1
by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Photography is the 310th most popular major in the country with 2,175 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major” ranking analyzed 209 colleges that offered a degree in photography. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in photography.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for photography students.
Out of the 209 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, School of Visual Arts landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, this small private for-profit school handed out 115 degrees to qualified ’s photography students in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Out of the 209 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbus College of Art and Design landed the #3 spot on the list. Columbus College of Art and Design is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 ’s photography degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Moore College of Art and Design. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major. Moore College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Photography at Moore College of Art and Design
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Delaware College of Art and Design. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major. DCAD is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wilmington, Delaware. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California Institute of the Arts came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. CalArts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valencia, California. It awarded 22 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Photography at California Institute of the Arts
Art Academy of Cincinnati ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. Art Academy of Cincinnati is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 4 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Cranbrook Academy of Art ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. Located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified ’s photography students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking, coming in at #10. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 69 ’s photography degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It awarded 6 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Photography at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Massachusetts College of Art and Design landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s photography degrees to 12 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Photography Report
Pacific Northwest College of Art came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s photography degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Photography at Pacific Northwest College of Art
The University of the Arts ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. UArts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
With a ranking of #15, Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. MICA is a small school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 22 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Kansas City Art Institute ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified ’s photography students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Photography at Kansas City Art Institute
College for Creative Studies ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. CCS is a private not-for-profit institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Savannah College of Art and Design ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. SCAD is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Savannah, Georgia. It awarded 144 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #19, Minneapolis College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified ’s photography students in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Photography at Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Art Center College of Design landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 19 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Columbia College Chicago landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 70 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, American Academy of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 3 ’s photography degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Villa Maria College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. Located in Buffalo, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified ’s photography students in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #24, Cleveland Institute of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major list. CIA is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 ’s photography degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
New York Film Academy came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Photography Major ranking. New York Film Academy is a private for-profit institution located in Burbank, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Not only did these schools make the top 32 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies