2023 Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools
Finding the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts School for You
In 2020-2021, 16,778 people earned a degree or certificate in film, video and photographic arts, making the major the #63 most popular in the United States.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 325 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
2023 Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Colleges.
Top 25 Top Schools in Film, Video & Photographic Arts
Our 2023 rankings named Lafayette College the best school in the United States for film, video and photographic arts students. Lafayette is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Easton.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dartmouth College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools list. Located in the remote town of Hanover, Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Dartmouth College
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts is a great place for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the city of Dallas, KD Conservatory is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts Report
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Emory University is a great place for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend SAE Institute - Atlanta. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools list. SAE Institute - Atlanta is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Atlanta.
College of the Holy Cross did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #6 on the list. Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Worcester.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at College of the Holy Cross
The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools ranking. Located in the large city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at The Graduate Center, CUNY Report
Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools list. Located in the suburb of Orlando, F.I.R.S.T. Institute is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, film graduates from F.I.R.S.T. Institute carry an average student debtload of $7,853. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $136.
Brandeis University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools list. Located in the small city of Waltham, Brandeis is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Brandeis University Report
With a ranking of #10, Winona State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the town of Winona, Winona State is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Winona State University
Nashville Film Institute came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools ranking. Located in the city of Nashville, Nashville Film Institute is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that film majors at Nashville Film Institute take out is $9,500.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Nashville Film Institute Report
With a ranking of #12, Miami Ad School at Portfolio Center did quite well on this year’s best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the city of Atlanta, Miami Ad School at Portfolio Center is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Miami Ad School at Portfolio Center Report
Carnegie Mellon University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools ranking. Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Pittsburgh.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Carnegie Mellon University Report
Sacred Heart University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Fairfield, Sacred Heart is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
University of California - Berkeley did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public college with a very large student population.
Film majors at UC Berkeley take out an average of $15,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
With a ranking of #16, American Film Institute Conservatory did quite well on this year’s best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. American Film Institute is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at American Film Institute Conservatory Report
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #17 on the list. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public school with a fairly large student population.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best film, video and photographic arts programs. Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public school with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, film graduates from U-M carry an average student debtload of $18,857.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Report
With a ranking of #19, Northwestern University did quite well on this year’s best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
With a ranking of #20, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on this year’s best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Washington University in St Louis did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #21 on the list. WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Saint Louis.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Washington University in St Louis
University of Georgia did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for film, video and photographic arts students. It came in at #22 on the list. UGA is a very large public school located in the midsize city of Athens.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at University of Georgia Report
University of Pennsylvania landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best film, video and photographic arts programs. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
University of Southern California came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools ranking. USC is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
Film majors at USC take out an average of $21,466 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $395.
Southern Methodist University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best film, video and photographic arts programs. Located in the large suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
Full Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Southern Methodist University Report
Rest of the Top Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for Film, Video & Photographic Arts students that almost earned our Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 50 | Huntington University | Huntington, IN |
| 51 | John Tyler Community College | Chester, VA |
| 52 | Taylor University | Upland, IN |
| 53 | Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY |
| 54 | Clemson University | Clemson, SC |
| 55 | University of Dayton | Dayton, OH |
| 56 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
| 57 | Seattle University | Seattle, WA |
| 58 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | Whitewater, WI |
| 59 | Chapman University | Orange, CA |
| 60 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Lincoln, NE |
| 61 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 62 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 63 | Tufts University | Medford, MA |
| 64 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY |
| 65 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT |
Film, Video & Photographic Arts by Region
View the Best Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Film, Video & Photographic Arts Rankings
Rankings in Majors Related to Film
One of 10 majors within the area of study, film, video and photographic arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
Majors Similar to Film
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 36,301 |
| Music | 25,910 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,341 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.