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2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

37 Ranked Colleges
967 Degrees Awarded
$31,100 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 8,429 people earned their degree in film and video production, making the major the 113th most popular in the United States.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 967 film and video production graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 37 colleges that offer a degree in film and video production. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent film and video production programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the film and video production program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Film & Video Production (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Stanford University

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 masters’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Film & Video Production Report

#3

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#20 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the #3 spot on the list. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNCSA also made our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina School of the Arts are $26,064, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at University of North Carolina School of the Arts

#4

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 masters’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree cinematography students whose families make $30-$48k list, Florida State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State are $26,707, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Florida State

#5

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Diego State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 7 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at SDSU

#6

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 147 masters’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at University of Southern California

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036.

Read more about Film & Video Production at UIC

#8

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#23 in overall quality

San Francisco State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 10 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SFSU are $17,944, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full San Francisco State University Film & Video Production Report

#9

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana

The University of Montana landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Missoula, Montana, this medium-sized public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UM are $23,242, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UM Film & Video Production Report

#10

American University

Washington, District of Columbia
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, American University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 25 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree cinematography students whose families make $30-$48k list, The American University has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at American University are $35,524.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at American University

#11

New Jersey City University

Jersey City, New Jersey

New Jersey City University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. NJCU is a public institution located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NJCU, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New Jersey City University are $26,610, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Film & Video Production at NJCU

#12

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UWM are $25,295, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#13

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 2 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Iowa are $27,613, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at University of Iowa

University of Central Arkansas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Conway, Arkansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UCA are $11,648, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UCA Film & Video Production Report

#15

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York
#6 in overall quality

Syracuse University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Syracuse, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Syracuse also took the #6 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Syracuse are $41,714.

Full Syracuse Film & Video Production Report

#16

Montana State University

Bozeman, Montana

With a ranking of #16, Montana State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Bozeman, Montana, this fairly large public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at MSU Bozeman are $21,446, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at MSU Bozeman

#17

Purchase College

Purchase, New York
#24 in overall quality

Purchase College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Purchase, New York, and it awarded 4 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Purchase College also made our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #24. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purchase College are $24,983, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Purchase College Film & Video Production Report

#18

New York University

New York, New York
#4 in overall quality

New York University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 101 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

NYU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New York University are $36,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at New York University

#19

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#18 in overall quality

Temple University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Temple also took the #18 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Temple University are $24,236, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Temple University

Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. OHIO Athens is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 6 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at OHIO Athens are $17,712, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#14 in overall quality

Southern Methodist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 3 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

SMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Methodist University are $47,478, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Southern Methodist University

#22

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #22, Lipscomb University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 5 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Lipscomb University are $18,000, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Lipscomb University

#23

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, California
#19 in overall quality

California College of the Arts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at California College of the Arts, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California College of the Arts are $53,795, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at California College of the Arts

#24

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, New York
#11 in overall quality

Rochester Institute of Technology landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Rochester Institute of Technology is located in Rochester, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 masters’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

RIT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Rochester Institute of Technology are $50,442, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Rochester Institute of Technology

#25

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

DePaul University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full DePaul University Film & Video Production Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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