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What are the top animation school programs in Ohio for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | The Ohio State University | Columbus | #2 in Midwest | #17 |
| #2 | Columbus College of Art and Design | Columbus | #6 in Midwest | #32 |
| #3 | Cleveland Institute of Art | Cleveland | #8 in Midwest | #38 |
| #4 | Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green | #12 in Midwest | Unranked |
| #5 | Ohio University | Athens | #15 in Midwest | Unranked |
Our 2026 ranking -our fifteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Ohio.
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. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio State University (OSU) provides several paths to study animation across the Departments of Art; Theatre, Film, and Media Arts; and Design. Options include the Moving Image Production BA (MIP BA); the Art BFA with an emphasis in Art and Technology; an interdisciplinary Art and Technology MFA; and a Design MFA with a Digital Animation and Interactive Media (DAIM) track. Students in all programs benefit from project-based learning; internships at places such as Netflix and YouTube; study abroad experiences in places such as London, Prague, and Rome; and access to dedicated labs, state-of-the-art production facilities, and shared studio spaces. Graduates have landed positions at Disney, Warner Bros. Animation, Nickelodeon, Starz, ABC, Sundance, 4th Row Films, Ohio Film Group, and Myriad Pictures.
The Ohio State University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to OSU's 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: Moderately Selective (Tier 3)
Average Net Cost: Low-mid Average Net Cost (Tier 2)
Student Indebtedness: Low Student Debt (Tier 2)
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.
2. Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio
Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) has an Animation BFA program that focuses on 2D and 3D animation, stop motion, and Claymation. Recognized as a Center of Excellence by Toon Boom, the program also explores digital modeling, virtual reality, and motion graphics. Other program benefits include unlimited access to CCAD’s Cloyd Family Animation Center and real-world projects with partners such as American Greetings and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. The program culminates with a final project and presentation. Graduates have been hired at places such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Cartoon Network, Electronic Arts (EA), Pixar, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, Riot Games, LAIKA, and Netflix.
Columbus College of Art and Design — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to CCAD's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Excellent Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 2)
Faculty Size: Mid-Sized Faculty (Tier 3)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Elevated Average Net Cost (Tier 4)
Student Indebtedness: Substantial Student Debt (Tier 5)
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.
3. Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
Animation BFA students at Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) have the unique opportunity to spend their summers interning at Disney. Other program highlights include field trips to museums; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; and mentorships with accomplished artists from Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros., among others. The program culminates with the BFA Thesis and Exhibition. In addition to Disney, program alumni have been hired at places such as Electronic Arts (EA), Bethesda Softworks, Amazon, DC Comics, American Greetings (CGI Production), and PBS.
Cleveland Institute of Art — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to CIA's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Excellent Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 2)
Faculty Size: Mid-Sized Faculty (Tier 3)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Moderately Selective (Tier 3)
Average Net Cost: Substantial Average Net Cost (Tier 5)
Student Indebtedness: Substantial Student Debt (Tier 5)
Graduation Rate: Fair Graduation Rate (Tier 4)
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.
4. Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
The School of Art at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) provides several paths to study animation. Options include the Digital Arts BFA with a concentration in Animation (2D or 3D); the Digital Arts BA and MFA; and a Digital Arts minor. Across programs, students have access to dozens of state-of-the-art spaces modeled after real-world production studios, labs, and research centers. Students also have opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships at places such as Disney, Pixar, and the Museum of Modern Art; study abroad at BGSU’s partner school in Florence, Italy; and work in BGSU’s professional large-format printing studio. Programs culminate with a final project to be screened at School of Art's Annual Exhibition and Film Festival. BGSU alumni can be found at places such as DreamWorks Animation, Blizzard Entertainment, Apple, Epic Games, and American Greetings.
Bowling Green State University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to BGSU'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: Accessible (Tier 4)
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.
5. Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
Ohio University (OU or OHIO) is home to the E.W. Scripps College of Communication. Within the college are two paths to study animation. Options include the Media Arts and Studies BS with an Animation major and an MFA with an Animation area. All students have access to the Advanced Animation Lab and over a dozen other state-of-the-art production facilities, studios, and labs. Other program benefits include industry internships and experiential learning experiences such as the 48-Hour Shoot-Out and study abroad in Tokyo; participation in South by Southwest; behind-the-scene tours at Walt Disney World; and OHIO-in-LA (Hollywood). Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, Activision Blizzard, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Ubisoft, Warner Bros., Google, and Unity.
Ohio University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to OU's position in Animation Career Review's 2026 animation school rankings.
Academic Peer Recognition: Strong Academic Peer Recognition (Tier 3)
Faculty Size: Small Faculty (Tier 4)
Graduate Employment: Strong Employment Outcomes (Tier 2)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Moderate Average Net Cost (Tier 3)
Student Indebtedness: Moderate Student Debt (Tier 3)
Graduation Rate: Fair Graduation Rate (Tier 4)
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.