What is the best animation school program in New Mexico for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Mexico State University | Las Cruces | #6 in Southwest | #44 |
Our 2026 ranking -our fifteenth annual- of the top animation school program in New Mexico.
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. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
The Creative Media Institute for Film and Digital Arts (CMI) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) houses a Bachelor of Creative Media Animation and Visual Effects (BCM-ANVE) with options in 2D Production Studio, and 3D & VFX Production Studio; a Digital Filmmaking BCM with animation electives; and an 18 credit-hour Animation and Visual Effects minor. All programs provide access to state-of-the-art animation lab, production space, post-production lab, and digital projection screening room. The BCM-ANVE program culminates with an animated film that can be entered into the Las Cruces International Film Festival. The Digital Filmmaking BCM culminates with an individual demo and promotion package. NMSU graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as DreamWorks, Disney, Amazon, Pixar, IBM, Lockheed Martin, NASA, the City of Las Cruces, and Rolls-Royce.
New Mexico State University — Ranking Factors
The following factors contribute to NMSU'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: Moderate Employment Outcomes (Tier 3)
Admissions Selectivity: Accessible (Tier 4)
Average Net Cost: Minimal Average Net Cost (Tier 1)
Student Indebtedness: Low Student Debt (Tier 2)
Graduation Rate: Low Graduation Rate (Tier 5)
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.