Awards, Rankings, and Honors
School of Visual Arts is consistently recognized as one of the top art and design colleges in the world, as demonstrated by the many awards, honors, and distinctions bestowed upon its students, alumni, and academic programs.
Such recognition has come from professional organizations that identify excellence in the field (i.e. The Society of Publication Designers and The Webby Awards); inclusions in best-of lists and rankings by publications (i.e. Graphis and American Illustration Annuals); and local cultural influence such as SVA Way’s street naming and municipal proclamation of School of Visual Arts Day in the City of New York.
Rankings
Departmental
#1 - Best 2D Animation School In the World
The Rookies Global School Rankings 2023, 2024, 2025
#1 - Top 50 Illustration Colleges in the U.S.
Animation Career Review 2025 College Rankings
#1 - Top 10 Graphic Design School Programs in New York
Animation Career Review 2025 College Rankings
#1 - Best Illustration Schools in the U.S.
The Art Career Project 2024, 2025
#1 - Best College for Illustration in the U.S.
CollegeRaptor 2026 Best Colleges Rankings
#2 - Best Schools for Web & Multimedia Design: Middle Atlantic Region
College Factual 2025 Rankings
#3 - Top Ten Advertising & Design Schools
The One Club Rankings 2023
#4 - Best Animation Schools in the U.S.
The Art Career Project 2024
#4 - Top 5 Graduate UX/UI/HCI Schools and Colleges on the East Coast
Animation Career Review 2025 Rankings
#4 - Best Graduate Schools: New Media Programs
U.S. News & World Report
#5 - Top 50 Graphic Design Colleges in the U.S.
Animation Career Review 2025 College Rankings
#5 - Top 50 Animation Colleges in the U.S.
Animation Career Review 2025 College Rankings
#5 - Best Production Excellence - 2D Animation Schools
The Rookies 2025 Global School Rankings
#5 - Top Ten Advertising & Design Schools
The One Club Rankings 2024, 2025
#5 - 25 Best MFA Programs
GradReports
#5 - Best Web & Multimedia Design Schools
College Factual 2025 Rankings
#6 - Best Computer Graphics Schools
College Factual 2025 Rankings
#8 - Best Photography Schools
College Factual 2025 Rankings
#8 - Best Graphic Design Schools in the U.S.
The Art Career Project
#9 - Best Production Excellence - Visual Effects Schools 2025
The Rookies 2025 Global School Rankings
#12 - Best Graduate Schools: Painting & Drawing Programs
U.S. News & World Report
#13 - Best Computer Software & Applications Bachelor’s Degree Schools
College Factual 2025 Rankings
#21 - Top 50 Film Schools 2024
TheWrap
#23 - Best Graduate Schools: Fine Arts
U.S. News & World Report
#24 - Top Creative Schools: 3D Animation
The Rookies 2024 Global School Rankings
GDUSA Top Design Schools: Highest Honors
Graphic Design USA
Included in "30 of the Best Film Schools in America"
Backstage 2024
Institutional
Best Fine Arts Programs
U.S. News & World Report Best Grad Schools Rankings
Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students in 2025-2026
U.S. Department of State (published in The Chronicle of Higher Education)
#5 - Universities (Americas & Europe)
Red Dot Design Ranking 2023
#5 - Global Creative College
The One Club Rankings 2024, 2025
#5 - First Year Retention Rate
CollegeRaptor 2025 Best Colleges
#6 - Diversity (Geography: Mid-East)
CollegeRaptor 2025 Best Colleges
#7 - Best Colleges in New York in 2024-2025
Research.com Best College
#7 - Best College Locations in New York
Niche - 2025 College Rankings
#8 - Top 50 Creative Schools
The Rookies 2025 Global School Rankings
#8 - 100 Best Art Schools & Colleges in the U.S.
Empowerly 2025
#10 - Top 10 Colleges for Aspiring Artists
College Magazine 2024
#25 - World University Rankings 2025: Art & Design
QS Top Universities