| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| 2 | San Jose State University | California |
| 3 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Massachusetts |
| 4 | California State University, Long Beach | California |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Virginia |
| 6 | University of Georgia | Georgia |
| 7 | California State University, Fullerton | California |
| 8 | University of Colorado Denver | Colorado |
| 9 | University of Arizona | Arizona |
| 10 | University of Utah | Utah |
| 11 | University of Central Florida | Florida |
| 12 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | North Carolina |
| 13 | Purdue University | Indiana |
| 14 | California State University, Northridge | California |
| 15 | University of Kansas | Kansas |
| 16 | University of Connecticut | Connecticut |
| 17 | East Carolina University | North Carolina |
| 18 | Kennesaw State University | Georgia |
| 19 | Iowa State University | Iowa |
| 20 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Illinois |
| 21 | Louisiana Tech University | Louisiana |
| 22 | Ferris State University | Michigan |
| 23 | California State University, Fresno | California |
| 24 | Boise State University | Idaho |
| 25 | Southern Utah University | Utah |
Our 2026 list of the Top 25 public college illustration programs in the U.S. The criteria we used for the animation rankings consists, in no particular order, of the following: Academic reputation, Employment data, Admission selectivity, Depth and breadth of the program, Value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness, Graduation rate, and Retention rate. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
The School of Art and Design at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) provides three illustration degrees including the AAS, BFA, and MFA. Courses and workshops for all undergraduate programs are led by professional illustrators working across NYC. Across all programs, students benefit from participation in the FIT Internship Program; study abroad experiences in Florence; participation in student art exhibitions at local galleries; and access to the Society of Illustrators. FIT Illustration graduates have been hired at places such as HarperCollins Publishers, Y&R, DreamWorks, BBDO Worldwide, Vogue, ABC, Ogilvy, Major League Baseball, The New York Times, Hallmark, Knopf Doubleday, and The New Yorker.
The Department of Design at San Jose State University (SJSU) provides two paths to study illustration including an Animation and Illustration BFA, and the Design Studies BA with a specialization in Animation and Illustration. Thanks to partnerships with studios such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Sony, and DreamWorks, Design Department students have opportunities to intern with some of the world’s top production studios. Other program highlights include guest lecturers from major studios; immersive workshops; and access to state-of-the-art production facilities and labs. In addition to ILM, Sony, and DreamWorks, graduates are routinely hired at places such as Lucasfilm Animation, Electronic Arts (EA), Warner Bros., Disney, Blizzard Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Pixar, and Riot Games.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) has an Illustration BFA program that begins with the Studio Foundation Year and ends with the Senior Thesis and Portfolio Night. Students present their year-long, immersive thesis projects to an audience of invited publishers, editorial professionals, advertising agencies, corporations, and academics. All students will also have opportunities to complete a course assistantship, independent study, and/or professional internship. Illustration BFA and other MassArt graduates have been hired at places such as DC Comics, Pixar, Warner Bros. Discovery, Hasbro, Sony Pictures Imageworks, MGM Studios, Candlewick Press, Hallmark, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
The School of Art (SoA) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) houses the Art BFA and Studio Art MFA programs with an Illustration option. A one-year Biomedical Illustration certificate is also available. BFA and MFA students have the opportunity to focus in areas such as visual development, concept art, and storyboarding. They can also collaborate with students in the SoA Animation program. Graduates can be found at places such as DreamWorks, Penguin Random House, The New York Times, Disney, Blizzard Entertainment, DC Comics, Nickelodeon, Sony, Netflix, Warner Bros., Marvel, Hallmark, The Los Angeles Times, Simon & Schuster, Mattel, Wired, Nike, HarperCollins, and The Atlantic.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is home to the School of the Arts (VCUarts), which houses a Communication Arts BFA program with specializations in Scientific Illustration and Visual Effects. A Scientific Illustration minor is also available. Across programs, students will take courses such as Illustration I-III; Drawing Studio; Figure I-III; Time Studio; Surface Research; and Business of Art. Other program highlights include access to state-of-the-art production studios and labs; professional internships; and the opportunity to showcase works at annual student exhibitions and showcases. Graduates are routinely hired at places such as Wieden+Kennedy, Apple, Qatar Museums, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Amazon, Saatchi & Saatchi, Capital One, The Martin Agency, and Spotify.
The Lamar Dodd School of Art at University of Georgia (UGA) houses an Art BFA with a concentration in Scientific Illustration (SI). One of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the world, the Art BFA/SI features dedicated classrooms; year-round study abroad in Cortona, Italy; New York Maymester; access to state-of-the-art studios production facilities and studios; professional internships; and the Senior Capstone and Exhibition. Graduates have secured roles with the U.S. Military, National Geographic, Scholastic, Nature Cell and Science, The Smithsonian, Pfizer, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The College of the Arts at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is home to the Department of Visual Arts, which houses the Art BFA and MFA programs with an Illustration concentration. Program highlights include immersive workshops; internships and study abroad experiences; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; seminars; and visiting artists. Graduates can be found at places such as Electronic Arts (EA), Lucasfilm, Penguin Random House, DreamWorks, Blizzard Entertainment, Cartoon Network, Riot Games, Disney, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Netflix, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.
The College of Arts and Media (CAM) at University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) houses a Visual Arts BFA program with an Illustration emphasis and an Illustration minor. All students have access to state-of-the art digital labs, sculpture studios, and industrial equipment. BFA students also have opportunities to complete a professional internship; study abroad; and collaborate on projects for clients such as Pixar and the Denver Art Museum. The program culminates with the Illustration BFA Thesis and Exhibition. Graduates go on to land roles at places such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Pixar, Google, Apple, Nickelodeon, Disney, Lucasfilm, Sony, the Denver Art Museum, Warner Bros., and NBCUniversal.
The School of Art at University of Arizona (UArizona) is home to a multidisciplinary Studio Art program with an Illustration, Design, and Animation (IDA) emphasis. This option is open to students in both the BFA and MFA Studio Art programs. All student benefit from participation in the Book Art Collective or UA Illustration + Design; field trips; collaborative projects with local clients; professional internships; study abroad experiences; and an exhibition in the School of Art Lionel Rombach and Joseph Gross galleries. Graduates can be found at places such as The New York Times, Disney, Rolling Stone, Google, Esquire, the Arizona Cardinals, Sports Illustrated, and Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Tucson.
The Art BFA program at University of Utah (The U) has an Illustration emphasis that consists of 20 required courses. Examples include Illustration: Narrative Approaches; Digital Drawing; Communication Design; and the Illustration Capstone culminating with a website, marketing materials, and portfolio. Other program highlights include participation in the ArtsForce program, which focuses on professional development and networking; hands-on courses and projects; and summer study abroad programs in drawing and printmaking. Graduates have secured positions at places such as Penguin Random House, Cartoon Network, Scholastic, Disney, The Atlantic, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and DreamWorks.
The School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD) at University of Central Florida (UCF) has two paths to study illustration. Options include the Art BA with a Studio track and Illustration focus, and a Studio Art BFA with a Drawing/Illustration emphasis. Students in both programs benefit from professional internships; state-of-the-art studios and labs; and study abroad experiences. The culminating experiences for the programs include the BFA Exhibit/Seminar, and a professional portfolio (BA). UCF SVAD alumni have established careers at places such as NASA, Pixar, Microsoft, Penguin Random House, Marvel, Apple, Hasbro, Scholastic, DreamWorks, Lockheed Martin, Nickelodeon, Amazon, and Universal Orlando.
The College of Arts + Architecture (COA+A) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) is home to the Department of Art and Art History, which houses an Art BFA with a concentration in Illustration. Program study abroad experiences in places like Italy, Poland, and Korea; paid internships; campus organizations such as the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Student Chapter; access to the state-of-the-art studios and labs; and exhibition spaces. Graduates have landed positions with the Charlotte Hornets, Lowe’s Design Department, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and EPAM Systems.
The Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University (Purdue) is home to the Integrated Studio Arts BFA with a minor in Drawing and Illustration. Students in the program have access to state-of-the-art production facilities as well as opportunities to travel to galleries, conferences, and design exhibitions. Other program highlights include internships; visiting artists and designers; and a co-op program. Graduates are routinely hired at places such as Cartoon Network, Disney, Sony, Penguin Random House, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), DreamWorks, Scholastic, Hasbro, Gameloft, and Target.
Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication at California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge) is home to the Department of Art. Within the department is an Illustration concentration open to students in the Art BA/BFA programs, and the Visual Arts MA/MFA programs. All students may join the CSUN Illustration Society and IntersectLA (IXLA); complete an internship; attend club events; and study abroad in Japan or Italy. CSUN alumni have been hired at places such as IDEO, DreamWorks, Wolff Olins, Apple, Universal Pictures, Amazon, Disney, Microsoft, Netflix, Warner Bros., Google, Atlassian, Sony, American Express, the LA Phil, Autodesk, Honda, Paramount, and Fox.
The School of Architecture and Design at University of Kansas (KU) is home to the Design BFA program with a concentration in Illustration. In addition to dedicated labs and creative spaces, the program highlights hands-on projects and coursework that take place in a studio environment. Students also benefit from opportunities to collaborate with KU industry partners such as Pepsi and AT&T; semester-long internships; workshops led by industry insiders; and a variety of short- and long-term study abroad experiences. Graduates have been hired by major companies and studios such as Hallmark, Disney, Garmin, Pixar, New Balance, IBM, Adidas, Gensler, Timberland, Accenture, Otter Box, Vans, and HKS.
The School of Fine Arts at University of Connecticut (UConn) houses the Department of Art and Art History (AAH). Within the department are the ART BA and BFA programs with a concentration in Animation/Illustration. The concentration provides opportunities to pursue projects in areas such as cartoons, comics, and graphic novels; children’s, editorial, book, and corporate/institutional illustration; environment and character; 2-D and stop-motion animation; and product design. Other program highlights include access to state-of-the-art labs and studios; internships; workshop; guest speakers; and study abroad experiences. Graduates can be found at places such as The New York Times, Pentagram, The Met, Pixar, Lego, Marvel, The New Yorker, Google Creative Lab, Macmillan Publishers, and ESPN.
The School of Art and Design (SoAD) at East Carolina University (ECU) houses an Art BFA program with a concentration in illustration. The program highlights courses and interdisciplinary studios in areas such as letterpress, community arts, and book arts. Students also have access to state-of-the art computer and opportunities to compete an internship study abroad in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The program culminates the BFA Exhibition. Graduates have been hired at places such as Penguin Random House, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh (NCMA Raleigh), DreamWorks, Amazon, Cartoon Network, Scholastic, Gameloft, Disney, Hasbro, Sony, and Greenville Museum of Art.
Geer College of the Arts at Kennesaw State University (KSU) houses the School of Art and Design (SOAAD). Within the school is an Art BFA program with concentrations Illustration, and Comics and Sequential Art. To enhance the Art BFA, students can add a second concentration such as Graphic Communications. Other program highlights summer art intensives; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; and the opportunity to study abroad and enroll in the Comics curriculum at ESA Saint-Luc in Brussels, Belgium. SOAAD graduates have secured positions at places such as Cartoon Network, Target, Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), Yamaha Motor Corporation, Home Depot, Mohawk Industries, and KSU.
The College of Design at Iowa State University (Iowa State) houses the state’s only Illustration BFA program. The school also houses a Scientific Illustration and Visualization BA and minor; customizable Art BA and BFA programs; and a flexible Integrated Visual Arts MFA. As part of the College of Design, all students may participate in the Rome Program in Iowa State’s studio facilities at the historic Palazzo Cenci Bolognetti. During this study abroad experience, students have the opportunity to collaborate with local design professionals in a fully licensed facility. Graduates go on to establish careers with the Des Moines Art Center, IBM, 3M, Abbott Laboratories, Alpha Graphics, and The Albia Newspapers.
The College of Applied Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) has a Biomedical Visualization MS (BVIS MS) that’s suitable for students seeking advanced roles in traditional illustration, scientific and medical illustration, technical animation, and other related areas. Course examples include Illustration Techniques; Visual Storytelling in Biomedical Visualization; Animation I-IV; Surgical Illustration; Modeling I-III; and Advanced Illustration Techniques. Other program highlights include seminars and workshops; partnerships with animation studios and museums; professional internships; access to state-of-the art lab dans studios; and independent study. Graduates have been hired at places such as Nexstar Media Group, Accenture, Crain Communications, Eli Lilly and Company, Chicago Fire, Oracle, and NEWSWELL.
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech) provides several pathways to study illustration. Options include a Studio Art BFA; a Scientific Visual Communication BS; a Biological Visualization certificate; and minors in Medical Illustration and Scientific Visualization. All programs feature courses that cover traditional illustration. In addition, students may customize an illustration focus through electives. Other highlights across programs include access to state-of-the art labs and studios; internships; mentoring by active artists and designers; and partnerships with Graphic Packaging International and Deloitte, among others. Graduates have been hired at places such as Boeing, Disney, Amazon, IBM, Gensler, and Dell.
Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) at Ferris State University (Ferris State) houses Illustration BFA and minor programs; a Life Sciences and Pre-Medical Illustration BFA option; and a Natural Science Illustration certificate. Across programs students will develop skills in traditional illustration techniques, digital painting, and publication design. Other highlights include access to state-of-the-art labs and studios; electives options such as Children’s Book Design and Graphic Design for Illustrators; the KCAD Illustration Society; faculty-led trips to Italy and Sweden; and internships. Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, Epic Games, BBDO, Hallmark, Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, and Riot Games.
The School of Art, Design and Art History at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) houses a Graphic Design BFA program with an Illustration emphasis. In addition to courses such as UI/UX and Advanced Illustration, the program features smart classrooms; state-of-the-art labs and production facilities; internships and study abroad opportunities; and several galleries. The program culminates with a capstone project and portfolio. Graduates have been hired at places such as Nexstar Media Group, Cohen Communications, Fast signs, Cumulus Media, Golden Charter Academy, and Fresno State.
The Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies at Boise State University (BSU) houses an Illustration BFA program that begins with the basics of drawing, painting, graphic design, and printmaking. Students will begin upper-division courses during the second half of the program, and complete an internship. The culminating experience for the program is the public BFA Exhibition held at The Blue Galleries in the BSU Center for the Visual Arts. Graduates can be found at places such as Micron Technology, Advanced Sign, Boise Boutique Hotels, Oak View Group, Eberlestock USA, Alo Yoga, and Instant Imprints.
The Department of Filmmaking, Art and Design at Southern Utah University (SUU) houses a Studio Arts BFA program with an Illustration emphasis and minor. Program highlights include access to state-of-the-art studios and labs; immersive workshops and seminars; project critiques and discussions; internships; opportunities to exhibit works; and study abroad experiences. The program culminates with the BFA Exhibition and Portfolio event. Graduates are routinely hired at places such as Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Deseret News, Brain Storm Inc., Art Works Gallery, Esri, and the National Park Service.
