Florida is home to 223 Title IV degree-granting institutions, which means Florida has the fifth largest number of colleges and universities in the U.S. These schools are eligible for Title IV federal financial-aid programs, so all are accessible to students with financial need. To be eligible for these financial aid programs, the school must grant an associate's degree or higher, offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length, have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, have been in business for at least two years, and have signed a participation agreement with the Department.
Of the 223 Florida schools that meet these requirements, a significant number offer animation programs. Although Florida’s private schools can be expensive, in-state tuition is very affordable compared to other states. If you’re ready compare Florida animation schools to others across the nation, please review our list of the most to least expensive schools and what you can expect to pay.
Most Expensive Florida Animation Schools
Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota - Tuition Cost: $36,880 for the 2014-2015 school year.
The Digital Animation and Visual Effects School (DAVE School), Orlando – Tuition Cost: $35,000 for the 12-month Visual Effects Production program as well as the 12-month Game Production program. A Bachelor’s degree is also offered if the student wants to transfer or take an additional 12 General Education classes and 8 Electives, $35,000 plus the cost of additional classes. Tuition rates are for the 2016-2017 school year.
Full Sail University, Winter Park - Varies by program. As of 2015, the cost for an undergraduate degree in Computer Animation is $29,800 per year. Online students pay $14,250 per year.
Least Expensive Florida Animation Schools
Florida State University, Tallahassee - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $5,016, nonresidents $20,918; Graduate residents $479.32 per credit hour, nonresidents $1,110.72 per credit hour for the 2014-2015 school year.
University of South Florida, Tampa - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,410, nonresidents $17,324; Graduate residents $10,428, nonresidents $21,126 for the 2014-2015 school year.
University of Florida, Gainesville – Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,310, nonresidents should add $22,278 to projected tuition/fees; Graduate residents $12,680, nonresidents should add $17,394 to projected tuition/fees. Tuition is for the 2015-2016 school year.
Florida International University, Miami - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,108.00 (30 credits), nonresidents $18,508.00 (30 credits); Graduate residents $10,660.00, nonresidents $23,766 for the 2014-2015 school year.
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton – Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents and nonresidents $105.07 per credit hour + a nonresident fee of 493.86; Graduate residents and nonresidents $303.71 per credit hour + a nonresident fee of $623.80 for the 2014-2015 school year.
More Florida Schools with Animation related programs:
- 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
Florida Animation Scene
Florida is the top destination for family fun so animation is everywhere, from amusement parks, to theaters, to interactive exhibits, to restaurants and shopping venues, and more. Not only this, but the state is home to historic animation studios such as Universal Studios, and others such as MG Studios in Longwood and Riley Animation Studios in Tampa. As mentioned above, Florida is also home to one of the top animation schools in the U.S.—the DAVE School, as well as other top-tier schools such as the New World School of Arts and Ringling College of Art and Design.
Florida is now home to 790 animators and multimedia artists averaging around $51,480 per year. They work in the film and video industries, advertising, amusement/recreation, education, and even aerospace engineering. In addition to Universal, MG, and Riley Animation Studios, aspiring Florida-based animators may find opportunities at both large and small companies such as:
- BFW Advertising + Interactive, (Boca Raton)
- BIGEYE (Orlando)
- Echo Bridge Pictures (St. Petersburg)
- iStory Animation Studios (Sarasota)
- Lava Studio (Miami)
- McCormick Stevenson Corporation (Clearwater)
- MDG Advertising (Boca Raton)
- Ninjaneer Studios (Winter Springs)
- OGK Creative (Delray Beach)
Other options include Sparxoo with locations in Tampa and Miami, Chatterbuzz Media in Orlando, DG Communications (Delray Beach) and much more.
Awesome Animation Fact: American Pop (1981), the animated musical drama directed by Ralph Bakshi, used a process called rotoscoping to complete most of the film’s animation. Invented in 1915, rotoscoping is a technique that allows you to create animation that mimics live action video. For example, according to Webopedia, “a live actor may be filmed doing a series of actions, and the animator would have the digital character mimic the actions of the human actor for a realistic animated scene.” The film also incorporates CGI, archival footage, live-action, and water colors.