Some students like to stand in the spotlight, while others shine behind the camera. If you prefer looking through a lens, a film, video and photographic art major may be for you.
Classes within this major prepare graduates for careers in cinematography, film production, photography and the visual arts.
Students interested in visual arts will take classes that expose them to filming, editing and production techniques. Classes in production, lighting, video and picture editing and cinematography provide the necessary skills to help students capture the world on film.
Once these skills are perfected, graduates find positions with film companies, news studios and advertising agencies or pursue self-employment.
College Factual’s ranking is heavily weighted by outcomes like graduate rates, student loan default rates, and average starting salary. View the whole ranking here, and learn more about the methodology in this article. Many of these top schools are located in the Los Angeles area, allowing students maximum access to a major center of motion picture production.
1. University of Southern California: Los Angeles
The University of Southern California admitted its first class in 1880. Since then, it has maintained a strong reputation for providing a top education, especially in film and television production. The program offers a range of classes that develop technical skills, while also fostering creativity and storytelling.
Classes in film history develop a passion and understanding for the field, while editing, production design, web producing and cinematography introduce and perfect skills. Students from USC have done well in the film industry because of their education and proximity to many jobs. Graduates earn an average starting salary of $48,000 and mid-career salary of $72,000.
2. New York University
The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University is home to the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. Students in the Department of Film and Television take classes in film techniques while gaining professional training that leads to a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree.
Hand-on classes in sound image, frame and sequence, production, animation and documentary are supplemented by the school’s core curriculum in writing and art history. The workshop-style classes are taught by faculty members who have experience in the film industry and prepare students for a successful career in the field. NYU graduates earn an average starting salary of $41,000 and the highest mid-career salary of $90,000.
3. University of California – Los Angeles
The University of California School of Theater, Film and Television is one of the top professional schools in the country. The school works to provide students with a dynamic education that pushes them to become compelling storytellers through their work behind the camera.
Classes in film history, cinematography, editing, directing, digital media and animation give students the professional training to become innovators in the film industry. Along with exceptional class offerings, majors have access to the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which is the largest university-based moving image collection in the world. This program leads to positions of leadership in the industry, with students earning an average starting salary of $43,000 and average mid-career salary of $84,000.
4. Chapman University: Orange, Calif.
The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University is a premier film school located close to major production studios in California. The school offers an undergraduate program in both film studies and film production. Film studies focuses primarily on the history and theory of film and leads to a career as a film critic, while film production explores the technical side of shooting, editing and producing films.
Classes are taught in a workshop style, ensuring students have hands-on experience. The learning-by-doing method best prepares students to work in Hollywood because it gives them the necessary experience to become filmmakers. The state-of-the-art facilities at Chapman provide students with the most recent equipment in its sound stages, studios and editing suites. These facilities stay open 24 hours to allow students to work on projects and films. Graduates of this program earn an average starting salary of $34,000 and mid-career salary of $70,000, respectively.
Dig deeper into College Factual’s film school rankings with this interactive tool:
5. Loyola Marymount University: Los Angeles
The Loyola Marymount School of Film and Television was established in the 1920s and began formally teaching film and television courses in 1964. It is currently a top film school, providing students with a comprehensive and dynamic education. Classes in current cinematic practices are blended with exposure to past film innovators to give students a complete understanding of the film industry and where it is heading. Film, TV and media studies majors are equipped with the skills and knowledge to enter a fast-paced and exciting career, earning average starting salaries of $45,000 and mid-career salaries of $65,000.
6. University of California – Berkeley, Calif.
The Department of Film and Media at UC Berkeley has a strong history of offering rigorous training for careers in the film industry. The school developed a curriculum that exposes students to film theory, history and genre while teaching them about innovative film techniques.
Classes in writing, film production, animation, foreign cinema and various genres are supplemented by field studies that allow students to gain professional experience through an internship in the industry. While this program does not have a strong focus on film production, UC Berkeley offers production classes through the Digital Media Labs Consortium and access to other schools within the university. Graduates of this program go on to find careers as film historians, critics, editors, filmmakers and production assistants, earning an average starting salary of $45,000 and mid-career salary of $77,000.
7. University of California – Santa Cruz, Calif.
The undergraduate film and digital media program at UC Santa Cruz is an innovative program that teaches students how to study the cultural impact of film. Students strengthen their critical thinking skills by analyzing cinema and new media, while also learning about production and filmmaking.
Classes in television studies, cinema, American film, television and new media history, and documentary film and video prepare students for their senior seminar, which allows them to apply their knowledge and prepare for their future careers. Graduates of this program are often leaders in the industry due to their analytical and dynamic understanding of the discipline, and go on to careers earning an average starting salary of $45,000 and mid-career salary of $65,000.
8.American University: Washington
American University is a top college in Washington, DC that was chartered by Congress in 1893. It has a strong tradition of providing students with an exemplary education that helps them succeed as leaders, innovators and global thinkers. The film and media arts program provides students with the opportunity to take classes in film, cinematography, editing and production. Students learn through hands-on experience to help perfect professional and technical skills.
Along with learning about the academic side of film, students are also given the opportunity to work on projects for real clients. This allows them to further develop their abilities and prepare for a career in the industry. Additionally, AU offers a fast-track program that ends with a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in film and video. Undergraduate majors in this program enter the industry earning an average starting salary of $39,000, moving up to a mid-career salary of $67,000.
9. Wesleyan University: Middleton, Conn.
Wesleyan University is a small liberal arts institution that is known for its strong academic programs. Its film studies major allows students to analyze the cultural and historical significance of film while also exploring filmmaking. Classes in cinema, visual storytelling, television, documentary film and film criticism are combined with the liberal arts core to give students a comprehensive education. Graduates of Wesleyan go on to find careers in various aspects of the film industry, earning an average starting salary of $40,000 and mid-career salary of $69,000.
10. Pratt Institute – Main: Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Film/Video Department at Pratt Institute has an overall goal of developing total filmmakers. Students in the program master creating, writing, directing and editing to make them successful in their chosen careers. Classes in film techniques and technology help students learn the necessary skills for becoming a filmmaker, while drawing, creative writing, and screen writing develop an artistic mind.
Film majors at Pratt are innovators who learn to foster a creative vision from development to production. They have access to various internships and film opportunities in New York City that provide unique opportunities for real world experience. Film graduates enter the industry earning an average starting salary of $43,000, jumping to $73,000 at the mid-career level.
