New York Animation Schools: Most Expensive to Least Expensive

New York is home to 304 Title IV degree-granting institutions. Title IV schools have met five requirements established by the U.S. Department of Education. They have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, they have been in business for at least two years, they have signed a participation agreement with the Department,  they grant an associate's degree or higher, and they offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length. Once a school has met these requirements, they become eligible for Title IV federal financial-aid programs. This makes them more accessible to students with financial need.

Many of New York’s Title IV schools have outstanding art and design departments, while others providing art and design education alone to the next generation of artists. The animation programs offered at these schools are high on the list of top animation programs in the nation. Although New York’s finest animation schools can be quite expensive, most salaried New York-based animators say that it’s well worth it. No matter where you decide to live, an animation or art degree from these schools will surely help you stand out from the crowd.

If you’re ready to review New York’s animation schools and what they cost, take a look at the most expensive to least expensive schools below and what you can expect to pay. 

Most Expensive New York Animation Schools

Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $47,314 for the 2014-2015 school year.

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Pratt Institute, Brooklyn - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $44,580; Graduate $1,591 per credit (no flat rate) for the 2015-2016 school year.

Parsons The New School for Design, New York - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $43,560 per year or $21,780 (12-19 credits); Graduate $22,340 (full-time) or $1,570 per credit hour for the 2015-2016 school year.

Syracuse University, Syracuse - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $40,380; Graduate $24,138 for the 2014-2015 school year. Tuition does not include fees or other expenses.

St. John’s University, Queens - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $37,870; Graduate $27,480 for the 2014-2015 school year.

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate $36,596; Graduate $40,158 for the 2015-2016 school year.

Least Expensive New York Animation Schools

Alfred University, Alfred - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $17,200, nonresidents $23,664; Graduate residents and nonresidents $22,520 for the 2015-2016 school year.  

State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia, Fredonia - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $8,074, nonresidents $17,924

Fashion Institute of Technology, New York - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,170, nonresidents $17,810; Graduate residents $10,370, graduate nonresidents $20,190 for the 2014-2015 school year.

Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn - Tuition Cost: Undergraduate residents $6,030, nonresidents $535 per credit (no limit); Graduate residents $9,650, nonresidents $745 per credit for 2014.

More Animation related programs to consider:  

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Academy of Art University

Selected Campus Locations:

• San Francisco & Online

Selected Programs: 

• Animation
• Game Development
• Graphic Design
• Illustration

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• 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

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Full Sail University

Selected Campus Locations:

• Winter Park, FL & Online

Selected Programs: 

• 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

Animation Career Review Rankings: 

• 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

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CG Spectrum College of Digital Art & Animation

Selected Campus Locations:

• Online

Selected Programs: 

• 2D Animation
• 3D Animation
• 3D Modeling
• Concept Art
• Digital Illustration
• Game Art
• Game Design
• Game Programming
• Visual Effects

New York Animation Scene

What makes New York one of the most exciting states for animators? For starters, with more than 2,500 salaried animators and multimedia artists, New York has the second highest employment level for this occupation. Next, the state is home to New York City where you’ll find top-tier animation studios such as Titmouse (Tribeca), Augenblick Studios, Curious Pictures, The Studio, and Bunko Studios. Finally, the state is home to the world’s top creative agencies such as BBDO, JWT, and Omnicom Group, as well as hundreds of other studios, creative firms and technology companies—all looking for talented animators!

Besides a lively art and design scene in NYC and job opportunities, New York-based animators and multimedia artists earn more on average than animators in most other states. In fact, with an average salary of $70,660 per year, New York is the fourth highest paying state for this occupation.

Awesome Animation Fact: The first 3D animation studios were created in the 1970s, including Information International Incorporated (now known as Triple-I), Robert Abel and Associates, Digital Effects, and Lucasfilm. Lucasfilm also created a computer graphics division called Graphics Group, which eventually became Pixar. -John Wiley, Australia