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California Institute of the Arts

CalArts Animation Earns No. 1 Spot in Animation Career Review Rankings

January 22, 2024
via: 24700

Written by Elizabeth McRae

A group sits on the lawn outside, watching an animated film on a large screen.

CalArts’ animation programs (Character Animation and Experimental Animation) continue to set the standard for excellence, ranking no. 1 in all categories eligible in the Animation Career Review’s 2024 Animation School Ranking. 

CalArts animation is ranked first in the following categories: 

  • Top 50 Nationally (#1, top 1%)
  • Top 40 Nationally among Private Schools and Colleges (#1, top 1%)
  • Top 25 on the West Coast (#1)
  • Top 20 in California (#1)
  • Top 25 Nationally among schools offering an animation-related MFA (#1)
  • Top 50 Nationally among schools offering an animation-related BFA (#1)

The 13th annual animation school ranking by Animation Career Review—an online resource for individuals exploring careers in animation, game design, graphic design, digital art, and related fields—considered a thorough evaluation of 200 schools across the United States. This year’s placement marks the 12th time CalArts animation programs have earned the top spot in its 13 years of rankings. 

The criteria used for evaluating the animation programs included academic reputation, admission selectivity, employment data, depth and breadth of the program faculty, value in relation to tuition and indebtedness, graduation rate, and retention rate.

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