| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia College Chicago | Chicago |
| 2 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University | DeKalb |
Our 2025 ranking of the top illustration schools in Illinois. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The Illustration programs at Columbia College Chicago (Columbia) explore traditional and digital illustration and visual storytelling. Leading to a BA or BFA, both programs expose students to figure drawing, cartooning, typography, painting, digital illustration, and the illustration business. The BA allows students to add a second major or minor such as Motion Graphics, Journalism, or Computer Animation. Programs culminate with a professional portfolio. Columbia graduates have been hired at places such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, The New Yorker, VICE Media, the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, NASCAR, Chronicle Books, American Express, and WBEZ Chicago.
The College of Applied Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) houses a Biomedical Visualization MS (BVIS MS) that explores traditional illustration, animation, and other creative areas. Course examples include Illustration Techniques; Animation I-IV; Advanced Illustration Techniques; Modeling I-III; Surgical Illustration; and Visual Storytelling in Biomedical Visualization. All students also benefit from partnerships with animation studios and museums; access to state-of-the art studios, labs, and production facilities; seminars and workshops; and independent study. Graduates go on to become Illustrators in areas such as animation, interactive media, game design, and medical illustration.
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is home to the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), which houses the School of Art and Design. Within the school is an Art Studio and Design BFA program with an Illustration specialization. Course examples include Advanced Illustration; Computer Raster; Painting II; Visual Communication; Computer Vector Applications for Illustration; and 2D Animation. The program culminates with the Senior Project in Illustration. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Children’s Book Illustrator, Graphic Novelist, Comics Illustrator, Concept Artist for Games and Films, Advertising Illustrator, Scientific and Medical Illustrator, Product Designer, and Editorial Illustrator.
