
Maine is home to more than 30 accredited colleges, and dozens of art and design schools—including animation schools! Some art & design schools are new to the scene and may not have earned accreditation yet, while others are part of a larger, traditional college or university. Many of the larger, traditional schools offer a variety of programs for artists, including programs that can prepare you for a career in animation. Maine is also home to a top media college and a top art college that offer programs for aspiring animators.
So, what makes any given school a “top” school? Students, alums, small organizations, and education bloggers alike agree that affordability, convenience, types of clubs and organizations, recreation, student population, job placement services, and other similar factors make all the difference. These factors, in addition to the quality of production facilities, are important when groups evaluate animation schools as well. Fortunately, the schools on the list below scored high in all areas.
Continue reading to find out which schools are the top animation schools in Maine, and what they have to offer. Please note that the schools listed are in order by student population from largest to smallest.
Top Animation School Programs Maine Major Cities
Portland
University of Southern Maine
Student Population: 7,561
Backdrop: Urban, 144-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Studio Art with Concentration in Digital Art
Portland
Maine College of Art
Student Population: 318
Backdrop: Small urban campus, easy access to Boston
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration, New Media
Top Animation School Programs Maine Other Cities and Towns
Rockport
Maine Media College
Student Population: 100
Backdrop: Rural, 20-acre campus
Degrees Offered: M. F. A. Multimedia; Professional Certificate in Multimedia
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
Sources
Peterson’s, www.petersons.com
Princeton Review, www.princetonreview.com
U.S. News & World Report College Rankings, www.usnews.com/rankings