2026 Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in New Jersey
[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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for film, video & photographic arts students.
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Featured Film, Video & Photographic Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AA in Digital Photography
Take the first step toward a career of visual expression and doing what you love with this online associate degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
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BA in Digital Photography
Learn to create a striking portfolio and hone the skills you need to succeed in the world of professional photography with this online digital photography degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
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2026 Best Value Film, Video & Photographic Arts Schools in New Jersey
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
Montclair State University tops our 2026 list of the best value film, video & photographic arts schools in New Jersey. Located in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,912, compared with $26,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates of Montclair State University earn a median of $28,474 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rutgers University New Brunswick earned it the #2 place for film, video & photographic arts. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $17,929 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Typical student debt for film, video & photographic arts graduates is $23,250. Soon after graduation, film, video & photographic arts degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick generally make around $38,508. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Students looking for strong value in film, video & photographic arts will find it at Fairleigh Dickinson University College At Florham, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Madison, Fairleigh Dickinson University College At Florham is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,468. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. Film, Video & Photographic Arts graduates of Fairleigh Dickinson University College At Florham earn a median of $22,311 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rider University earned it the #4 place for film, video & photographic arts. Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lawrenceville. In-state tuition and fees average $41,120. Students borrow a median of $26,241 to complete the film, video & photographic arts program here. Early-career film, video & photographic arts graduates make about $48,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
