| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School of Visual Arts | New York |
| 2 | Pratt Institute | Brooklyn |
| 3 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| 4 | The New School | New York |
| 5 | Syracuse University | Syracuse |
Our 2026 ranking of the top illustration schools in New York. 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 the ranking criteria, click here.
The Illustration Program at School of Visual Arts (SVA) consists of BFA degrees in Comics and Illustration, and an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay. Across programs students have opportunities to work with publications such as The New Yorker and The Village Voice. Other program highlights include participation in competitions by the Society of Illustrators and Graphis Inc., and student exhibitions at SVA’s Chelsea Gallery. School of Visual Arts. Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, Rolling Stone, Cartoon Network, The New York Times, HBO, Pixar, Cartoon Network, and The New Yorker.
The School of Design at Pratt Institute (Pratt) houses a Communications Design BFA with an emphasis in Illustration. Pratt’s School of Art provides two additional paths to study illustration including a Graphic Design/Illustration AAS, and an Illustration AOS. Across programs, students benefit from courses taught by industry insiders; professional internships; portfolio development; access to state-of-the-art labs and maker spaces; and study abroad experiences in the UK or Berlin. Graduates have landed positions at places such as Penguin Random House, Apple, Hasbro, Scholastic, Macmillan Publishers, Amazon, Google, DreamWorks Animation, The New Yorker, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and Marvel Studios.
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 New School’s Parsons School of Design houses an Illustration BFA program that focuses on visual storytelling, topics such as game concept art and children’s book illustration, and immersive career preparation. Other program highlights include internships at places such as The New York Times and Nickelodeon; participation in Comic Arts Brooklyn and MoCCA Fest; access to the state-of-the-art Making Center; and the option to add a minor such as Immersive Storytelling. Graduates go on to establish careers at places such as Amazon, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), The New York Times, DreamWorks, Rockstar Games, Penguin Random House, Sony, Cartoon Network, Hasbro, Gameloft, Scholastic, and Vice Media.
The Illustration BFA and MFA programs at Syracuse University’s (SU) College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) have a unique component that allows students to study and work in Los Angeles (VPA LA) or Florence, Italy for a dedicated semester. The programs also highlight frequent trips to MoCCA Fest and the Society of Illustrators in New York City; hands-on learning in stats-of-the-art studios and production facilities; focus areas such as Editorial or Visual Development; and mentorship from working industry professionals. SU VPA graduates have been hired at places such as DreamWorks, Disney, Perkins&Will, Apple, Netflix, SiriusXM, NBCUniversal, Pixar, Louis Vuitton, HBO, Sony, Gensler, Ralph Lauren, and CBS.
