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2027 Best Value Documentary Production Schools in Illinois

[Documentary Production](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/documentary-production/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for documentary production students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Documentary Production Schools in Illinois

2027 Best Value Documentary Production Schools in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in documentary production, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Documentary Production Schools

1

Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL

$34,088 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,000 Avg Student Debt

$42,195 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Columbia College Chicago the best value for a degree in documentary production in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,088. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the documentary production program here. Soon after graduation, documentary production degree recipients from Columbia College Chicago generally make around $29,694. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Columbia College Chicago admits about 90% of applicants.

2

Depaul University
Chicago, IL

$45,405 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,717 Avg Student Debt

$68,751 Median Earnings (10yr)

Depaul University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value documentary production schools. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,405. Documentary Production graduates carry a median of $24,717 in student loans. Early-career documentary production graduates make about $25,028. Set against $24,717 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.

View All Documentary Production Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.