The Center for Cartoon Studies

What The Center for Cartoon Studies does

The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational institution founded in 2005 by Michelle Ollie and James Sturm in White River Junction, Vermont. It is the only U.S. institution dedicated exclusively to graduate-level comics and graphic novel education, approved by the State of Vermont Agency of Education to confer the Master of Fine Arts degree and operating with SEVP certification to admit international students. Core academic offerings are the two-year MFA (60 credits, with a low-residency second-year option), a parallel Two-Year Certificate (60 credits), and an accelerated nine-month One-Year Certificate (30 credits); annual tuition is $29,750 for 2025-26 and $31,200 for 2026-27. The curriculum integrates writing, design, drawing, and storytelling using industry-standard Adobe Creative Cloud tools alongside physical production, with weekly finished-comics output and a yearlong thesis culminating in a graphic novel draft or applied cartooning project.

The business model is primarily tuition-driven (annual subscription per enrolled student) with auxiliary revenue from summer/winter workshops (one-time fees), custom academic outreach workshops priced from $1,000/day plus travel, low-cost webinars ($5), and fellowship programs. CCS does not accept federal financial aid; merit scholarships ($2,500–$10,000) and the Ed Koren Memorial Scholarship ($5,000) are funded from operating revenue and donations. Distribution is direct on-campus for degree programs, with online workshops, webinars, and academic outreach partnerships extending reach globally; the Applied Cartooning Lab produces free downloadable civic-education comics distributed across 50 states (150,000+ copies since 2019). Customer segments span aspiring professional cartoonists (primary), hobbyists and youth, educational institutions (colleges, high schools, military, medical schools), and community organizations. A 98% student retention rate and reported 98% alumni remaining in comics in some form indicate durable product-market fit within a deliberately narrow niche.

Name

The Center for Cartoon Studies

Legal name

The Center for Cartoon Studies

Website

https://cartoonstudies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Cartoon Studies is a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) graduate school offering MFA, One-Year, and Two-Year Certificate programs plus workshops in cartooning and graphic novel creation, serving aspiring professional cartoonists nationally and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art & Design Higher Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG), Art/Alternative/Underground Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAK), Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAI)

Keywords

• Cartooning education programs
• Graphic novel training
• Comics creation workshops
• MFA cartooning degree
• Applied cartooning lab

Headquarters

HQ city

White River Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. MFA and Certificate Program Tuition: Full-time academic programs with tuition-based revenue. 2025-26 tuition is $29,750; 2026-27 tuition is $31,200 per academic year. Additional fees include deposit ($500), lab fee ($350), and tech fee ($370). Programs are full-time with no part-time option available.
2. Summer and Winter Workshops: In-person and online workshops for various skill levels. Topics include Graphic Memoir, Horror Comics, Queer Comics, Create Comics, Graphic Novel workshops, and youth programs. Scholarships available including need-based and BIPOC scholarships.
3. Custom-Designed Academic Outreach Workshops: 1-3 day workshops designed for external organizations including colleges, high schools, military (West Point Cadets), medical schools, and businesses. Rates begin at $1,000/day plus travel expenses.
4. Student Laptop Requirement: Students are required to provide their own laptop capable of running Adobe Creative Cloud software, creating an indirect revenue stream for technology providers.
5. Private Student Loans: CCS partners with Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) to offer private educational loans, generating referral relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Center for Cartoon Studies is a Vermont-based educational institution that delivers graduate-level cartooning education through a two-year MFA degree, Two-Year Certificate, and accelerated One-Year Certificate, with a curriculum spanning writing, design, drawing, storytelling, publication workshop, professional practices, and a yearlong thesis comic. It supplements degree programs with seasonal in-person and online workshops for adults and youth, free self-directed eCourses, fellowship and residency programs, an Applied Cartooning Lab producing civic-impact comics, the Schulz Library collection of 20,000+ graphic novels, and the annual Cartoonist Studio Prize. The institution sells educational services and curated cartooning curriculum directly to students, hobbyists, and partner organizations.

Product overview

The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) is an educational institution offering a unified portfolio of cartooning programs centered on its core MFA degree and certificate programs. The two-year Master of Fine Arts degree, One-Year Certificate, and Two-Year Certificate form the academic core, supplemented by seasonal summer workshops, Saturday Morning Cartoon Club for youth, and the free online One-Week Cartooning Workout for self-directed learners. Additional offerings include fellowship programs (Program Fellowship, Cornish CCS Residency Fellowship, and Children's Book Residency), the Applied Cartooning Lab for civic-impact projects, and the annual Cartoonist Studio Prize recognizing excellence in the field. CCS also publishes free educational comics and operates The Schulz Library as a resource for students and the community. The institution is currently undergoing a major campus renewal with the Telegraph Building renovation, which will expand facilities to include a specialized comics bookstore.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Cartoonist Studio Prize: An annual award recognizing excellence in cartooning, awarding $1,000 to creators of two exceptional comics in long-form and short-form categories.
• Applied Cartooning Lab
• The Schulz Library
• Cornish CCS Residency Fellowship

Products and services

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree in Cartooning A two-year, full-time graduate degree program in cartooning with an option to complete the second year in low residency. Curriculum spans writing, design, drawing, and storytelling, culminating in a yearlong thesis project and professional practices guidance. Open to students with a bachelor's degree; tuition $29,750 for 2025-26 and $31,200 for 2026-27.
• Two-Year Certificate Program A two-year certificate that follows the same curriculum as the MFA, culminating in a yearlong thesis project. Second year may be completed on location or by distance in a low-residency online and correspondence program.
• One-Year Certificate Program A nine-month intensive program designed to accelerate a cartoonist's growth. Faculty and visiting artists introduce tools, techniques, and approaches to cartooning including writing, drawing, graphic design, screen-printing, and computer skills.
• Summer and Winter Workshops In-person and online workshops for various skill levels covering topics including Queer Comics, Intermediate Comics, Create Comics, Graphic Novel I & II, Summer Cartoon Collective, Summer Cartoon Club, Coming of Age Comics, Graphic Memoir, Horror Comics, and Comics 101. Need-based and BIPOC scholarships are available.
• Saturday Morning Cartoon Club A fast-paced cartooning workshop for Upper Valley kids held during fall and spring semesters, taught by Wayne Carter and friends.
• One-Week Cartooning Workout (Free eCourse) A free self-directed online eCourse available at any time to help aspiring cartoonists improve their skills through structured exercises and assignments.
• Program Fellowship An award given to emerging cartoonists who have achieved significant critical and/or professional stature, providing access to CCS resources for career advancement. Includes an Applied Cartooning Fellow position through the Applied Cartooning Lab.
• Cornish CCS Residency Fellowship A residency fellowship located in Cornish, New Hampshire, in partnership with Cornish College of the Arts, designed to create a focused and inspiring environment for cartoonists to create exceptional work.
• Children's Book Residency (PJ Library) A week-long intensive residency sponsored by PJ Library, helping visual storytellers create children's books or graphic novels focused on Jewish themes. Participants receive full tuition scholarship, lodging, travel, and food stipends. Led by James Sturm and other CCS faculty.
• Academic Outreach Program (Custom Workshops) Custom-designed 1-3 day workshops for external organizations including colleges, universities, high schools, libraries, military (West Point Cadets), medical schools, and businesses, as well as free 1-hour Zoom sessions for college classes featuring CCS presentations, comics demonstrations, and Q&A.
• The Schulz Library A library located in the historic Post Office building containing over 20,000 graphic novels, zines, reference materials, out-of-print and rare collections, and a near-complete run of The Comics Journal, available to students and the public.
• The Applied Cartooning Lab A program using comics as tools for public understanding and community engagement, developing projects that engage public education, civic dialogue, or social impact.
• The Cartoonist Studio Prize An annual award presented to creators of exceptional comics, awarding $1,000 prizes in long-form and short-form categories; now in its 14th season.
• Free Educational Comics (Applied Cartooning Downloads) Free downloadable and printable comic publications including 'This Is What Democracy Looks Like', 'Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health', 'Art & Courage: A Guide to Sustaining a Creative Path', and 'Cartooning In An Anxious Age'.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% student retention rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cornish College of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cornish CCS Residency Fellowship is designed to create a focused and inspiring environment for cartoonists. Located 16 miles from CCS in Cornish, NH, the residency supports cartoonists in creating exceptional work. Fellows have included Nick Drnaso, Cara Bean, and Ali Fitzgerald.
• PJ LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPJ Library sponsors a week-long intensive Children's Book Residency at CCS for visual storytellers to create children's books or graphic novels with Jewish themes. Participants receive full tuition scholarship, lodging, travel, and food stipends. Led by James Sturm and other CCS faculty.
• Dartmouth CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinutes from CCS campus, Dartmouth College offers free exhibitions, symposiums, and events featuring renowned creators. CCS students have access to Dartmouth's Library and letterpress print shop. Dartmouth hosts Drawing Us Together comics exhibition.
• Vermont HumanitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCS collaborated on Vermont Reads 2022 'The Most Costly Journey' showcasing migrant farmworker stories. Tillie Walden '16 selected for Vermont Reads 2026 with 'Charity & Sylvia'. Joint events hosted at CCS.
• Two Rivers Printmaking StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal printmaking cooperative provides student memberships for studio access, workshops, and classes beyond CCS production lab.
• Association of Vermont Independent CollegesminorOthersCCS is a member of AVIC, representing independent colleges in Vermont.
• Vermont Higher Education CouncilminorOthersCCS is a member of VHEC, aligned with New England Commission of Higher Education standards.
• Local Independent BooksellercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with local independent bookseller to operate a specialized bookstore in the renovated Telegraph Building. Will sell comics and graphic novels, creating new book retail destination for the village for first time in decades. Expected to increase foot traffic and support small business growth.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): SCAD operates one of the most prominent dedicated sequential art programs in the U.S. at both undergraduate and graduate levels, making it the closest direct competitor for aspiring cartoonists evaluating graduate-level comics education.
• School of Visual Arts (SVA): SVA offers a BFA in Cartooning and an MFA in Illustration as Comic Art, placing it squarely in the same comics-education niche as CCS for prospective students in the New York metro area.
• Columbia College Chicago: Columbia College Chicago's traditional animation and comics-focused tracks in visual arts compete with CCS for students seeking comics-centered curricula at the postsecondary level.

Broad incumbents

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD's illustration BFA/MFA programs and significant tuition overhead overlap with CCS's applicant pool at the elite end; Faculty Chair Jason Lutes is a RISD BFA alumnus, illustrating pipeline overlap.
• Ringling College of Art and Design: Ringling's illustration and visual storytelling programs produce graduates who enter similar comics, graphic novel, and entertainment careers as CCS alumni, making it a relevant comparator for tuition-driven fine arts schools.
• California Institute of the Arts (CalArts): CalArts offers a character animation and experimental animation track that produces graduates who often work in comics-adjacent and graphic storytelling fields, competing for the same top-tier applicants.
• Pratt Institute: Pratt's undergraduate and graduate illustration programs include comics-adjacent tracks, drawing students who might otherwise consider CCS, though Pratt's portfolio is much broader.
• Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD): MCAD offers a comics-focused track within a broader fine arts portfolio, and CCS President Michelle Ollie was previously director/faculty at MCAD — making it a closely comparable fine arts school with adjacent comics offerings.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): Parsons offers illustration and design programs with comics-adjacent electives and competes with CCS for urban, design-oriented prospective students seeking creative careers.

Emerging players

• Cornish College of the Arts: Cornish College of the Arts is a direct strategic partner of CCS through the Cornish CCS Residency Fellowship and a fine-arts-focused institution with overlapping visual arts programming for prospective students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cartoonstudies
• Facebookfacebook.com/cartoonstudies
• Instagraminstagram.com/cartoonstudies

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Center for Cartoon Studies