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What are the best animation school programs in Oregon for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willamette University | Salem and Portland |
| 2 | George Fox University | Newberg |
Our 2026 ranking -our fifteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Oregon. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Willamette University, Salem and Portland, Oregon
Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) at Willamette University (WU or Willamette) has an Animated Arts program with BFA and minor options. Program highlights include access to state-of-the art production facilities such as the Animated Arts Lab, Stop Motion/3D Animation Suite, and digital animation and 2D animation workstations; visiting artists; seminars and workshops; opportunities to work on projects for real clients; and professional internships. Students have worked on projects for or completed internships at places such as LAIKA, Adidas, Wieden+Kennedy, the NW International Animation Festival, and Nike. The program culminates with a thesis project. Graduates have landed roles with places such as Disney, Microsoft, Adult Swim, Google, The Jim Henson Company, XBox, Legoland, Netflix, LAIKA, Nintendo, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Nike, Adidas, Starbucks, IBM, Adobe, MSNBC, The New Yorker, Wieden+Kennedy, Meta, Lexus, National Geographic, and Dark Horse Comics.
2. George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon
George Fox University (GFU) is home to a Cinematic Art BA that provides the opportunity to participate in the LA Film Studies Center (LAFSC) Program. Accepted students will travel to Burbank, California to work with major production studios for an entire semester. Students also have the opportunity to travel to Utah to attend film screenings and study independent filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City. Other program benefits include small class sizes; access to production studios and labs in the Cinematic Arts Building; and the opportunity to present student productions at the Annual Fox Film Festival in Newberg. The program culminates with a series of 10- to 30-minute animated shorts for film festival submissions and a final portfolio. Graduates can be found at places such as Pixar, Nike, Soma Games, Portland Trail Blazers, Refuge VFX, Reverie Creative Agency, VIA Films, and Greystone Media.