4,120
Graduates Per Year
$49K
Average Salary
#95
Most Popular Major
Degree Stats
Popular
4,120
13% NATIONAL AVG
Diplomas Received Last Year
187
5% NATIONAL AVG
Colleges Offering this Degree
Most Popular Degrees
94
Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
4,135
95
Film
4,120
96
Architecture
4,108
Most Widely Offered Degrees
35
/
1.852
Worse
Better
Top 100 Colleges offering this degree
Degree Granting Schools that are Public
Most Graduates
By Region
Far West
California State University-Long Beach
By State
California
California State University-Long Beach
By Conference
Big West Conference
California State University-Long Beach
By School
American Film Institute Conservatory
If you think life as a film director, film screenwriter, or camera operator sounds interesting, then a degree in film may just be for you. You could even become the director of the next James Bond movie!
Film is the 95th most popular degree in America, with 4,120 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #96 Architecture, and narrowly lost to #94 Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
The degree is offered at a total of 187 colleges across the nation, and is the 108th most widely offered degree. Given that film is offered at 47% of the Top 100 Best Collegesin America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.
It is also worth noting that 43% of colleges offering film are public making it a pretty accessible field.
The far west produces the most film graduates, largely led by California State University-Long Beach, while it’s the Big West Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from California State University-Long Beachand University of California-Santa Barbara.
All that being said, no individual school produces more film graduates than American Film Institute Conservatory, which graduated 283 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study film). More students studied film as a percentage of total students at Columbia College Hollywoodthan any other college.
We wish you luck on your college search and we hope you enjoy Authority's 2022 official Best Colleges for Film list. Some of our picks may surprise you!
Good luck on your college search. We hope you enjoy Authority's 2022 official Best Colleges for Film list. Some of our picks may surprise you!
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#1 Best Colleges for Film
University of Southern California is a very large private university located in Los Angeles, CA ranked 24thin the nation. It has a total of 21,909 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 11.42% acceptance rate. University of Southern California offers 527 different majors and is best known for its communication and media studies, film, and gerontology programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $57,256 per year, University of Southern California is extremely costly. 87.78% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $74,000 per year, which is 78% over the national median.
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Los Angeles, CA
www.usc.edu/
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
53,186
Students
# 24
Ranking
$57,256
Tuition
#2 Best Colleges for Film
University of California-Santa Barbara is a very large public university located in Santa Barbara, CA ranked 97thin America. It has a total of 24,638 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting narrowly over 2/7 of applicants. University of California-Santa Barbara offers 182 different majors and is best known for its actuarial science, sociology, and experimental psychology programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $11,442 for students from California and $41,196 for those from out-of-state, University of California-Santa Barbara is rather high-priced. 64.93% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $55,300 per year, which is 33% above the national median.
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Santa Barbara, CA
www.ucsb.edu
A
Rating
30%
Acceptance
27,685
Students
# 12
Ranking
$41,196
Tuition
#3 Best Colleges for Film
University of Chicago is a large private university located in Chicago, IL ranked 10thin the nation. It has a total of 7,674 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, with a 6.17% acceptance rate. University of Chicago offers 218 different majors and is best known for its econometrics and quantitative economics, economics, and counseling psychology programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $57,642 per year, University of Chicago is exceptionally expensive. 79.52% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $68,100 per year, which is 64% greater than the national median.
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Chicago, IL
WWW.UCHICAGO.EDU
A+
Rating
6%
Acceptance
19,659
Students
# 10
Ranking
$57,642
Tuition
#4 Best Colleges for Film
University of California-Los Angeles is a very large public university located in Los Angeles, CA ranked 33rdin the US. It has a total of 33,703 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 12.32% acceptance rate. University of California-Los Angeles offers 333 different majors and is best known for its psychology, sociology, and political science and government programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $11,442 for students from California and $41,196 for those from out-of-state, University of California-Los Angeles is rather high-priced. 80.62% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $60,700 per year, which is 46% over the national median.
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Los Angeles, CA
www.ucla.edu/
A+
Rating
12%
Acceptance
47,103
Students
# 1
Ranking
$41,196
Tuition
#5 Best Colleges for Film
Yale University is a large private university located in New Haven, CT ranked 4thin America. It has a total of 6,748 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 6.08% of applicants. Yale University offers 297 different majors and is best known for its american studies, religious studies, and history programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $55,500 per year, Yale University is extremely expensive. 89.63% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, entering the labor market. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $83,200 per year, which is 100% above the national median.
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New Haven, CT
https://www.yale.edu
A+
Rating
6%
Acceptance
14,389
Students
# 4
Ranking
$55,500
Tuition
#6 Best Colleges for Film
Harvard University is a very large private university located in Cambridge, MA ranked 3rdin the United States. It has a total of 14,467 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, with a 4.64% acceptance rate. Harvard University offers 375 different majors and is best known for its history, social sciences, and natural sciences programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $47,730 per year, Harvard University is exceptionally high-priced. 77.7% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $89,700 per year, which is 116% greater than the national median.
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Cambridge, MA
www.harvard.edu
A+
Rating
5%
Acceptance
41,987
Students
# 3
Ranking
$47,730
Tuition
#7 Best Colleges for Film
University of Pennsylvania is a very large private university located in Philadelphia, PA ranked 8thin the US. It has a total of 14,000 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 7.66% of applicants. University of Pennsylvania offers 355 different majors and is best known for its finance, management sciences and quantitative methods, and philosophy programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $51,156 per year, University of Pennsylvania is exceptionally costly. 81.13% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor market. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $85,900 per year, which is 107% over the national median.
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Philadelphia, PA
www.upenn.edu
A+
Rating
8%
Acceptance
29,813
Students
# 8
Ranking
$51,156
Tuition
#8 Best Colleges for Film
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a very large public university located in Ann Arbor, MI ranked 37thin the US. It has a total of 31,206 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting 22.91% of applicants. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers 433 different majors and is best known for its experimental psychology, data modeling and database administration, and german language and literature programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $15,230 for students from Michigan and $50,872 for those from out-of-state, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is extremely expensive. 86.28% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, joining the labor force. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $63,400 per year, which is 53% above the national median.
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Ann Arbor, MI
https://umich.edu/
A+
Rating
23%
Acceptance
48,218
Students
# 2
Ranking
$50,872
Tuition
#9 Best Colleges for Film
Dartmouth College is a mid-sized private university located in Hanover, NH ranked 14thin the United States. It has a total of 4,797 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 7.93% of applicants. Dartmouth College offers 113 different majors and is best known for its engineering science, latin american studies, and native american studies programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $55,605 per year, Dartmouth College is extremely pricey. 90.38% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, joining the labor market. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $75,500 per year, which is 82% above the national median.
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Hanover, NH
www.dartmouth.edu
A+
Rating
8%
Acceptance
7,081
Students
# 14
Ranking
$55,605
Tuition
#10 Best Colleges for Film
Washington University in St Louis is a large private university located in Saint Louis, MO ranked 15thin America. It has a total of 8,774 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 13.85% of applicants. Washington University in St Louis offers 291 different majors and is best known for its anthropology, design and visual communications, and environmental biology programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With a tuition cost of $54,250 per year, Washington University in St Louis is extremely high-priced. 88.9% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $70,100 per year, which is 69% greater than the national median.
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Saint Louis, MO
www.wustl.edu
A+
Rating
14%
Acceptance
17,794
Students
# 15
Ranking
$54,250
Tuition
#11 Best Colleges for Film
Vanderbilt University is a large private university located in Nashville, TN ranked 17thin the US. It has a total of 6,974 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 9.12% of applicants. Vanderbilt University offers 245 different majors and is best known for its teacher education and professional development, secondary education and teaching, and social sciences programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $50,800 per year, Vanderbilt University is exceptionally pricey. 86.73% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $69,000 per year, which is 66% over the national median.
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Nashville, TN
www.vanderbilt.edu
A+
Rating
9%
Acceptance
13,634
Students
# 17
Ranking
$50,800
Tuition
#12 Best Colleges for Film
University of California-Berkeley is a very large public university located in Berkeley, CA ranked 68thin the nation. It has a total of 32,700 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 16.25% of applicants. University of California-Berkeley offers 315 different majors and is best known for its cellular biology and anatomical sciences, natural resources and conservation, and environmental studies programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With a tuition cost of $11,442 for in-state students and $41,196 for those from out-of-state, University of California-Berkeley is rather costly. 58.68% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $64,700 per year, which is 56% over the national median.
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Berkeley, CA
www.berkeley.edu
A+
Rating
16%
Acceptance
45,183
Students
# 7
Ranking
$41,196
Tuition
#13 Best Colleges for Film
Tufts University is a large private university located in Medford, MA ranked 30thin the US. It has a total of 6,134 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 14.95% of applicants. Tufts University offers 220 different majors and is best known for its biopsychology, critical theory and analysis, and child development programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $57,324 per year, Tufts University is very expensive. 82.88% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $75,800 per year, which is 82% greater than the national median.
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Medford, MA
https://www.tufts.edu
A+
Rating
15%
Acceptance
12,781
Students
# 30
Ranking
$57,324
Tuition
#14 Best Colleges for Film
Emory University is a large private university located in Atlanta, GA ranked 23rdin America. It has a total of 8,026 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 15.6% of applicants. Emory University offers 205 different majors and is best known for its biology, french studies, and radiation therapy programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With a tuition cost of $53,070 per year, Emory University is extremely costly. 88.39% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, entering the workforce. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $66,000 per year, which is 59% greater than the national median.
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Atlanta, GA
www.emory.edu
A+
Rating
16%
Acceptance
16,024
Students
# 23
Ranking
$53,070
Tuition
#15 Best Colleges for Film
Wesleyan University is a small private liberal arts college located in Middletown, CT ranked 48thin the US. It has a total of 3,261 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 16.48% acceptance rate. Wesleyan University offers 85 different majors and is best known for its italian studies, american studies, and physiological psychology programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively). With a tuition cost of $56,704 per year, Wesleyan University is extremely expensive. 89.47% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, entering the workforce. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $54,700 per year, which is 32% over the national median.
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Middletown, CT
www.wesleyan.edu
A+
Rating
16%
Acceptance
3,524
Students
# 45
Ranking
$56,704
Tuition
#16 Best Colleges for Film
University of California-Irvine is a very large public university located in Irvine, CA ranked 116thin the nation. It has a total of 31,386 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting 26.54% of applicants. University of California-Irvine offers 291 different majors and is best known for its managerial economics, social psychology, and criminology programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $11,442 for in-state students and $41,196 for those from out-of-state, University of California-Irvine is quite expensive. 46.45% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $58,400 per year, which is 41% greater than the national median.
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Irvine, CA
www.uci.edu/
A
Rating
27%
Acceptance
38,105
Students
# 20
Ranking
$41,196
Tuition
#17 Best Colleges for Film
Barnard College is a small private liberal arts college located in New York, NY ranked 31stin America. It has a total of 2,723 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting in the region of 1/9 of applicants. Barnard College offers 69 different majors and is best known for its urban studies, asian studies, and american studies programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 6th respectively). With a tuition cost of $55,781 per year, Barnard College is very high-priced. 90.3% of students graduate beginning the next stage of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $57,900 per year, which is 39% over the national median.
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New York, NY
www.barnard.edu
A+
Rating
12%
Acceptance
2,723
Students
# 31
Ranking
$55,781
Tuition
#18 Best Colleges for Film
Amherst College is a small private liberal arts college located in Amherst, MA ranked 29thin the nation. It has a total of 1,946 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 11.31% acceptance rate. Amherst College offers 39 different majors and is best known for its french language and literature, mathematics, and african american studies programs (nationally ranked 3rd, 4th, and 4th respectively). With a tuition cost of $57,640 per year, Amherst College is very high-priced. 90.32% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $65,000 per year, which is 56% over the national median.
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Amherst, MA
www.amherst.edu
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
1,946
Students
# 29
Ranking
$57,640
Tuition
#19 Best Colleges for Film
Middlebury College is a small private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, VT ranked 39thin America. It has a total of 3,931 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 15.36% acceptance rate. Middlebury College offers 65 different majors and is best known for its european studies, spanish language and literature, and chinese language and literature programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively). With a tuition cost of $55,790 per year, Middlebury College is exceptionally expensive. 85.77% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $58,200 per year, which is 40% above the national median.
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Middlebury, VT
www.middlebury.edu
A+
Rating
15%
Acceptance
4,751
Students
# 37
Ranking
$55,790
Tuition
#20 Best Colleges for Film
Lafayette College is a small private liberal arts college located in Easton, PA ranked 50thin the United States. It has a total of 2,672 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting more or less three tenths of applicants. Lafayette College offers 39 different majors and is best known for its film, womens studies, and international relations and affairs programs (nationally ranked 20th, 31st, and 32nd respectively). With a tuition cost of $54,512 per year, Lafayette College is exceptionally costly. 89.32% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $68,600 per year, which is 65% above the national median.
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Easton, PA
https://www.lafayette.edu/
A+
Rating
31%
Acceptance
2,672
Students
# 46
Ranking
$54,512
Tuition
#21 Best Colleges for Film
California State University-Long Beach is a very large public college located in Long Beach, CA ranked 240thin the nation. It has a total of 34,674 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting 39.27% of applicants. California State University-Long Beach offers 180 different majors and is best known for its human sciences, health and fitness, and computer engineering technologies programs (nationally ranked 1st, 3rd, and 5th respectively). With a tuition cost of $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for those from out-of-state, California State University-Long Beach is moderately priced. 73.68% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $48,100 per year, which is 16% over the national median.
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Long Beach, CA
www.csulb.edu
A-
Rating
39%
Acceptance
41,344
Students
# 65
Ranking
$17,622
Tuition
#22 Best Colleges for Film
Carleton College is a small private liberal arts college located in Northfield, MN ranked 38thin the United States. It has a total of 2,129 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 19.13% acceptance rate. Carleton College offers 35 different majors and is best known for its international relations and affairs, religious studies, and fine art programs (nationally ranked 11th, 14th, and 14th respectively). With a tuition cost of $56,778 per year, Carleton College is very costly. 89.73% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, joining the workforce. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $54,200 per year, which is 30% over the national median.
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Northfield, MN
https://www.carleton.edu
A+
Rating
19%
Acceptance
2,129
Students
# 36
Ranking
$56,778
Tuition
#23 Best Colleges for Film
San Francisco State University is a very large public institution located in San Francisco, CA ranked 60thin California. It has a total of 29,527 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 67.3% of applicants. San Francisco State University offers 173 different majors and is best known for its asian american studies, labor studies, and human sciences programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 2nd, and 8th respectively). With a tuition cost of $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for those from out-of-state, San Francisco State University is reasonably priced. 60.31% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, joining the labor force. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $49,200 per year, which is 18% above the national median.
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San Francisco, CA
www.sfsu.edu
B-
Rating
67%
Acceptance
33,236
Students
# 169
Ranking
$17,622
Tuition
#24 Best Colleges for Film
American University is a large private university located in Washington, DC ranked 107thin the US. It has a total of 9,034 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, with a 36.08% acceptance rate. American University offers 199 different majors and is best known for its international relations and affairs, recording arts technology, and musical theatre programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 4th, and 7th respectively). With a tuition cost of $49,070 per year, American University is exceptionally costly. 75.84% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $61,000 per year, which is 47% over the national median.
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Washington, DC
WWW.AMERICAN.EDU
A
Rating
36%
Acceptance
16,079
Students
# 93
Ranking
$49,070
Tuition
#25 Best Colleges for Film
Wellesley College is a small private liberal arts college located in Wellesley, MA ranked 43rdin the United States. It has a total of 2,784 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, with a 21.56% acceptance rate. Wellesley College offers 53 different majors and is best known for its french language and literature, peace studies and conflict resolution, and japanese language and literature programs, which are all nationally ranked 8th. With a tuition cost of $55,728 per year, Wellesley College is exceptionally costly. 79.38% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $60,800 per year, which is 46% above the national median.
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Wellesley, MA
www.wellesley.edu
A+
Rating
22%
Acceptance
2,784
Students
# 41
Ranking
$55,728
Tuition