| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia College Chicago | Chicago |
| 2 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University | DeKalb |
| 4 | American Academy of Art College | Chicago |
Our 2024 ranking of the top illustration schools in Illinois. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Columbia College Chicago (Columbia) has two paths to study Illustration—the BA or BFA. Both options explore traditional and digital illustration, visual storytelling, the illustration business, and the three commercial models including contract-based, institutional, and freelance. Across programs, students will develop skills through hands-on client-focused projects. Courses expose students to cartooning, digital illustration, figure drawing, painting, and typography.
The Illustration BFA program at Columbia College Chicago is a professionally focused degree that requires advanced coursework and electives. The BA provides a foundation in Illustration and allows students to add a second major or minor. Minor examples include Motion Graphics, Creative Writing, Game Art, Journalism, Animation, or Graphic Design. Second major examples include Game Art, Graphic Design, and Computer Animation.
Course examples across programs include Illustration: Materials & Techniques; Children’s Book Illustration; Cartooning; Illustration Studio I-III; Digital Illustration; Drawing the Graphic Novel; Concept Art; Special issues in Illustration; Design Lab; Survey of Typography; Design Thinking; Figure Drawing; Visual Culture; and Freelance Illustration.
The culminating experience for the Illustration BA and BFA programs at Columbia College is the development and completion of a professional portfolio. Graduates are prepared to pursue positions in industries such as traditional book publishing, comic book publishing, animation, video games, fashion design, film, advertising, product design, magazine publishing, toy design, and architecture.
Columbia College alumni have been hired at places such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, American Express, House of Vans, HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The New Yorker, Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, VICE Media, Chronicle Books, Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine, TimeOut Magazine, WBEZ Chicago, and Goose Island Beer Co.
Columbia College Chicago was established in 1890 as the Columbia School of Oratory. The school serves nearly 6,700 students enrolled in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In addition to programs in creative areas such as communication and writing, media and digital, and music and sound, Columbia provides several business management programs. Columbia College Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The College of Applied Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) houses a Biomedical Visualization MS (BVIS MS) that is just one of five accredited graduate programs for Medical Illustration in North America. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and over 100 years old, the BVIS program provides plenty of opportunities to develop traditional illustration, animation, and other skills through electives such as Illustration Techniques; Animation I-IV; Advanced Illustration Techniques; Advanced Serious Game Development; Immersive Interactive Visualization; 3D Space I: Modeling (Maya); Visual Learning & Visual Thinking; Modeling I-III; 360 Animation; Surgical Illustration; and Visual Storytelling in Biomedical Visualization.
Other program benefits include partnership with other medical programs, professional medical societies, medical advertising agencies, pharmaceutical companies, museums, animation studios and software that allow students to gain real-world, hands-on experience; access to state-of-the art studios, labs, and production facilities; and seminars, independent study, and workshops.
Graduates of the BVIS MS at UIC go on to become Illustrators or Science Visualization Specialists in areas such as medical illustration, interactive media, animation, game design and development, virtual and augmented reality, and haptics. Many program alumni also become board certified as Certified Medical Illustrators through the Association of Medical Illustrators.
University of Illinois at Chicago serves approximately 33,520 students, making it the largest university in the Chicago area. With roots dating back to 1859 when the Chicago College of Pharmacy was founded, UIC provides more than 250 degree programs and 85 minors across 16 academic colleges. The University of Illinois at Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is home to the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). Within the CVPA are three schools including Art and Design; Theater and Dance; and Music. An institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) since 1969, the School of Art and Design has an Art Studio and Design BFA program with an Illustration specialization.
Led by professional artists who are active in the Illustration and Scientific/Medical Illustration fields, the BFA program begins with courses such as Drawing Foundation I; 2-D Foundation; and 3-D Foundation. Upon completion of foundation coursework, students will move on to courses such as Beginning Illustration; Introduction to Visual Communication; Beginning Life Drawing; and Intermediate Illustration.
In the junior and senior years of the NIU BFA program, students will take upper division courses such as Computer Vector Applications for Illustration; 2D Animation; Advanced Illustration; Computer Raster; Painting II; and Visual Communication.
The Art Studio and Design BFA at Northern Illinois University culminates with the Senior Project in Illustration. Graduates are prepared for graduate study or to pursue titles such as Children’s Book Illustrator, Comics Illustrator, Concept Artist for Games and Films, Advertising Illustrator, Product Designer, Editorial Illustrator, Graphic Novelist, and Scientific and Medical Illustrator.
Chartered in 1895, Northern Illinois University opened in 1899 as a teachers’ school called the Northern Illinois State Normal School. The school serves approximately 15,500 students enrolled in more than 180 programs across seven colleges. Northern Illinois University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
American Academy of Art College (Academy of Art) has an Illustration BFA program that emphasizes independent and team projects, the development of professional skills, and the latest industry technology. Other program features include courses led by professionals in the Illustration industry; opportunities to compete an internship; workshops and portfolio development courses; and study abroad experiences.
The Illustration BFA program at Academy of Art requires 122 credit hours of study. Courses include Design for Illustrators; Beginning Life Drawing I-II; Illustration: Visual Storytelling; Digital Graphic Foundations; Illustration: Editorial and Publishing Art; Storyboarding; Illustration: Advertising Art; Digital Illustration I; Film and Society; Advanced Illustration; Light and Color; Art Direction; and Drawing for Illustrators. Studio electives allow students to develop additional skills in other creative disciplines.
The Illustration BFA program at American Academy of Art College culminates with a professional portfolio of the student’s best work. Graduates are prepared for graduate study or to pursue titles such as Comic Book Artist, Editorial Illustrator, Storyboard Artist, Children’s Book Illustrator, Art Director, Interactive Designer, Technical Illustrator, Production Artist, Muralist, Exhibition Designer, Caricature Artist, News & Courtroom Illustrator, Concept Artist, Art Educator, and Freelance Illustrator.
Founded in 1923 as a school for aspiring fine and commercial artists, American Academy of Art College is a private Art and Design School that serves approximately 170 students enrolled in Graphic Design, Illustration, 3D Modeling and Animation, Oil Painting, Art Direction, and Photography programs. All options lead to a BFA. American Academy of Art College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
