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What are the best animation school programs in Massachusetts for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Boston | #7 on East Coast | #28 |
| #2 | Northeastern University | Boston | #12 on East Coast | Unranked |
| #3 | Tufts University | Boston | #20 on East Coast | Unranked |
| #4 | Harvard University | Cambridge | #22 on East Coast | Unranked |
| #5 | Emerson College | Boston | #26 on East Coast | Unranked |
Our 2025 ranking -our fifteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Massachusetts.
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.
1. Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, Massachusetts
The Animation Department at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) has an Animation BFA program that allows students to present first-year projects at the college’s very own Brant Gallery. Other program highlights include dedicated state-of-the-art stop motion stations, classrooms, digital studios, and labs; courses taught by industry professionals; internships; collaborative projects; and campus events such as screenings and exhibitions. Students will graduate with a market-ready animated work and a professional portfolio. Graduates work at places such as Nickelodeon, Disney, Warner Bros. Animation, Netflix, Titmouse, Epic Games, LAIKA, FableVision Studios, Adventure Time, and Storm8.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to MassArts' position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Excellent Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 2)
Faculty Size: Large Faculty (Tier 2)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Moderate Average Net Cost (Tier 3)
Student Indebtedness: Elevated Student debt (Tier 4)
Graduation Rate: Moderate Graduation Rate (Tier 3)
First-Year Retention Rate: Strong First-Year Student Retention (Tier 2)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
2. Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
Northeastern University provides several paths to study animation. Options include the College of Arts, Media and Design’s (CAMD) Art + Design BFA with an Animation concentration, Game Art and Animation BFA, and Animation minor, along with the Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ Computer Science BS (CS BS) with a combined major in Media Arts. All students benefit from partnerships with co-op employers such as Disney, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Lucasfilm; opportunities to explore other areas such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), extended reality (XR), and game design; and culminating experiences leading to an animated film or other work. Graduates are routinely hired by co-op employers. Additional examples include DreamWorks, Electronic Arts (EA), Pixar, and Universal.
Northeastern University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to Northeastern University's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Strong Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 3)
Faculty Size: Mid-Sized Faculty (Tier 3)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Selective (Tier 1)
Average Net Cost: Elevated Average Net Cost (Tier 4)
Student Indebtedness: Elevated Student debt (Tier 4)
Graduation Rate: Exceptional Graduation Rate (Tier 1)
First-Year Retention Rate: Exceptional First-Year Student Retention (Tier 1)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
3. Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA at Tufts) provides two paths to study animation. All options allow students to focus in areas such as Animation, Virtual Reality, Digital Media, Film and Video, or Graphic Arts. Degrees include the Studio Art BFA; Combined Studio Art BFA + BA/BS; and the Studio MFA. Across programs, students benefit from 24/7 access to the Animation Studios at SMFA, which houses a private animation suite; professional internships; seminars; visiting artists; and study abroad experiences. Programs culminate with a final project and exhibition. Graduates have been hired at places such as Blizzard Entertainment, NBCUniversal, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, and NPR.
Tufts University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to Tufts' position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Moderate Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 4)
Faculty Size: Small Faculty (Tier 4)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Selective (Tier 1)
Average Net Cost: Elevated Average Net Cost (Tier 4)
Student Indebtedness: Low Student Debt (Tier 2)
Graduation Rate: Exceptional Graduation Rate (Tier 1)
First-Year Retention Rate: Exceptional First-Year Student Retention (Tier 1)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard has an AFVS BA program that allows students to customize a study plan. Students seeking an Animation focus can select from available courses such as Fundamentals of Animation; Coding and Interactivity for Artists; Experimental Animation; Drawing as Visual Language; Intermediate Animation; Film Sound/Film Music; and AI and Art. Other program benefits include internships; opportunities to work with faculty in focused seminars and studios; and access to the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, which houses state-of-the-art production studios, shops, and classrooms. The program culminates with a final project and presentation. Graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as DreamWorks, Disney, Google, NBCUniversal, MoMA, Warner Bros., Netflix, Apple, Meta, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and The Met.
Harvard University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to Harvard's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Modest Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 4)
Faculty Size: Compact Faculty (Tier 5)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Selective (Tier 1)
Average Net Cost: Low-mid Average Net Cost (Tier 2)
Student Indebtedness: Minimal Student Debt (Tier 1)
Graduation Rate: Exceptional Graduation Rate (Tier 1)
First-Year Retention Rate: Exceptional First-Year Student Retention (Tier 1)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
5. Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts
The School of Film, Television, and Media Arts at Emerson College (Emerson) Houses the Media Arts Production (MAP) BA/BFA program. Juniors in the MAP BA program have the option to complete the BA or apply for entry into the school's professional MAP BFA program. BFA seniors will complete a yearlong project, reel, or portfolio capstone project to graduate. The culminating experience for the MAP BA is a single capstone project. Across programs, students benefit from access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities such as the Emerson College Emerging Media Lab (EML); hands-on work experience through Emerson Productions or the Equipment Distribution Center (EDC); and participation in Emerson Los Angeles (ELA), with opportunities to work with Disney, Sony, and Lionsgate. Graduates have been hired at places such as MGM Studios, Searchlight Pictures, Bunim/Murray Productions, Digital Domain, and Worldwide Pants.
Emerson College — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to Emerson's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Moderate Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 4)
Faculty Size: Compact Faculty (Tier 5)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Selective (Tier 2)
Average Net Cost: Substantial Average Net Cost (Tier 5)
Student Indebtedness: Elevated Student debt (Tier 4)
Graduation Rate: Strong Graduation Rate (Tier 2)
First-Year Retention Rate: Strong First-Year Student Retention (Tier 2)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.