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Cheapest Film/Video and Photographic Arts Colleges in Illinois

Ranked by lowest net price after financial aid. See our methodology.

University of Chicago charges $66,939 sticker price but delivers a $18,967 net cost for Film/Video and Photographic Arts students, ranking fourth cheapest among Illinois programs. Dominican University tops affordability at $15,113 net cost despite its private status. Chicago's film industry, which contributes $2.4 billion annually to the local economy through productions and post-production work, creates career pathways for graduates from these nine programs spanning $15,113 to $34,298 in net costs.
9
Programs
$15,113 – $34,298
Net Price Range
$24,202
Avg. Program Earnings
65.3%
Avg. Graduation Rate

9 Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $15,113 $37,844 62.4% 89.5%
2 $15,201 $16,004 84.9% 44.8%
3 $16,177 $13,244 56.3% 91.5%
4 $18,967 $66,939 94.9% 5.4%
5 $23,572 $39,680 72.1% 75.1%
6 $25,027 $30,910 53.3% 58.2%
7 $26,788 $32,520 48.5% 94.8%
8 $29,141 $44,460 70.0% 70.2%
9 $34,298 $39,510 45.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the dramatic cost differences between public and private film programs?

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign charges $16,004 in-state tuition while private schools like Columbia College Chicago list $32,520. However, financial aid narrows gaps significantly, with Dominican University achieving a $15,113 net cost despite its $37,844 sticker price.

How do graduation rates vary among affordable film programs?

University of Chicago leads with 94.90% graduation rates, while American Academy of Art College graduates 45% of students. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, despite ranking third cheapest at $16,177 net cost, maintains a 56.30% graduation rate.

Where do film graduates earn the highest starting salaries?

DePaul University graduates earn $27,077 median salary with $24,000 debt, while Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduates start at $21,881 with $18,525 debt. Only three schools provided earnings data among the nine programs.

More Film/Video and Photographic Arts Rankings

Best Value Film/Video and Photographic Arts in Illinois Film/Video and Photographic Arts Under $20,000 in Illinois

Related

All Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs Best Colleges in Illinois Best Film/Video and Photographic Arts in Illinois

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