Looking to write and produce amazing shows like Shonda Rhimes? Or maybe you’re looking to direct a Marvel movie like Jon Watts? If you’ve got a passion for film, but are unsure where to go to pursue it, you’ve come to the right spot! We’re going to be looking into some of the best colleges for film across the United States.
We’ll be breaking it up into a few different sections based on the location of the schools we’ll be discussing:
- West Coast
- East Coast
- Southern
- And Midwestern
What is a Film Major?
A film major is pretty much exactly what you’d expect. You can pursue anything involved in filmmaking, so if any of these interest you, film is definitely the right path:
- Film Editing
- Film History
- Film Theory
- Screenwriting
- Cinematography
But before we get into the best colleges for film, if you’re undecided on pursuing film as a major, we have resources where you can find out more about deciding on your major. But, if you’re unsure about whether or not a higher education is for you after hearing about famous bigwigs who never went to college, you can also learn more about why education is the right choice for your future career!
Without further ado, let’s get started. Lights, camera, action!
West Coast Schools
USC (University of Southern California)
The University of Southern California has some star-studded alumni like Shonda Rhimes, the writer and producer of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton, and Scandal. The school also offers some amazing master classes taught by some brilliant teachers. Lisa Kudrow even taught a class on comedy one year! The draw of the school definitely comes from its world-class faculty that taught the best of the best how to get there. The school costs about fifty-five thousand per year for undergraduates, but for all the great learning opportunities, we’d say it’s definitely worth it!
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California is another amazing school to pursue film. Patty Jenkins, the director of Wonder Woman, is an alumnae who praised the school for focusing on clarifying students’ visions and helping them execute them to the best of their abilities. The school has been aiming on recruiting more women into film, and even offers an intensive course on cinematography that gives twenty women a tuition-free ride. The school costs somewhere between fifty-nine and sixty-one thousand per year, but because it’s in the heart of Los Angeles and produces such amazing directors, this school is a great choice for those serious about film!
UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles, is a great school also based in Los Angeles. The school has a noteworthy faculty of professionals that take students through all aspects of film such as screenwriting, directing, costume design and more. It even recently added an extended reality and artificial intelligence research studio for students to get experience working with AI. Tuition is usually around forty-thousand dollars for in-state students, and around sixty-thousand for out-of-state students. With another set of notable alumni and great hands-on courses, UCLA gets our stamp of approval!
East Coast Schools
New York University
NYU is notoriously a great school for the arts, but NYU Tisch is one of the best colleges for film in all of America. The school not only produced the first woman of color to ever win an Oscar (Chloé Zhao), but also provides stipends for students to create films. They’ve had many alumni go on to be nominated and win academy awards, so for the price of twenty-six thousand dollars per semester, this school makes our list!
Emerson College
Emerson is a bit of a new-comer when discussing the best film schools, but this Boston college is quickly making itself known. The school has two campuses: one in Boston, and one in Hollywood. Emerson introduces its students to the best film practices and networking opportunities from coast to coast. The university costs around fifty-five thousand dollars per year, and is making its way onto the list of the best colleges for film!
Southern Schools
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design, or SCAD, is one of the largest film schools in the nation. Recently, they’ve expanded further, adding a new building for production classrooms, costume labs, a costume studio shop and more. Students have even worked on a comedy series and short films in SCAD’s Lacoste, France campus. Programs have also had some star-studded guest appearances like Kevin Bacon and George Lopez. For about forty-thousand dollars per year, SCAD makes our list for the best colleges for film.
Belmont University
Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee is a very hands-on school when it comes to teaching film. Students often start with a camera in hand and make about four productions in their first semester alone. The school has state-of-the-art equipment and dedicated staff that make for a wonderful learning experience. Costing about thirty-one thousand dollars per year, Belmont University is a great place to get hands-on experience and strengthen your portfolio!
Midwestern Schools
Northwestern
Northwestern in Illinois is another great school for hands-on experience. In 2024, Northwestern took students to Sundance so they could experience the festival first hand and network with influential alumni. The school often focuses on getting students’ names out there and broadening their connections within the industry. For sixty-five thousand dollars per year, Northwestern’s ability to connect students to members of the industry puts it on our list for the best colleges for film!
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Lastly, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a great place for those interested in animation. Their animation department includes brilliant animators like Owen Klatte (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Tim Decker (The Simpsons). However, animation is not the only thing they're known for. Students often get a chance to showcase their films at the Milwaukee Film Festival. For twenty-five thousand dollars per year, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the perfect final addition to our list.
That does it for our list of the best colleges for film!
These are just a few of the best colleges for film across the United States. Whether you’re from the west coast bathing in the L.A. sun, or enjoying the east coast with New York’s bustling city life—there's a school for you!
