Best Online Master’s in Animation Illustration

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN ANIMATION ILLUSTRATION

By Dr. James Barham

Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find top-ranked online master’s in animation illustration degree programs for student wanting to explore a career paths as animators, studio executives, technical directors, and illustrators.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Animation Illustration Degrees

Students earning a master’s degree in animation illustration will have the opportunity to further develop their visual language and creative abilities. With both online and on-campus programs available, graduate students can find a path that is compatible with existing personal and professional responsibilities.

Most programs specialize in areas like character animation, illustration, and visual effects. Students may take classes about the production process, concept art, book covers, vector illustration, motion, and more.

In addition to the roughly 60 credits needed to finish the degree, students will likely also complete a thesis project, which often doubles as a preliminary professional portfolio. Most programs take one to two years to complete.

Graduates often explore career options as animators, studio executives, technical directors, and illustrators.

Best Online Master's in Animation Illustration Degree Programs — Download Badge

How do we determine the best online animation illustration master's degree programs?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Master’s in Animation Illustration Degree Programs

#1
Academy of Art University
San Francisco , CA
#1 Best Online Bachelor's in Animation Illustration 2025 #1 Best Online Associate in Game Development #1 Best Online Associate in Animation Illustration #3 Best Online Bachelor's in Music Degree Programs Ranked for 2025
Tuition + fees
$27K
Graduation
44%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for Animation Illustration degree at Academy of Art University
Cost of Degree: $31,696
Expenses: $27,555
Starting Salary: $41,697
Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degrees
MA in Animation & Visual Effects

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MFA in Animation & Visual Effects

Required Credits: 63
Completion time: 3.5-4.5 years
Format: Online
MA in Game Development

Concentrations

Animation for Games

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MFA in Game Development

Concentrations

Animation for Games

Required Credits: 63
Completion time: 3.5-4.5 years
Format: Online
MA in Illustration

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MFA in Illustration

Required Credits: 63
Completion time: 3.5-4.5 years
Format: Online
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#2
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah , GA
#2 Best Online Master’s in Game Development & Design 2025 #4 Best Online Bachelor's of Game Design Degree Programs for 2025 #6 Best Online Colleges in Georgia 2024 #6 Best Online Bachelor’s of Graphic Arts Degree Programs for 2025
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
73%
Student body
18K
Median SAT/ACT
1170/24
Career Outlook for Animation Illustration degree at Savannah College of Art and Design
Cost of Degree: $41,585
Expenses: $23,742
Starting Salary: $36,496
Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Online Degrees
MA in Arts

Concentrations

Animation
Illustration

Required Credits: 45
Completion time: 6 months
Format: Online
MFA in Arts

Concentrations

Animation
Illustration

Required Credits: 90
Completion time: 12 months
Format: Online
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Career Outlook for Students with Animation Illustration Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Digital Arts

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $10,176
Avg. Expenses*: $18,978
Avg. Starting Salary*: $42,450
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 10 years
Job Growth: 3.43%
Number of Jobs: 759,000
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Art Directors	5.21%	$106,500
Special Effects Artists and Animators	4.23%	$99,060
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary	2.75%	$80,360
Artists and Related Workers, All Other	2.99%	$74,750
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators	4.18%	$59,300
Graphic Designers	2.47%	$58,910
Photographers	3.84%	$40,760
Craft Artists	2.10%	$36,600

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Art Directors	$106,500
Special Effects Artists and Animators	$99,060
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary	$80,360
Artists and Related Workers, All Other	$74,750
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators	$59,300
Graphic Designers	$58,910
Photographers	$40,760
Craft Artists	$36,600

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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