Best Value Film/Video and Photographic Arts Colleges in California

UCLA's film program delivers the highest early career earnings at $33,993 despite charging just $14,013 in net costs, creating an strong value proposition that few private competitors can match. California's 20 film programs span from ultra-affordable options like Cal State Northridge at $7,599 to premium choices reaching $47,527 at Chapman University. The state's entertainment industry employs over 430,000 workers across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and emerging production hubs, with streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ driving unprecedented demand for content creators. Public universities dominate the value equation, with UC schools offering strong graduate outcomes at reasonable costs. Chapman University graduates command the highest starting salaries at $37,568, justifying its premium price point, while Cal State Sacramento provides solid returns at just $10,512 annually. California's Cal Grant program helps qualifying students cover tuition costs, making even UC programs accessible to middle-income families navigating the state's high living costs.

Programs

$3,659 – $50,209

Net Price Range

$26,048

Avg. Program Earnings

68.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

41 Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-Northridge Northridge, California	$7,599	$27,874	$7,095	56.2%	91.2%
2	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California	$10,512	$27,126	$7,602	55.8%	93.2%
3	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$33,993	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
4	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California	$13,825	$29,064	$14,965	85.3%	25.9%
5	San Francisco State University San Francisco, California	$12,882	$24,151	$7,424	50.1%	94.2%
6	University of California-Riverside Riverside, California	$13,707	$25,503	$14,170	76.6%	68.7%
7	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$23,340	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
8	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$22,482	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%
9	University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California	$16,607	$23,508	$14,560	74.5%	46.9%
10	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$31,927	$29,557	$68,237	92.0%	12.0%
11	Woodbury University Burbank, California	$28,248	$25,774	$44,886	54.8%	62.6%
12	John Paul the Great Catholic University Escondido, California	$29,124	$25,658	$29,500	65.3%	79.6%
13	Chapman University Orange, California	$47,527	$37,568	$62,784	80.4%	72.5%
14	California College of ASU Los Angeles, California	$30,320	$22,268	$26,175	48.4%
15	Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, California	$45,723	$32,711	$58,974	79.8%	41.3%
16	Academy of Art University San Francisco, California	$39,778	$27,203	$28,024	40.5%
17	California Institute of the Arts Valencia, California	$47,183	$20,140	$56,724	64.2%	24.8%
18	Art Center College of Design Pasadena, California	$50,209	$20,824	$51,640	82.6%	71.0%
19	New York Film Academy Burbank, California	$46,420	$16,169	$36,738	70.9%
20	Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, California	$25,009		$48,132	53.4%	75.8%
21	Los Angeles Film School Hollywood, California	$33,130			42.2%
22	Stanford University Stanford, California	$12,136		$62,484	92.8%	3.7%
23	Biola University La Mirada, California	$28,101		$46,704	68.8%	56.6%
24	Westmont College Santa Barbara, California	$32,926		$51,790	70.1%	82.0%
25	California Baptist University Riverside, California	$27,384		$39,720	59.5%	79.9%
26	California College of the Arts San Francisco, California	$42,168		$57,946	58.7%	75.7%
27	Pepperdine University Malibu, California	$45,409		$66,742	84.7%	48.7%
28	University of the Pacific Stockton, California	$25,926		$55,340	67.8%	93.2%
29	Pacific Union College Angwin, California	$20,979		$35,214	51.5%	48.5%
30	Occidental College Los Angeles, California	$39,329		$63,446	85.1%	39.4%
31	National University San Diego, California	$31,058		$13,320	50.0%
32	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979		$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
33	La Sierra University Riverside, California	$26,217		$35,910	68.1%	91.9%
34	University of La Verne La Verne, California	$26,925		$47,000	65.4%	73.5%
35	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, California	$13,167		$7,913	46.6%	98.2%
36	Fresno Pacific University Fresno, California	$14,317		$35,558	55.9%	75.0%
37	FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Los Angeles, California	$41,493		$34,325	67.2%	41.7%
38	Claremont McKenna College Claremont, California	$27,384		$64,150	95.2%	10.4%
39	California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, California	$26,433		$50,670	74.0%	87.2%
40	California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, California	$3,659		$7,064	46.9%	89.1%
41	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931		$7,008	69.9%	40.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes UCLA's film program such strong value compared to private schools?

UCLA combines a $14,013 net cost with $33,993 average earnings and a 92.7% graduation rate, outperforming most private competitors on all metrics. The program benefits from Hollywood connections while maintaining public university affordability. Even USC, with similar industry access, costs $31,927 annually but produces lower average earnings at $29,557.

How do Cal State schools compare for budget-conscious film students?

Cal State Northridge offers the lowest cost at $7,599 with respectable $27,874 earnings, while Sacramento runs $10,512 annually with $27,126 returns. Both schools maintain 91-93% acceptance rates and graduate over half their students. Northridge provides particularly strong value with debt loads averaging just $18,250 upon graduation.

Is Chapman University worth its $47,527 annual cost for film students?

Chapman produces the highest average earnings at $37,568 among California film programs, though the premium cost creates a longer payback period. The school maintains an 80.4% graduation rate and $18,500 average debt load. Students seeking industry connections and smaller class sizes often find the investment worthwhile despite the higher upfront costs.

Does attending a UC school guarantee better film career outcomes?

UC schools show mixed results with UCLA and UCSB leading at $33,993 and $29,064 respectively, while UC Davis and UC Irvine trail at $22,482 and $23,340. Graduation rates consistently exceed 74% across UC campuses, with UCLA reaching 92.7%. The UC brand carries weight in California's entertainment industry, though individual program strength varies significantly.

Where do California film graduates find the most job opportunities?

Los Angeles remains the epicenter with major studios, streaming services, and production companies concentrated in Hollywood and Burbank areas. San Francisco's tech sector creates demand for video content and digital media specialists at companies like Apple and Google. Orange County and San Diego offer growing markets in commercial production and post-production services, with lower living costs than LA or San Francisco.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.