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2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California

11 Ranked Colleges
481 Degrees Awarded
$33,900 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master's in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

Across California, there were 2,162 film and video production graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 481 film and video production graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in film and video production. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality film and video production programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the film and video production program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. 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 in California” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California.

Top 11 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Film & Video Production in California

#1

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, California
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mount Saint Mary’s University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. MSMU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 6 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree cinematography students list, MSMU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at MSMU are $12,612, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Mount Saint Mary’s University Film & Video Production Report

#2

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Francisco State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. San Francisco State University is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 10 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944.

Read more about Film & Video Production at San Francisco State University

#3

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola Marymount University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola Marymount University are $19,756.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Loyola Marymount University

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #4 spot on the 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.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Film & Video Production at San Diego State University

#5

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #5 spot on the list. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree cinematography students list, Academy of Art University has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Academy of Art University are $27,688, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Academy of Art University Film & Video Production Report

#6

Chapman University

Orange, California
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Chapman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. Orange, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

Chapman also took the #4 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Chapman are $35,105, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Chapman

#7

New York Film Academy

Burbank, California
#12 in overall quality

New York Film Academy came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. New York Film Academy is a small school located in Burbank, California that handed out 133 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

New York Film Academy also took the #12 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New York Film Academy are $35,457, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

University of Southern California ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s cinematography degrees to 147 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715.

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

#9

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, California
#9 in overall quality

Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #9. Art Center College of Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 15 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Art Center College of Design, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Art Center College of Design are $49,090, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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

#10

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, California Institute of the Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California list. California Institute of the Arts is a small school located in Valencia, California that handed out 25 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree cinematography students list, CalArts has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CalArts are $53,466, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full California Institute of the Arts Film & Video Production Report

#11

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

California College of the Arts landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Cinematography Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. This small school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 6 masters’s cinematography degrees in 2019-2020.

California College of the Arts also took the #6 spot in our “Best Film & Video Production Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California College of the Arts are $53,795, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

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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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