2027 Best Film Studies Schools in District of Columbia

Film Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for film studies students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Film Studies Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Film Studies in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall film studies education in District of Columbia.

Top Schools in Film Studies

1

American University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

56 Film Studies Degrees Awarded

$39,108 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than American University this year for film studies. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 76% of students finish within six years. About 56 film studies degrees were awarded at American University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $39,108. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete this degree. See the full film studies program report for American University

2

Howard University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

14 Film Studies Degrees Awarded

$58,495 Median Starting Salary

Howard University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in film studies, ranking #2. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. Howard University awarded about 14 film studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the film studies program make about $58,495 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $25,498 to complete this degree. Get the full film studies details for Howard University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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 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.