by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 2,538 people earned their degree in illustration, making the major the 249th most popular in the United States.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major” ranking analyzed 73 colleges that offered a degree in illustration. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their illustration program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for illustration students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Academy of Art. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Illustration at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Art Academy of Cincinnati. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Out of the 73 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Delaware College of Art and Design landed the #4 spot on the list. DCAD is a small school located in Wilmington, Delaware that handed out 12 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Ringling College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #6. Sarasota, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s illustration degrees to 90 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design
Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #7. Art Center College of Design is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 170 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Illustration at Art Center College of Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. MCAD is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 50 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Illustration at Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Montserrat College of Art came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Montserrat College of Art is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Nossi College of Art landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Madison, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s illustration degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. RMCAD is a small school located in Lakewood, Colorado that handed out 47 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design Illustration Report
Pacific Northwest College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #12. Pacific Northwest College of Art is located in Portland, Oregon and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s illustration degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Illustration at Pacific Northwest College of Art
With a ranking of #13, Columbus College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. This small school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 46 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
School of Visual Arts landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. Located in New York, New York, this small private for-profit school handed out 200 diplomas to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
College for Creative Studies landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. College for Creative Studies is a small school located in Detroit, Michigan that handed out 49 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Kansas City Art Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #16. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s illustration degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Laguna College of Art and Design came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. LCAD is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Laguna Beach, California. It awarded 24 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Moore College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking, coming in at #18. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s illustration degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Maryland Institute College of Art came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. MICA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 90 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #20, Massachusetts College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 74 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Illustration at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Cleveland Institute of Art ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Cleveland Institute of Art is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 17 ’s illustration degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Rhode Island School of Design came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major ranking. RISD is located in Providence, Rhode Island and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 73 ’s illustration degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Savannah College of Art and Design ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. SCAD is located in Savannah, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 363 ’s illustration degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #25, Sessions College for Professional Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Illustration Major list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this small private for-profit school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified ’s illustration students in 2020-2021.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
