Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
CIP Code: 10.0304A animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects degree prepares graduates for careers in Special effects artists and animators. 243 colleges and universities offer this program.
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $43,283 four years after graduating (middle half: $27,166–$64,326). Where you study it matters: across 59 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $29,565 to $79,432.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $79,432 | $72,278 | $49,029 | $17,961 | A+ |
| 2 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | $76,522 | $69,630 | — | — | A |
| 3 | Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL | $75,213 | $80,055 | $44,048 | $27,000 | D |
| 4 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | $73,941 | $70,079 | $38,725 | — | A |
| 5 | Baker College Owosso, MI | $67,583 | $71,258 | $74,387 | — | F |
| 6 | Roger Williams University Bristol, RI | $61,887 | $60,952 | — | — | B+ |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN | $61,062 | $58,327 | $36,557 | $24,500 | B |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI | $59,621 | $62,039 | $48,744 | $23,290 | B |
| 9 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | $58,759 | $51,568 | $46,581 | $22,971 | C+ |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | $58,163 | $52,925 | $25,358 | $20,411 | B+ |
| 12 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ | $57,618 | $59,203 | $29,305 | $18,964 | B+ |
| 11 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | $57,618 | $59,203 | $29,305 | $18,964 | B+ |
| 13 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | $55,723 | $54,747 | — | — | B |
| 14 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY | $55,122 | $52,465 | $32,044 | $27,000 | A |
| 15 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH | $52,388 | $55,906 | $38,489 | $26,338 | C |
| 16 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | $51,834 | $47,166 | — | — | C+ |
| 17 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA | $50,833 | $46,255 | $27,481 | $31,125 | F |
| 18 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL | $50,751 | $49,863 | — | — | C |
| 19 | University of Silicon Valley San Jose, CA | $49,968 | $45,468 | $33,727 | $31,000 | F |
| 20 | University of Idaho Moscow, ID | $49,188 | $52,305 | $25,848 | $26,958 | C+ |
| 21 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | $47,440 | $43,198 | $29,192 | $22,985 | B+ |
| 22 | Carroll University Waukesha, WI | $47,327 | $49,246 | $40,825 | $27,000 | B |
| 23 | University of Charleston Charleston, WV | $47,037 | $55,647 | — | — | B |
| 24 | DigiPen Institute of Technology Redmond, WA | $45,571 | $41,916 | $37,605 | $27,000 | B+ |
| 25 | DePaul University Chicago, IL | $45,028 | $44,240 | $19,178 | $25,000 | B+ |
| 26 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY | $44,661 | $42,508 | $19,120 | — | F |
| 27 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | $44,116 | $46,515 | $30,059 | $27,000 | C+ |
| 28 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA | $44,066 | $46,352 | $36,419 | $19,184 | B |
| 29 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | $43,970 | $43,200 | $26,309 | $20,000 | F |
| 30 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MN | $43,745 | $41,786 | $24,427 | $27,000 | F |
| 31 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA | $43,058 | $44,574 | $23,451 | $25,300 | D |
| 32 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX | $42,579 | $43,290 | — | $24,500 | C |
| 33 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI | $42,490 | $44,801 | $22,795 | $27,000 | C |
| 34 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO | $41,870 | $44,893 | — | — | C |
| 35 | Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV | $41,784 | $49,433 | — | — | C |
| 36 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN | $41,074 | $44,869 | $20,802 | $22,250 | D |
| 37 | Webster University Saint Louis, MO | $40,168 | $43,069 | $17,593 | — | C+ |
| 38 | Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS | $39,946 | $41,470 | $30,270 | $21,750 | C |
| 39 | Laguna College of Art and Design Laguna Beach, CA | $38,850 | $35,351 | $17,941 | $27,000 | D |
| 40 | Bradley University Peoria, IL | $37,657 | $36,998 | $24,941 | $27,000 | B+ |
| 41 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design Lakewood, CO | $37,239 | $34,826 | $23,247 | $28,115 | F |
| 42 | Lynn University Boca Raton, FL | $36,590 | $38,945 | $17,099 | $12,997 | C |
| 43 | University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI | $35,830 | $32,601 | $16,556 | $21,125 | C |
| 44 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY | $35,521 | $33,809 | $21,373 | $27,000 | B+ |
| 45 | Villa Maria College Buffalo, NY | $35,482 | $33,772 | — | — | F |
| 46 | Pratt Institute-Main Brooklyn, NY | $35,100 | $33,408 | $20,048 | $26,000 | C |
| 47 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL | $34,818 | $37,059 | — | — | D |
| 48 | Huntington University Huntington, IN | $34,787 | $37,320 | $16,522 | $27,000 | C |
| 49 | Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FL | $34,741 | $36,977 | $28,874 | — | C |
| 50 | Los Angeles Film School Hollywood, CA | $34,138 | $31,063 | $15,529 | $33,250 | F |
| 51 | Montserrat College of Art Beverly, MA | $34,006 | $29,946 | — | — | F |
| 52 | College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI | $34,003 | $35,852 | $20,720 | $27,000 | D |
| 53 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM | $33,612 | $38,917 | $24,115 | $22,500 | F |
| 54 | Columbus College of Art & Design Columbus, OH | $33,389 | $35,631 | $20,110 | $27,000 | F |
| 55 | California College of the Arts San Francisco, CA | $31,068 | $28,270 | $26,481 | $26,899 | F |
| 56 | Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City, MO | $30,798 | $33,022 | $17,852 | $27,000 | F |
| 57 | School of Visual Arts New York, NY | $30,125 | $28,673 | $22,478 | $27,000 | D |
| 58 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL | $29,783 | $31,700 | $30,795 | — | C+ |
| 59 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VA | $29,565 | $26,922 | $16,280 | $25,750 | D |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects.
Largest Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
About Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects is a degree program offered at 243 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 6,026 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as special effects artists and animators.