2026 Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in Virginia

[Film, Video & Photographic Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value film, video & photographic arts schools.
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2026 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
Northern Virginia Community College earned the #1 spot for value among film, video & photographic arts schools in Virginia. Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Annandale. Students from in state pay about $5,891 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,410. Students borrow a median of $14,413 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. Soon after graduation, film, video & photographic arts degree recipients from Northern Virginia Community College generally make around $40,126. That is a strong return on a $14,413 median debt.
George Mason University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in film, video & photographic arts, landing the #2 spot this year. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. 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.
Students looking for strong value in film, video & photographic arts will find it at Virginia Commonwealth University, which ranked #3. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $39,884. Typical student debt for film, video & photographic arts graduates is $26,000. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University earn a median of $23,109 early in their careers. 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 Regent University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,650. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates carry a median of $29,451 in student loans. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates of Regent University earn a median of $44,205 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,451 median debt. Regent University admits about 38% of applicants.
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. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Students borrow a median of $22,500 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. 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
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.