| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark | Unranked | Unranked |
| #2 | Rutgers University Camden | Camden | Unranked | Unranked |
| #3 | William Paterson University | Wayne | Unranked | Unranked |
| #4 | Montclair State University | Montclair | Unranked | Unranked |
| #5 | Fairleigh Dickinson University | Madison | Unranked | Unranked |
Our 2026 ranking -our fifteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in New Jersey.
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 New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) provides several paths to study animation. Options include the Digital Design BA (BADD) with Entertainment and Interactive Media tracks; the fully online Digital Design MS (MSDD) with a concentration in Animation Essentials; and a standalone online Animation Essentials graduate certificate. All students have opportunities to showcase works through competitions, curated exhibits and the annual ACM/SIGGRAPH Conference. Other program highlights include 24/7 access to labs and animation production facilities; internships; and study abroad experiences. Programs culminate with a final project and presentation. Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, NBCUniversal, Lionsgate, Framestore, MPC, and NFL Films.
The following factors contribute to NJIT'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: Fair Employment Outcomes (Tier 4)
Admissions Selectivity: Moderately Selective (Tier 3)
Average Net Cost: Low-mid Average Net Cost (Tier 2)
Student Indebtedness: Moderate Student Debt (Tier 3)
Graduation Rate: Strong Graduation Rate (Tier 2)
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.
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) at Rutgers University Camden (Rutgers-Camden) is the school’s largest academic unit. Within the FAS is the Department of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts, which houses the Art BA and BFA with an Animation concentration. An Animation minor that explores 2D/3D animation, VR production, and stop-motion is also available. Across programs, students have access to the state-of-the-art Electronic Arts Studios at Rutgers-Camden, which houses several animation labs, 2D/3D and editing software, graphic design studios, and post-production labs. Other program highlights include the ZoomOnArt Lecture Series; symposiums and presentations; and professional internships. Programs culminate with a capstone project. Graduates have contributed to video games such as Assassin’s Creed Unity, and productions like Ice Age, Frozen, and Happy Feet. Program alumni have also been hired at places such as Disney, BBC Studios, Warner Bros., Ubisoft, Digital Domain, and Psyop.
The following factors contribute to Rutgers University Camden's 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: Fair Employment Outcomes (Tier 4)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Low-mid Average Net Cost (Tier 2)
Student Indebtedness: Moderate Student Debt (Tier 3)
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.
The Department of Art at William Paterson University (WPU) provides several paths to study animation. Options include an Art BFA with an Animation and Multimedia concentration; the Visual Arts MFA with an Animation track; and a Digital Animation certificate that can be applied to the BFA and MFA programs or the Art Studio BA, among others. Across programs, students have access to state-of-the-art animation labs, equipment, and studios in the Power Arts Center and Ben Shahn Center for the Visual Arts. Other program highlights include internships; trips to conferences; and professional development activities such as participation in ASPIRE workshops. Programs culminate with a final project and presentation (BFA) or a visual arts project and exhibition (MFA). WPU alumni can be found at places such as Disney, NBCUniversal, MLB Network, iHeart Media, Nightdive Studios, and Fox News.
The following factors contribute to WPU'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: Moderate Employment Outcomes (Tier 3)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Accessible (Tier 5)
Average Net Cost: Low-mid Average Net Cost (Tier 2)
Student Indebtedness: Elevated Student debt (Tier 4)
Graduation Rate: Fair Graduation Rate (Tier 4)
First-Year Retention Rate: Moderate First-Year Student Retention (Tier 3)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
The College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University (Montclair State) houses an Animation and VFX BFA program that explores 2D/3D animation, immersive storytelling, visual effects, and game development. The school’s Bloomfield College also has a Creative Arts and Technology BA program with concentrations in 2D Animation; 3D Animation; and Game Design and Development.
Across programs, students benefit from small class sizes; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; creative internships at New York companies and studios; and study abroad experiences in places such as Italy and the UK. Programs culminate with a final project and exhibition. Graduates of the creative programs at Montclair State have been hired at places such as Microsoft, Saatchi & Saatchi, CBS, NBCUniversal, MLB Network, Verizon, Macy’s, Instagram, SiriusXM & Pandora, and MSNBC.
The following factors contribute to Montclair State University'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: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Minimal Average Net Cost (Tier 1)
Student Indebtedness: Moderate Student Debt (Tier 3)
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.
Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) provides many paths to study animation. Options include a Film and Animation BA with concentrations in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, and Video Game Animation; the Animation MA and MFA with concentrations in 3D Character Animation, Visual Effects; and Video Games; minors in 2D Animation; 3D Animation; and Video Game Animation; and the combined Film and Animation BA/MA and BA/MFA with 2D Animation, 3D Animation, and Video Game Animation concentrations. Students in all programs have the opportunity to intern at places such as DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, and MTV, and/or study abroad at FDU's England campus. Other program highlights include small class sizes; access the newly renovated Animation Lab; and immersive hands-on projects and workshops. Graduates can be found at places such as Lucasfilm, DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Imageworks, MTV, Disney, Warner Bros., Pixar, Marvel Comics, Paramount, HBO, and NBCUniversal.
The following factors contribute to FDU's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Moderate Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 4)
Faculty Size: Mid-Sized Faculty (Tier 3)
Graduate Employment: Moderate Employment Outcomes (Tier 3)
Admissions Selectivity: Highly Accessible (Tier 5)
Average Net Cost: Moderate Average Net Cost (Tier 3)
Student Indebtedness: Elevated Student debt (Tier 4)
Graduation Rate: Fair Graduation Rate (Tier 4)
First-Year Retention Rate: Moderate First-Year Student Retention (Tier 3)
Ranking Factor Tiers: Tier 1 represents the strongest performance and Tier 5 represents the weakest performance within each ranking factor.
