Best Colleges For Animators

In a lot of cases, a higher education can mean a higher salary or even a better job. That's why we found out the best colleges for animators. We based this list on these metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of students working, ratio of working vs. non-working students 10 years after admission, average cost of attendance and median debt for graduates.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

Animator Education Requirements

There are several education requirements to become an animator. Animators usually study animation, graphic design or fine arts. 74% of animators hold a bachelor's degree and 13% hold a associate degree. We found these by analyzing 4,869 animator resumes to investigate the topic of animator education more precisely.

The most common colleges for students to pursue their goal of becoming an animator are Savannah College of Art and Design and School of Visual Arts.

For those who would rather stay in your pajamas during the day, we prepared some online courses that can help in animator education paths.

What Education Do You Need To Become an Animator?

What degree do you need to be an Animator?

The most common degree for animators is bachelor's degree 74% of animators earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 13% and rounding it off is master's degree with 8%.

  • Bachelors, 74%
  • Associate, 13%
  • Masters, 8%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What Should I Major in to Become an Animator?

Most animators, 38% to be exact, major in animation. Some other common majors for an animator include graphic design and fine arts majors.

Most Common Colleges For Animators

Here are the most common colleges for an animator career in the US based on their resumes. Advocates often get their degree in Savannah College of Art and Design, School of Visual Arts, and Academy of Art University .

Animator Common CollegePercentages
Savannah College of Art and Design18.38%
School of Visual Arts12.25%
Academy of Art University10.26%
Full Sail University7.04%
The Art Institute of Philadelphia4.75%

Best Majors For Animators

RankMajorPercentages
1Animation37.8%
2Graphic Design14.7%
3Fine Arts11.6%
4Computer Science9.0%
5Photography7.6%

20 Best Online Courses for Animators

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Design Characters for animation in Adobe Animate: animate a character step by step: animate a full scene...

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8. Learn to Animate: Animation Principles

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20. 3D Modeling & Animation with Maya

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Top 10 Affordable Universities For Animators

If those top 10 were a bit out of your price range, you might want to check these schools instead. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price and mean earnings after 6 years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for animators.

1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,240

Cost of Attendance

13,991

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,740

Cost of Attendance

17,864

3. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,749

Cost of Attendance

14,823

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

6. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,210

Cost of Attendance

14,359

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

8. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,338

Cost of Attendance

14,281

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Cost of Attendance

22,430

10. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

Top 10 Hardest Universities To Get Into For Animators

Some people like a challenge. Well, we challenge you to get into one of these schools. It's not going to be easy. We know this based on these institutions' admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted and mean earnings of students 6 years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

17%

SAT Average

1,507

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

5%

SAT Average

1,520

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions Rate

9%

SAT Average

1,516

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

19%

SAT Average

1,466

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

4%

SAT Average

1,497

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

Top 10 Easier To Apply Universities For Animators

Why make getting a job harder on yourself than it has to be? With these colleges, you're sure to be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores and average salary of students 6 years after graduation in order to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into.

1. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions Rate

71%

SAT Average

1,035

2. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions Rate

92%

SAT Average

1,060

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

994

7. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions Rate

81%

SAT Average

1,117

8. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

98%

SAT Average

1,003

10. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

93%

SAT Average

1,026

Average Animator Salary by Education Level

Animators with a Masters degree earn more than those without, at $87,684 annually. With a Bachelors degree, animators earn a median annual income of $85,609 compared to $73,425 for animators with an Associate degree.

Animator Education LevelAnimator Salary
High School Diploma or Less$67,380
Master's Degree$87,684
Bachelor's Degree$85,609
Some College/ Associate Degree$73,425