2027 Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in Virginia
[Film, Video & Photographic Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value film, video & photographic arts schools.
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2027 Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the film, video & photographic arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools
Our analysis ranked Northern Virginia Community College the best value for a degree in film, video & photographic arts in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,891, with out-of-state students paying around $12,410. Typical student debt for film, video & photographic arts graduates is $14,413. Early-career film, video & photographic arts graduates make about $40,126. Set against $14,413 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at George Mason University earned it the #2 place for film, video & photographic arts. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $23,989 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Regent University one of the best values for film, video & photographic arts. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,650. Typical student debt for film, video & photographic arts graduates is $29,451. Early-career film, video & photographic arts graduates make about $44,205. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Regent University admits about 38% of applicants.
Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value film, video & photographic arts schools. Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public school located in the city of Richmond. Students from in state pay about $16,720 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,884 for out-of-state students. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, film, video & photographic arts degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University generally make around $23,109. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in film, video & photographic arts will find it at Liberty University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,173. Typical student debt for film, video & photographic arts graduates is $22,500. Early-career film, video & photographic arts graduates make about $20,512. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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.
