Rhode Island School of Design RISD has a Film, Animation, and Video department dedicated to getting students to “explore the art of the moving image.” The school offers a great education for those passionate about art and creativity. Notable alumni currently work for studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Harmonix.
Graduates of the animation and film programs at the University of California Los Angeles work for Pixar, DreamWorks, Walt Disney Imagineering, Nickelodeon, and many other major studios. Established in 1919, University of California Los Angeles has played a pivotal role in the formation of nearly 200 startup companies.
California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts, was founded by the Disney family. Some of the school's most notable animation degree recipients have received Academy and Emmy Awards, and alumni have frequently been nominated for such prizes.
In most cases, the admission requirements for an animation major are not too stringent. Many of the programs we've looked at require you to possess and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of around 2.0 to 2.5.
How I got my first fulltime job at Dreamworks Animation
Should animators go to college?
Although you don't always need a degree to become an animator, gaining one will give you hands-on experience with industry technology and a competitive advantage when you head into the world of work. Many companies require you to have a degree.
Founded by Walt Disney, CalArts offers comprehensive degree programs across the full range of the visual, performing, media and literary arts through its six Schools. Admissions are decided primarily on artistic merit and creative promise.
Walt Disney Animation Studios, with locations in Burbank, California, and Vancouver, Canada, is a powerhouse for animation, with many distinct styles that animators have used to build characters and worlds for movies.
Animators and other multimedia artists typically hold a bachelor's degree in animation. This degree may qualify graduates for work as video game designers, art directors, and film and video directors. Students can earn a bachelor's degree online on a part-time or full-time basis.
Due to their specialized set of skills, animators earn average salaries of $70,000 and above per year. Students holding a degree in animation can expect career opportunities in graphics design, production, e-learning, advertising, and much more.
Top cities for 2D Animators include Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Seattle, and San Francisco. Each city offers a unique blend of job opportunities, cultural richness, and proximity to relevant industries.
The average DreamWorks Animation salary ranges from approximately $48,309 per year for Administrator to $150,000 per year for Storage Manager. Average DreamWorks Animation hourly pay ranges from approximately $10.72 per hour for Production to $63.65 per hour for Systems Administrator.
DreamWorks Animation, American entertainment company producing animated feature films, original TV series and shorts, interactive media, live entertainment, theme park attractions, and consumer products. It is based in Glendale, California.
In addition, a group of hand-drawn animation apprentices—chosen from over 2,000 applicants, representing the first new hand-drawn animator hires at Disney in over a decade—started as trainees in March 2022.
And it's free, so you get to keep and take home your masterpiece if you like. If you're looking to do something different while at Disney California Adventure, check out the Animation Academy.
The famed nine were: Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Frank Thomas.
The golden era began with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, putting Walt Disney Productions on the international map and proving that animation had great potential outside the realm of 5-minute cartoon gag reels. Walt Disney and his team elevated hand-drawn animation to the status of art with life ...
BLS data lists the 2017 median pay for animators at $70,530 a year. Glassdoor has the national average a bit higher at $74,000. Like many other fields, compensation for animators also depends on experience: it's not uncommon for senior-level animators or art directors to earn well into six figures.
It is possible that AI may play a larger role in the animation process in the future. But it is unlikely that it will replace animators entirely. Animators will likely continue to play an important role in the animation industry, and their skills and expertise will continue to be in high demand.
Thanks to the large growth in the industry, there are a ton of colleges and universities offering animation programs. In general, they'll all cover the skills of animation, as well as any software and tools needed in the field.
