix, Louis Vuitton, ESPN, Macy’s, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Haddad Brands.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) has an Illustration BFA program that focuses in narrative and character development. All students have the opportunity to complete an internship, independent study, and/or a course assistantship. The program culminates with a thesis, portfolio, and presentation for professionals from the advertising, editorial, publishing, and corporate markets. Graduates of the Art and Design programs at MassArt have been hired at places such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Hasbro, Discovery Channel, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and MGM Studios.
The School of the Arts (VCUarts) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) houses the Department of Communication Arts. Within the department is a Communication Arts BFA program that explores drawing, mixed-media illustration, 3D modeling, and more. Course examples include The Figure in Illustration; Imagery for Children; and 3D Modeling for Concept Design. The program culminates with a professional portfolio of the student s best work. Graduates go on to establish careers as editorial illustrators, comic artists, interactive media designers, game artists, and children’s book illustrators,
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (PCA&D) has an Illustration BFA program that allows students to select a concentration (Contemporary or Classical); a minor such as Animation and Game Art or Graphic Design; and/or a certificate such as Packaging Design, Filmmaking, Live Experience Design and Production, or UX/UI Design. Other Illustration BFA features include participation in the PCA&D mentorship program; the annual Design in a Day event; and a required internship off-campus or through PCA&D’s in-house internship program—The Agency. Graduates have worked for clients such as Hasbro, Disney, The Wall Street Journal, A&E Network, PBS Kids, Adidas, HBO, and ESPN.
The College of Art and Design at Rochester Institute of Technology houses the School of Art—home to the Illustration BFA, and Medical Illustration BFA and MFA programs. The Medical Illustration MFA is one of only five programs of its kind in North America, and the only program of its kind in the Northeast. Programs feature access to state-of-the-art facilities such as Studio 96 and the Illustration Studio; visiting artists; Creative Industry Day where students have the opportunity to interview with company representatives for cooperative (co-op) education experiences and permanent positions; and the opportunity to exhibit works in an RIT gallery. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Editorial Illustrator, Cartoonist, Storyboard Artist, Book Illustrator, Advertising Illustrator, and Medical Illustrator.
Moore College of Art and Design (Moore) houses an Illustration BFA program and an Illustration minor that can be added to any major. All students benefit from mentoring by industry professionals; access to state-of-the-art computer labs, illustration studios, and production facilities; intensive workshops and critiques; studio tours; and field trips to comic cons. BFA students also have the unique opportunity to complete a $1,000 paid internship. In the final year of the program, students will complete the Senior Studio and the Senior Thesis courses. Moore graduates have been hired at places such as Nickelodeon, Mattel, Apple, the Smithsonian Institution, Vanity Fair, Penguin Publishing Group, and NBCUniversal.
Hartford Art School (HAS) at University of Hartford (UHart) provides BFA and MFA degrees in Illustration. An 18 credit hour Illustration minor is also available. All HAS students have opportunities to complete an internship with partners such as ESPN and Art Basil/Bass Museum. Other program benefits include visiting artists; study abroad experiences at institutions such as Glasgow School of Art (Scotland), and Slade School of Fine Art (London); and studio tours at places such as Nickelodeon, Electronic Arts (EA), and DreamWorks. BFA graduates go on to establish careers in areas such as publishing, animation, comics, editorial, advertising, game art, and exhibit design. Illustration MFA alumni are prepared for leadership roles across industries, teaching positions, or to launch their own studios.
The Stuart Weitzman School of Design at University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) houses the Department of Fine Arts. Program options for students seeking careers in illustration include the interdisciplinary BA in Fine Arts; the integrative Design BA; and the Art MFA. Students in all programs can study illustration through electives and required studio coursework. Graduates go on to establish successful careers at animation studios, game design studios, creative agencies, galleries, and publishing companies.
The School of Fine Arts at University of Connecticut (UConn) houses the Department of Art and Art History (AAH). Within the department is an Animation/Illustration concentration for students in the Art BFA and Studio Art BA programs. Students have the opportunity to create projects in digital and analog environments including children’s illustration; comics, cartoons, and graphic novels; book, editorial, and institutional illustration; and 2D and stop-motion animation. UConn Illustration/Animation graduates go on to land positions at places such as Pixar, Lego, Google, and Stoopid Buddy Studios. Some graduates also go on to enroll in MFA programs at places such as Yale University or Royal College of Art (London).
The College of Art and Design at Lesley University houses the Illustration BFA, minor, and certificate programs. All students have access to state-of-the-art studios; mentorship opportunities with professional illustrators in the Greater Boston area; and internship opportunities at places such as Disney, National Geographic, and Cartoon Network. Illustration BFA and certificate students also have opportunities to participate in critiques, workshops, and trips to cultural institutions in Boston and Cambridge. Graduates go on to land positions in industries such as advertising, entertainment, publishing, and education. Potential titles include Technical Illustrator, Cartoonist, and Book Illustrator.
Maine College of Art and Design (MECA&D) has an Illustration BFA program that provides the opportunity to complete an internship at places such as Hasbro and the Illustration Institute. Other program features include small class sizes with shared workspaces; access to state-of-the-art labs and studios; and courses taught by professional designers, illustrators, and other creatives. The program culminates a portfolio of the student’s best work. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles in children’s book publishing, game design, animation, comics, magazine illustration, graphic novels, toy design, newspaper publishing, cartooning, graphic design, architecture, technical illustration, and art education.
The School of Art (SoA) at Queens College houses the Design BFA program with a concentration in Animation and Illustration, and the Animation and Illustration minor. Course example across options includes Illustration I-II; Storyboarding and Storytelling; Graphic Novel I-II; and Children’s Book Illustration. BFA students have the opportunity to complete a professional internship, and all students have access to state-of-the-art computer labs; workshops; and production studios. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as book publishing, animation, magazine and newspaper publishing, game art and design, comic books, fine art, advertising, and graphic design.
George Mason University houses the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). Within the CVPA, is the School of Art (SOA), home to the Art and Visual Technology (AVT) BA and BFA programs. BA students will complete a required minor (such as Illustration), double major, or double degree. BFA students will complete illustration and illustration-related courses through the Graphic Design or Studio Arts concentration. Course examples include Illustration; Comics; Drawing; and Book Arts. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Editorial Illustrator; Comic Book Artist; Animator; Book Illustrator; Storyboard Artist; Technical Illustrator; and Graphic Designer.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) houses the Department of Design. Within the department is a Communication Design (KUCD) BFA program that allows students to specialize in Illustration. Recognized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the program features field trips to design studios and art shows; opportunities to participate in KU’s annual Designathon event; access to dedicated state-of-the-art computer labs and art studios; and the opportunity to exhibit work at KU’s Sharadin Arts Building. The program culminates with a final project and exhibition. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles in children’s books, magazine publishing, comics, advertising, digital design, animation, graphic design, branding, and game design.
