by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Film Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Film, Video & Photographic Arts is the 62nd most popular major in the country with 16,778 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, film, video and photographic arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $24,170 and had an average of $25,804 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Film Major” ranking analyzed 562 colleges that offered a degree in film, video and photographic arts. To top this list, a school must have a successful film, video and photographic arts program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Film Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 film students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Full Sail University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major list. Located in Winter Park, Florida, this large private for-profit school handed out 735 diplomas to qualified ’s film students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Full Sail University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major list. New York University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 426 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at New York University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Savannah College of Art and Design. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Film Major. This fairly large school is located in Savannah, Georgia, and it awarded 390 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Emerson College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 356 degrees to qualified ’s film students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Emerson
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Los Angeles Film School. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major list. Hollywood, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s film degrees to 352 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Film, Video & Photographic Arts at LA Film School
University of Southern California ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Film Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s film degrees to 310 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
New York Film Academy ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Film Major list. This small school is located in Burbank, California, and it awarded 355 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Full New York Film Academy Film, Video & Photographic Arts Report
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 247 diplomas to qualified ’s film students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.
Georgia State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s film degrees to 235 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Georgia State
Columbia College Chicago came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 234 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Columbia College Chicago
DePaul University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s film degrees to 224 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at DePaul
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 199 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
School of Visual Arts landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. School of Visual Arts is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 194 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 Film, Video & Photographic Arts at School of Visual Arts
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Film Major list. SNHU is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 192 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Southern New Hampshire University
Chapman University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. Chapman University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Orange, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 190 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Chapman
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #16. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 184 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Temple University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school handed out 190 degrees to qualified ’s film students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Film Major list. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 179 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz Film, Video & Photographic Arts Report
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #19. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 178 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at CSULB
Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #20. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 172 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Academy of Art University
University of California - Irvine landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 167 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read more about Film, Video & Photographic Arts at UC Irvine
Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Film Major list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s film degrees to 154 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Arizona State University - Tempe
University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #23. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 144 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Brooklyn College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #24. Brooklyn College is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 ’s film degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.
Full Brooklyn College Film, Video & Photographic Arts Report
Columbia College Hollywood did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Film Major ranking, coming in at #25. Columbia College Hollywood is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tarzana, California. It awarded 135 ’s film degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Film, Video & Photographic Arts at Columbia College Hollywood
Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | American University | Washington, DC |
| 53 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 53 | University of Oregon | Eugene, OR |
| 55 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA |
| 56 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 57 | California Institute of the Arts | Valencia, CA |
| 58 | Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ |
| 58 | Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg, MA |
| 60 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY |
| 60 | Montana State University | Bozeman, MT |
| 60 | Art Center College of Design | Pasadena, CA |
| 63 | University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ |
| 64 | Santa Monica College | Santa Monica, CA |
| 65 | Portland State University | Portland, OR |
| 65 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | Biola University | La Mirada, CA |
| 68 | Purchase College | Purchase, NY |
| 69 | Webster University | Saint Louis, MO |
| 69 | Valencia College | Orlando, FL |
| 69 | Brigham Young University - Provo | Provo, UT |
| 72 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 72 | Fordham University | Bronx, NY |
| 72 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus | Albuquerque, NM |
| 72 | Baylor University | Waco, TX |
| 72 | Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ |
| 77 | Utah Valley University | Orem, UT |
| 78 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 79 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus | Madison, NJ |
| 79 | University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR |
| 79 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN |
| 79 | George Mason University | Fairfax, VA |
| 83 | University of Rhode Island | Kingston, RI |
| 84 | Hunter College | New York, NY |
| 84 | Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies