Masters in Animation in USA: Top Universities, Admission Deadlines, Eligibility, Costs, Scholarships, Jobs

Masters in Animation in USA

Masters in Animation in USA is a 1-2 year program offered as a single course or a combination of 2 or 3 subjects. The top universities in USA provide a number of degree options across animation for various levels of study. Applicants need a GPA of around 2.5-3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission to masters in Animation in USA. Supporting documents required for admission to the program include CV, English proficiency test score, reel or portfolio, personal statement and LOR for USA.

The average cost of studying masters in Animation in USA ranges around 30,000 USD. For an Indian student, this cost ranges up to 22.38 lakh INR. Prospective students with financial need can avail various popular scholarships to study in USA. After graduation students earn an average income of 71,800 USD per annum.

Top Universities for Masters in Animation in USA

Being a centre of the tech giants, the USA is home to numerous universities offering Masters in Animation. Some of the top universities in USA offering Masters in Animation are listed below:

University THE US Rankings 2022 Course
University of California Los Angeles #27 Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television, Area: Animation
Ohio State University #99 MFA in Design (Digital Animation and Interactive Media)
Purdue University #48 MS in Computer Graphics Technology - Animation
University of Arizona #131 MFA in Art - 3D and Extended Media
Texas A&M University - MFA in Visualization
University of Texas - Dallas #323 MFA in Art, Technology and Emerging Communication - Animation
University of Kentucky #302 MFA in Art Studio - Animation and Virtual Reality
Rochester Institute of Technology #=154 MFA in Film and Animation
CUNY - Brooklyn College #212 MFA in Cinema Arts - Digital Animation & Visual Effects
Pratt Institute #244 MFA in Digital Arts - Digital Animation and Motion Arts
DePaul University #231 MA in Animation
New York Institute of Technology #253 MFA in Digital Art and Design Animation
Academy of Art University - MFA in Animation and Visual Effects
California State University - Northridge #372 MA in Visual Arts - Animation
School of the Art Institute of Chicago #=372 MFA in Studio - Film, Video, New Media and Animation
Fairleigh Dickinson University #>600 MA in Animation
Lynn University - MFA in Visual Effects Animation
California State University - Long Beach #299 MFA in Studio Art (Illustration/ Animation)
University of Southern California #19 MFA in Animation and Digital Arts

Why Study Masters in Animation in USA?

  • In the top universities in USA, students get the opportunity to learn animation from some of the best teachers in the world with professional experience from the best organizations.
  • USA is home to numerous graphics and animation hubs, making it an ideal workplace for international animators. After completion of studies in USA, students get employed by Google, Dreamworks, Salesforce, Deloitte and many more.
  • The average salary of an animator in USA is around 71,800 USD per annum. Students completing Animation in USA earn around the range of 38,100-109,000 USD.
  • The average salary of the professionals with Masters in Animation in USA is 103,000 USD.
  • A full-time animation employee in USA tends to observe an increase in salary by 10% in every 16 months displaying demonstrated growth at the workplace.

Masters in Animation in USA Course Highlights

Degrees Available MA, MFA, MS
Eligibility GPA of 2.5-3.0 (~83-86%)
Test Requirements English Proficiency Test scores (variable across universities)
Program Duration 1-2 Years
Course Type Full-time, and accelerated
Average Annual Salary 71,800 USD
Top Employers Dreamworks, Pixar, Google, Deloitte, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Cartoon Network Studios and many more.

Masters in Animation in USA Admissions

The admission process for Masters in Animation in USA involves various eligibility criteria and document requirements. The details of applying for Masters in Animation in USA are provided here.

Eligibility Criteria for Masters in Animation in USA

Eligibility criteria of each university or college for Masters in Animation in USA are distinct and slightly differ from each other. The general admission requirements and supporting documents for admission to masters in Animation in USA are listed below:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Official academic transcripts
  • An average minimum GPA of 2.5 to 3 on a 4.0 scale (~79-86%)
  • English proficiency test score
  • Reel or portfolio
  • CV
  • Personal statement
  • Multiple LOR.

Masters in Animation in USA Admission Deadlines

The application deadlines of the Masters in Animation program in the top universities in USA are tabulated below:

University Deadlines
University of California Los Angeles February 1, 2022
Ohio State University November 15
Purdue University Rolling
University of Arizona January 10
Texas A&M University January 15
University of Texas - Dallas Fall: May 1 Spring: October 1
University of Kentucky February 1, 2022
Rochester Institute of Technology Rolling
CUNY - Brooklyn College February 23, 2022, rolling admission
Pratt Institute January 5
DePaul University Fall priority deadline: February 1, 2022Fall final deadline: June 15, 2022
New York Institute of Technology June 1, 2022
Academy of Art University February 6, 2022
California State University - Northridge Fall admission begins: October 1Spring admission begins: August 1
School of the Art Institute of Chicago Priority Deadline: December 1
Fairleigh Dickinson University Rolling
Lynn University Summer: April 11, 2022 Fall: July 30, 2022 Spring: December 10, 2022
California State University - Long Beach Fall: December 1
University of Southern California Fall: November 15

US Student Visa

International students require the US student visa for admission to any masters program in the US universities. US student visa can be categorized into 3 types, F, M and J visa, based upon the type of program and duration of stay in USA. The general application requirements for US student visa are listed below:

  • Completed admission form
  • Academic transcripts
  • Payment receipt of the admission form
  • LOR for USA
  • Personal essay
  • Statement of intent
  • Copy of passport
  • Scores of standardized exams to study in USA.

Masters in Animation in USA Cost

The cost of studying Masters in Animation in USA can be classified as pre-arrival cost, tuition cost and living cost. The cost breakdown to study the program is provided here.

Pre Arrival Cost to Study in USA

The pre-arrival cost includes airfare and other travel expenses, visa and related immigration costs, and standardized test fees. The following table contains the pre arrival-cost for studying masters in Animation in USA.

Expense Type Cost in USD Cost Equivalent in INR
Visa Application Fee 160 11,900
SEVIS Fee F and M visa: 350 26,050
J visa: 200 14,900
IELTS Fee 240 17,870
TOEFL Fee 200 14,900
Airfare 500-1000 37,220-74,440

Masters in Animation in USA Tuition Fee

Tuition fees for masters in animation across some of the top universities in USA are listed below:

University Tuition Cost in USD
University of California Los Angeles 32,858
Ohio State University 722 per credit hour
Purdue University 31,104
University of Arizona 33,600
Texas A&M University 31,428
University of Texas - Dallas 29,448
University of Kentucky 33,548
Rochester Institute of Technology 39,078
CUNY - Brooklyn College 855 per credit
Pratt Institute 3,900
DePaul University ~41,000
New York Institute of Technology 40,460
Academy of Art University 24,624
California State University - Northridge 8,472
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1798 per credit hour
Fairleigh Dickinson University 20,700
Lynn University 27,200
California State University - Long Beach 8,280
University of Southern California 49,147

Cost of Living in USA

The cost of living in USA is subjective to the location of campus and the lifestyle of the student. The following table provides an overview on the average cost of living in USA.

Expense Type Monthly Cost in USD Cost Equivalent in INR
Student Housing On-campus: 1000 Off-campus: 600-800 On-campus: 74,517 Off-campus: 44,700-59,600
Meals 100-160 7,450-11,900
Transport 100-300 7,451-22,354
Health Insurance 450-700 33,500-52,160
Personal Expenses 300-600 22,354-44,708

Scholarships for Masters in Animation in USA

To ease the cost of studying Masters in Animation in USA, several universities offer scholarships and other financial aid to the international students. Furthermore, various organizations provide international students with need-based and merit-based scholarships to study in USA. The following table consists of some of the most popular scholarships for international students in the USA.

Scholarships Eligibility Value
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program Indian students having 5 years of professional experience Tuition, living cost, health insurance, travel cost and monthly stipend
Obama Foundation Scholars’ Program International students making a difference in society, public sector and private sector Tuition fee, book and coursework funding, monthly stipend
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships Meritorious Indian students completing UG program Full tuition fee waiver, living expenses, and one-way travel cost
PEO International Peace Scholarship For Women Women pursuing graduate programs in USA 12,500 USD
National Overseas Scholarship Graduate students in USA with at least 55% aggregate in UG Tuition, living cost and miscellaneous expenses

Masters in Animation in USA Placements

USA is one of the highest paying nations to the animation professionals. The average salary of an animator in USA is 71,800 USD. Some of the highest paying professions in USA for the masters in Animation graduates and the average annual salaries are as follows:

Profession Average Salary in USD
Advertising Manager 151,000
Advertising Coordinator 72,700
Advertising Account Manager 115,000
Animator 71,800
Art Director 92,000
Broadcast Administrator 102,000
Audio Visual Technician 55,300
Director of Graphic Design 90,700
Media Production Manager 128,000
Media Sales Executive 126,000
Social Media Executive 118,000

Also Check: High paying jobs in USA for international students

Animation has already occupied a huge market globally. The implementation of animation in movies and the OTT platform has skyrocketed its growth and is expected to reach 39.96 billion USD by 2028. It goes without saying that the USA is one of the best art and technological centers in the world. This is why studying masters in Animation from the top universities in USA is completely beneficial for young aspirants.

Top Institutes To Study
Harvard University
Harvard UniversityCambridge,Massachusetts
Stanford University
Stanford UniversityStanford,California
University of California
University of CaliforniaBerkeley,California
Columbia University
Columbia UniversityNew York City,New York
University of Chicago
University of ChicagoChicago,Illinois

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