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2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

19 Ranked Colleges
1,011 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

Film & Video Production is the 113th most popular major in the country with 8,429 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across California, there were 2,162 film and video production graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,011 film and video production graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer a degree in film and video production. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great film and video production programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the film and video production program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Film & Video Production Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Film & Video Production (Income $48-$75k) in California

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s cinematography degrees to 69 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCR has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#2

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 114 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Southern California.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at USC

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Sacramento. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 52 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $11,413 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at California State University - Sacramento

#4

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California
#17 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Humboldt State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Arcata, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Humboldt State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $15,723 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Humboldt State University Film & Video Production Report

#5

Pacific Union College

Angwin, California
#16 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Pacific Union College landed the #5 spot on the list. PUC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Angwin, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at PUC, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for PUC is $20,083 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Film & Video Production at PUC

#6

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, California Lutheran University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. CLU is located in Thousand Oaks, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

CLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CLU is $22,493 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at CLU

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, John Paul the Great Catholic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. JPCatholic is a small school located in Escondido, California that handed out 60 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

JPCatholic did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend John Paul the Great Catholic University is $26,193 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full John Paul the Great Catholic University Film & Video Production Report

#8

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Biola University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Biola is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Mirada, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k list, Biola has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Biola University is $29,212 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Biola University

#9

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, California
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, California College of the Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 16 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at California College of the Arts, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California College of the Arts is $28,699 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at California College of the Arts

#10

Chapman University

Orange, California
#2 in overall quality

Chapman University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Chapman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 146 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Chapman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Chapman University is $36,041 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Chapman University

#11

Woodbury University

Burbank, California
#13 in overall quality

Woodbury University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Woodbury University is located in Burbank, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Woodbury, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Woodbury University is $22,616 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Woodbury Film & Video Production Report

#12

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

Academy of Art University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school handed out 53 degrees to qualified bachelors’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

Academy of Art University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $38,617 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Academy of Art University Film & Video Production Report

#13

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $34,284 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Loyola Marymount University

#14

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, California
#12 in overall quality

Mount Saint Mary’s University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s cinematography degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

MSMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend MSMU is $26,880 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Mount Saint Mary’s University

#15

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, California
#7 in overall quality

Art Center College of Design landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

Art Center College of Design also took the #7 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $42,445 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Art Center College of Design.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Art Center College of Design

#16

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California
#8 in overall quality

California Institute of the Arts landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Valencia, California, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

CalArts also made our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for CalArts is $46,265 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Film & Video Production at California Institute of the Arts

#17

SAE Expression College

Emeryville, California
#20 in overall quality

SAE Expression College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. SAE Expression College is located in Emeryville, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k list, SAE Expression College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SAE Expression College is $33,807 for California Bachelor’s Degree Cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Film & Video Production at SAE Expression College

#18

Los Angeles Film School

Hollywood, California
#19 in overall quality

Los Angeles Film School landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles Film School is a medium-sized school located in Hollywood, California that handed out 145 bachelors’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at LA Film School, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $31,795 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Los Angeles Film School.

Full LA Film School Film & Video Production Report

#19

New York Film Academy

Burbank, California
#18 in overall quality

New York Film Academy came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Burbank, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 106 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s cinematography students in 2019-2020.

New York Film Academy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Film & Video Production Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend New York Film Academy is $47,592 for california bachelor’s degree cinematography students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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

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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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