Which California Colleges Offer Animation Programs?
| College | City |
|---|---|
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa |
| Woodbury University | Burbank |
| California State University, Chico | Chico |
| California State University, East Bay | East Bay (Hayward) |
| SAE Expression College | Emeryville |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno |
| California State University, Fullerton | Fullerton |
| Gnomon School of Visual Effects | Hollywood |
| Laguna College of Art and Design | Laguna Beach |
| California State University Long Beach | Long Beach |
| California State University Los Angeles | Los Angeles |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles |
| New York Film Academy | Los Angeles |
| Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | Los Angeles |
| University of Southern California (USC) | Los Angeles |
| California State University Northridge | Northridge |
| California College of the Arts | Oakland |
| Chapman University | Orange |
| Art Center College of Design | Pasadena |
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco |
| California College of the Arts | San Francisco |
| San Jose State University | San Jose |
| Cogswell Polytechnical College | Sunnyvale |
| California Institute of the Arts | Valencia |
California is the number one state for animators. Los Angeles and many neighboring cities are home to the world’s top animation production studios including DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, and Walt Disney Feature Animation, to name a few. The state also has the largest film industry in the world and it is home to more salaried animators than any other place in the world. Besides Los Angeles, other top California cities for animators include San Jose, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Redwood City, Long Beach, and Glendale.
In addition to the film and video industry, California animators work for top advertising agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, J. Walter Thompson, and Foot, Cone & Belding. They also work at the states more than 5,000 technology firms and gaming companies, and they teach at some of the state’s 486 accredited colleges and universities.
California Animation Schools
California is home to more art schools, technical schools, and traditional colleges that offer animation programs than any other state. The schools here offer the world’s widest variety of degrees ranging from animation to visual effects. Scroll through the list below to review California’s many options for aspiring animators and the unique degree programs they have to offer.
Azusa
Azusa Pacific University - BA in Animation and Visual Effects
Burbank
Woodbury University - Degrees Offered: BFA Animation
Chico
California State University, Chico - Degrees Offered: BS Computer Animation & Game Development
East Bay
California State University, East Bay - Degrees Offered: BFA Art, Video & Animation Concentration
Emeryville
SAE Expression College - Degrees Offered: BAS Animation and Visual Effects
Fresno
California State University, Fresno - Degrees Offered: BA Animation and New Media
Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton - Degrees Offered: BFA Art, Concentration in Entertainment Art/Animation
Hollywood
Gnomon School of Visual Effects - Degrees Offered: BFA Digital Production, Certificates in Entertainment Design & Digital Production, Digital Production for Entertainment, Maya Fast Track
Laguna Beach
Laguna College of Art and Design - Degrees Offered: BFA Animation
Long Beach
California State University Long Beach - Degrees Offered: BA Film and Electronic Arts - Digital Arts Production and 3D Computer Animation coursework; BFA in Art - Option in Illustration, Animation Track
Los Angeles
California State University Los Angeles - Degrees Offered: BA Animation Option
Loyola Marymount University - Degrees Offered: BA Animation
New York Film Academy - Degrees Offered: BFA Animation
Otis College of Art and Design - Degrees Offered: BA Digital Media with Animation emphasis
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Degrees Offered: MFA Animation; BA Design Media Arts; MFA in Media Arts; UCLA Animation Workshop
University of Southern California (USC) - Degrees Offered: MFA Animation and Digital Arts; MFA Interactive Media with Animation Electives; BA Animation & Digital Arts; BFA Film & Television Production
Northridge
California State University Northridge - Degrees Offered: BA Art, Concentration Animation
Oakland
California College of the Arts - Degrees Offered: BFA Animation
Orange
Chapman University - Degrees Offered: BFA Digital Arts with Emphasis in Animation or Visual Effects
Pasadena
Art Center College of Design - Degrees Offered: BS Entertainment Design with Tracks in Character Animation
San Francisco
Academy of Art University - Degrees Offered: MFA Animation & Visual Effects, BFA Animation & Visual Effects
California College of the Arts - Degrees Offered: BFA Animation
San Jose
San Jose State University - Degrees Offered: BFA Art: Animation/Illustration
Sunnyvale
Cogswell Polytechnical College - Degrees Offered: BA in Digital Art & Animation
Valencia
California Institute of the Arts - Degrees Offered: MFA Experimental Animation, BFA Character Animation, BFA Experimental Animation
More Programs to Consider:
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#14) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#37) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Illustration (#24) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#38) - 2021
- Winter Park, FL & Online
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Mobile Development - Bachelor's - Online
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#11) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#10) - 2021
- Top 25 in the South for Graphic Design (#10) - 2021
- Online
Employment and Salary Trends for California Animators
In 2002, California was home to a whopping 8,110 animators and multi-media artists. By 2009, the talent pool increased to 9,440—the largest in the U.S. Even better is, salaries have been on the rise since 2002. The average salary for California animators and multi-media artists was an impressive $68,360 in 2002. In 2009 they averaged $76,010. The mean annual wage for animators and multi-media artists nationwide was $62,810 in 2009. The lowest paid animators earned $32,360 and the highest paid animators earned $99,130.
It is important to keep in mind that a large number of California animators are self-employed and the Bureau does not report employment and salary figures for this large community of artists. These individuals may earn more or less depending on industry, location, type of company, experience & education, and other factors. These same factors affect salaried animators as well.