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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Film & Video Production

257 Ranked Colleges
7,768 Degrees Awarded
$37,800 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Cinematography Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Cinematography Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Film & Video Production is the 117th most popular major in the country with 7,768 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Cinematography Major” ranking analyzed 257 colleges that offered a degree in film and video production. To top this list, a school must have a successful film and video production program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Cinematography Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The cinematography school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Well Attended Cinematography Major”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Well Attended Cinematography Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Cinematography Major”.

1
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 257 schools in the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #1 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s cinematography degrees to 396 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad 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 New York University

2
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

Out of the 257 schools in the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Emerson College landed the #2 spot on the list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s cinematography degrees to 355 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 Emerson College Film & Video Production Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Savannah College of Art and Design. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major. SCAD is located in Savannah, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 272 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Savannah College of Art and Design Film & Video Production Report

4
LA Film School crest
Los Angeles Film School
Hollywood, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Los Angeles Film School. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major. LA Film School is a private for-profit institution located in Hollywood, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 255 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at LA Film School

5
New York Film Academy crest
New York Film Academy
Burbank, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York Film Academy. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major. Located in Burbank, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 315 diplomas to qualified ’s cinematography students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at New York Film Academy

6
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. DePaul is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 224 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at DePaul University

7
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #7, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s cinematography degrees to 216 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 full report on Film & Video Production at USC

8
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 176 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia Film & Video Production Report

9
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Chapman is a medium-sized school located in Orange, California that handed out 166 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Chapman University

9
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Temple University is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 173 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Temple

11

University of Central Florida landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at UCF

12
MDC crest
Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida

With a ranking of #12, Miami Dade College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s cinematography degrees to 147 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Film & Video Production at MDC

13
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Brooklyn College is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 113 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Brooklyn College Film & Video Production Report

14
Columbia College Hollywood crest
Columbia College Hollywood
Tarzana, California

Columbia College Hollywood landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Located in Tarzana, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 105 diplomas to qualified ’s cinematography students in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia College Hollywood Film & Video Production Report

15
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #15, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s cinematography degrees to 99 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Loyola Marymount University

16

With a ranking of #16, University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. UNCW is located in Wilmington, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNCW Film & Video Production Report

17

University of California - Riverside came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 91 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Film & Video Production at UCR

17
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It awarded 91 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Film & Video Production at Middle Tennessee State University

19

University of North Carolina School of the Arts came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. This small school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 88 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Film & Video Production at UNCSA

20
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 79 diplomas to qualified ’s cinematography students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Academy of Art University

21
Ithaca crest
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York

Ithaca College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 76 degrees to qualified ’s cinematography students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 full report on Film & Video Production at Ithaca

22

Rochester Institute of Technology came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. Rochester Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 66 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 RIT

23
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

Grand Canyon University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking, coming in at #23. Grand Canyon University is located in Phoenix, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 62 ’s cinematography degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Canyon University Film & Video Production Report

24
MSU Bozeman crest
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana

Montana State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Cinematography Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bozeman, Montana, and it awarded 60 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at MSU Bozeman

25
Fitchburg State crest
Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Cinematography Major list. Fitchburg State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It awarded 58 ’s cinematography degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Read more about Film & Video Production at Fitchburg State University

Rest of the Best 39 in Most Well Attended Cinematography Major

Not only did these schools make the top 39 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California
27
27
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, Florida
27
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
30
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
30
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
30
33
34
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
35
35
Belmont crest
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee
35
35
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
35

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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