2027 Best Value Film Studies Schools in Michigan
[Film Studies](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/film-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for film studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Film Studies Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the film studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Film Studies Schools
Oakland Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value film studies schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,120 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $5,560. Students borrow a median of $15,865 to complete the film studies program here. Film Studies graduates of Oakland Community College earn a median of $43,205 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned it the #2 place for film studies. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Typical student debt for film studies graduates is $19,760. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $25,565. That is a strong return on a $19,760 median debt. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
Oakland University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in film studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Film Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from Oakland University generally make around $22,011. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wayne State University earned it the #4 place for film studies. Located in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,159, with out-of-state students paying around $34,650. Typical student debt for film studies graduates is $29,500. Film Studies graduates of Wayne State University earn a median of $55,469 early in their careers. Set against $29,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grand Valley State University earned it the #5 place for film studies. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,502, while out-of-state students pay about $21,894. Film Studies graduates carry a median of $25,899 in student loans. Film Studies graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median of $25,256 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,899 median debt. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Michigan State University placed #6 among the best values for film studies. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Film Studies graduates carry a median of $25,213 in student loans. Film Studies graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $54,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,213 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Calvin College placed #7 among the best values for film studies. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Calvin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,350. Students borrow a median of $20,928 to complete the film studies program here. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from Calvin College generally make around $15,906. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
More Film Studies Rankings
View All Film Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
