| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School of Visual Arts | New York |
| 2 | Rhode Island School of Design | Rhode Island |
| 3 | ArtCenter College of Design | California |
| 4 | Ringling College of Art and Design | Florida |
| 5 | Savannah College of Art and Design | Georgia |
| 6 | Pratt Institute | New York |
| 7 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| 8 | The New School | New York |
| 9 | California College of the Arts | California |
| 10 | Brigham Young University | Utah |
| 11 | College for Creative Studies | Michigan |
| 12 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minnesota |
| 13 | Maryland Institute College of Art | Maryland |
| 14 | San Jose State University | California |
| 15 | Otis College of Art and Design | California |
| 16 | Syracuse University | New York |
| 17 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Massachusetts |
| 18 | Washington University in St. Louis | Missouri |
| 19 | Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design | Wisconsin |
| 20 | Kansas City Art Institute | Missouri |
| 21 | Columbus College of Art and Design | Ohio |
| 22 | California State University, Long Beach | California |
| 23 | Cleveland Institute of Art | Ohio |
| 24 | California State University, Fullerton | California |
| 25 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design | Colorado |
The 2025 top 25 schools and colleges offering Illustration Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
School of Visual Arts (SVA) provides two undergraduate paths to study illustration including the Comics BFA and Illustration BFA. 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. Students in this program 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.
ArtCenter College of Design (ArtCenter) houses an Illustration BFA program with five different tracks. Options include Fine Art Painting; Illustration Design; Entertainment Arts; Motion Design; and Surface Design. Graduates have gone on to secure employment with places such as Apple, The New Yorker, Microsoft, The Los Angeles Times, Walt Disney Imagineering, BMW, Wieden+Kennedy (Tokyo), Google, Marvel Studios, Smithsonian Magazine, Riot Games, DreamWorks, Mattel, Adidas, Blizzard Entertainment, and Nike.
The Illustration Department at Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) has an Illustration BFA program with two paths including General Illustration and Visual Development. To enhance the program, students can add a minor such as Graphic Design or Creative Writing. Other program benefits include 24/7 access to Cintiq labs and drawing studios; internships with places such as Pixar and Hasbro; and the opportunity to work at RCAD’s In-House Design firm the Design Center. Program alumni have been hired at places such as Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Apple, Cartoon Network, Hallmark, EA Games, Google, American Greetings, Riot Games, Abercrombie & Fitch, Disney, Hasbro, United Airlines, and GM.
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) provides has an Illustration BFA program that allows students to enhance the degree through electives or by adding a minor such as Advertising and Branding or Scientific Illustration. The BFA also requires a concentration in Dynamic Illustration and Publication; Illustration for Surface Design; or Visual Development. Graduates have landed positions at places such as The New York Times, Walt Disney Imagineering, A&E, Bento Box Entertainment, and Converse.
The School of Design at Pratt Institute (Pratt) houses a Communications Design BFA with an emphasis in Illustration. 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 a BFA in Illustration. Features include 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 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. 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.
California College of the Arts (CCA) houses an Illustration BFA program that culminates with a semester-long thesis project and a Senior Show that attracts local design professionals and artists from across the U.S. Throughout the program, students will work on collaborative projects in state-of-the-art production facilities and labs; tour local production studios; participate in critiques; and complete a professional practice course that focuses on how to start and run a freelance or small business. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in fields such as illustration, graphic design, fine art, and animation.
The College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC) at Brigham Young University (BYU) houses the Department of Design. Within the Department is a Limited Enrollment (LEP) Illustration BFA program that accepts just 40 students per academic year. With courses such as 3D Digital Illustration, Sketchbook, and Narrative Illustration, this 120 credit hour program culminates with the BFA Illustration Capstone Project. Graduates go on to secure roles in advertising, publishing, medical and scientific illustration, entertainment, exhibition design, architecture, fashion design, and mural production. Some program alumni have also gone on to launch their own creative studios or freelance businesses.
College for Creative Studies (CCS) has an Illustration BFA program that provides opportunities to intern at places such as Disney, Insomniac Games, Ball Aerospace, Crispin, Mattel Inc., Reader’s Digest, Cartoon Network, and Hasbro. Electives for the program allow students to focus in a specific area of illustration. CCS Illustration graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as Disney, Nike, Blizzard Entertainment, The New York Times, Ford, Cartoon Network, The Washington Post, ESPN, and Converse.
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) has an Illustration BFA program that highlights hands-on coursework and the option to focus in any area of Illustration. Examples include children’s book illustration; courtroom illustration; illustration for entertainment (animation and games); comic book illustration; surface design; product illustration; advertising illustration; and editorial illustration. Students may also add a minor such as Graphic Design. The program culminates with a senior project and presentation. Graduates enjoy a 93% employment rate, with nearly 60% of all MCAD alumni landing positions in their chosen field.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) has an Illustration BFA program with Preproduction and Sequential Art tracks. Students in this program 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 Department of Design at San Jose State University’s (SJSU) houses an Animation and Illustration BFA program. Program benefits include partnerships with studios such as Sony Pictures Animation, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and DreamWorks; access to state-of-the-art production facilities and labs; immersive workshops; guest lecturers and speakers from major studios; and professional internships. Graduates have been hired at more than 135 animation, film, and game design studios. Examples include Pixar, Electronic Arts (EA), Sony Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment, NBCUniversal Studios, Disney Animation, Cartoon Network, Lucasfilm Animation, Nickelodeon, Zynga, and 20th Century Studios.
The Communication Arts Department at Otis College of Art and Design (OTIS) has an Illustration BFA program that allows students to focus in one or more areas through more than a dozen minor options. Examples include Advertising Design, Book Arts, and Digital Media. Other program features include access to state-of-the-art facilities and labs; internships and study abroad experiences; field trips to studios and conventions; immersive workshops; and visiting lecturers and artists. Graduates have been hired at places such as Apple, Disney, Nike, Condé Nast, Ogilvy, LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), Mattel, Hallmark, Netflix, LA Weekly, Sony, WB Network, 20th Century Studios, and Target.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) at Syracuse University (SU) houses the School of Art. Within the school is an Illustration BFA program that provides opportunities to attend MoCCA Fest in New York, study abroad in Florence, Italy, or spend a semester in Los Angeles through the VPA LA Semester program. Students may focus in areas such as Editorial or Visual Development 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 Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is home to the College of Art, which houses a BFA in Studio Art and Design with a major in Communication Design. Students can craft an unofficial concentration in illustration through electives. Minors allow students to enhance the degree further by selecting courses in areas such as the illustrated book studio, drawing, and painting. The program culminates with a capstone displayed in a public exhibition and reviewed by art and design professionals. Program alumni go on to establish careers in all areas of art and design, publishing, advertising, and entertainment, among others.
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) has an Illustration BFA program that highlights collaborative projects with real clients, professional internships, and degree-enhancing minors such as Book Arts, Advertising, and Digital Media Production. The program culminates with the Illustration Thesis Project, Portfolio, and student-designed MIAD Exhibition. In addition to creating works for The New Yorker, HBO, Amazon Studios, Time, Nike, and Variety, MIAD illustration graduates have landed positions at places such as Hallmark, Estée Lauder, Walt Disney Animation, Harley-Davidson, Kohl’s Corporate, Milwaukee Public Television, and Kimberly-Clark. Some graduates have also gone on to launch their own agencies and studios such as THIEL Design and Studio8Design.
The Department of Illustration at Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is one of the school’s largest and fastest growing departments. Within the department is a BFA program that provides the opportunity to work in the on-campus agency, MICRO. Clients have included the Kansas City Royals and Children’s Mercy Hospital. All Illustration BFA students will also complete a mandatory internship with places such as The Kansas City Star, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Boulevard Brewing Company, and The American Jazz Museum. The program culminates with an exhibition. Graduates have been hired at major companies and studios such as Nickelodeon, Hallmark, Nike, American Greetings, and MTV.
Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) has an Illustration BFA program that gives all students the opportunity to work with professional comic writers and artists on the design, merchandising, and sale of the student publication Spitball: A CCAD Comics Anthology. Students will also work with storytellers, animators, comic artists, and professional writers through Cartoon Crossroads Columbus. The CCAD Illustration BFA program culminates with the Illustration Capstone. Graduates go on to land positions at places such as Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Ogilvy, Marvel Comics, Boeing, Hallmark, Disney, Sony Pictures, DC Comics, The Wall Street Journal, Hasbro, Cartoon Network, and American Greetings.
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB or Cal State Long Beach) is home the College of the Arts (COTA). One of CSLUB’s largest and most popular colleges, COTA houses the School of Art (SoA), which has Art BFA program with an Illustration option. Students have the unique opportunity to collaborate with students in the Animation program. CSULB Illustration graduates are prepared to pursue roles in areas such as animation, comic books, toy design, game art, graphic novels, advertising, and medical illustration.
The Illustration program at Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) consists of the Illustration BFA and the Life Sciences Illustration BFA. Students in both programs benefit from individual studio spaces; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; field trips to advertising agencies and professional studios; interactions with visiting artists; small-group seminars; and real world experiences through partnerships with clients such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Graduates have gone on to publish children’s books, launch their own independent studios, and land positions at places such as Disney Animation Studios, the Olympic Games, Electronic Arts (EA), and Bethesda Game Studios.
California State University, Fullerton (CSUF or Cal State Fullerton) is home to the College of the Arts. Within the college is the Department of Visual Arts, which houses an Art BFA with an Illustration concentration. Students benefit from intensive workshops and seminars; unlimited access to state-of-the-art production studios, labs, and equipment; internship opportunities; visiting artists; and study abroad experiences. The program culminates with a capstone project. Graduates have gone on to land roles with studios such as DreamWorks, Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, and Lucasfilm.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) houses an Illustration BFA program that can be completed on campus or online. An online Illustrative Design BFA is also available. The Illustration BFA has concentrations in Children’s Books, Concept Art, and Sequential Art. The Illustrative Design BFA explores technology, design thinking, graphic design, and illustration. All students benefit from small class sizes; internship opportunities; access to industry standard software and facilities; and collaborative projects with professional Illustrators. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles in areas such as advertising, graphic design, animation, book publishing, cartooning, game art, and comics.
