2027 Best Value Photography Schools in Pennsylvania
[Photography](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/photography/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong photography education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for photography students.
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2027 Best Value Photography Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the photography degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Photography Schools
Our analysis ranked Point Park University the best value for a degree in photography in Pennsylvania. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Point Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,570. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the photography program here. Early-career photography graduates make about $40,759. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Point Park University admits about 97% of applicants.
Temple University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in photography, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,005, with out-of-state students paying around $38,805. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the photography program here. Early-career photography graduates make about $24,345. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value photography schools. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Typical student debt for photography graduates is $23,250. Photography graduates of Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earn a median of $30,697 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Drexel University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value photography schools. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,412. Photography graduates carry a median of $25,379 in student loans. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from Drexel University generally make around $19,758. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Drexel University admits about 79% of applicants.
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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 · 4 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.
