57 Best Film schools in the United States

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Cinematography. A graph of 69K citations received by 8.93K academic papers made by 57 universities in the United States was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. New York University

New York State | New York City

For Cinematography

#1 in North America

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,730

2. University of California - Santa Barbara

California | Santa Barbara

For Cinematography

#2 in North America

#6 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,732
Enrollment: 26,068

3. University of Southern California

California | Los Angeles

For Cinematography

#3 in North America

#8 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

4. University of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

For Cinematography

#4 in North America

#16 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,017

5. Columbia University

New York State | New York City

For Cinematography

#5 in North America

#17 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $20,869

6. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Wisconsin | Madison

For Cinematography

#6 in North America

#18 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 60%

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Michigan | Ann Arbor

For Cinematography

#7 in North America

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 66%

8. University of Texas at Austin

For Cinematography

#8 in North America

#26 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

9. University of California - Davis

California | Davis

For Cinematography

#9 in North America

#27 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

10. University of California - Los Angeles

California | Los Angeles

For Cinematography

#10 in North America

#28 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

11. University of Florida

Florida | Gainesville

For Cinematography

#11 in North America

#29 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 92%

12. University of Chicago

Illinois | Chicago

For Cinematography

#12 in North America

#31 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

13. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Illinois | Champaign

For Cinematography

#13 in North America

#32 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

14. University of Rochester

New York State | Rochester

For Cinematography

#14 in North America

#34 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,900

15. University of California - Berkeley

California | Berkeley

For Cinematography

#16 in North America

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

16. University of Washington - Seattle

Washington | Seattle

For Cinematography

#18 in North America

#51 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,390
Enrollment: 55,620

17. Stanford University

California | Stanford

For Cinematography

#20 in North America

#55 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

18. Ohio State University

Ohio | Columbus

For Cinematography

#21 in North America

#57 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 75%

19. Yale University

Connecticut | New Haven

For Cinematography

#22 in North America

#58 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,044

20. University of California - Irvine

California | Irvine

For Cinematography

#23 in North America

#59 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

21. University of California-San Diego

California | San Diego

For Cinematography

#24 in North America

#63 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

22. University of Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

For Cinematography

#25 in North America

#70 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

23. Carnegie Mellon University

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

For Cinematography

#26 in North America

#71 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $32,964

24. Harvard University

Massachusetts | Cambridge

For Cinematography

#28 in North America

#74 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,900

25. Temple University

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

For Cinematography

#31 in North America

#81 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $11,891
Enrollment: 30,205

26. Michigan State University

Michigan | East Lansing

For Cinematography

#32 in North America

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 97%

27. University of Iowa

Iowa State | Iowa City

For Cinematography

#33 in North America

#86 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 88%

28. Duke University

North Carolina | Durham

For Cinematography

#34 in North America

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

29. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

North Carolina | Chapel Hill

For Cinematography

#35 in North America

#100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 58%

30. Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania | University Park

For Cinematography

#36 in North America

#111 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 66%

31. Bowling Green State University

Ohio | Bowling Green

For Cinematography

#37 in North America

#113 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 98%

32. Arizona State University - Tempe

Arizona | Tempe

For Cinematography

#38 in North America

#114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $11,992
Enrollment: 79,593

33. University of Arizona

Arizona | Tucson

For Cinematography

#39 in North America

#118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 98%

34. Princeton University

New Jersey | Princeton

For Cinematography

#40 in North America

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,811

35. Cornell University

New York State | Ithaca

For Cinematography

#42 in North America

#124 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,455

36. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Massachusetts | Amherst

For Cinematography

#43 in North America

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

37. Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia | Atlanta

For Cinematography

#45 in North America

#129 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 73%

38. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

North Carolina | Raleigh

For Cinematography

#46 in North America

#140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 68%

39. Indiana University - Bloomington

Indiana | Bloomington

For Cinematography

#47 in North America

#143 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 83%

40. George Mason University

Virginia | Fairfax

For Cinematography

#48 in North America

#144 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

41. University of Miami

Florida | Coral Gables

For Cinematography

#50 in North America

#152 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $41,028

42. Oberlin College

For Cinematography

#51 in North America

#153 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $50,484

43. University of California - Santa Cruz

California | Santa Cruz

For Cinematography

#52 in North America

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,564
Enrollment: 19,764

44. University of Kansas

Kansas State | Lawrence

For Cinematography

#54 in North America

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 93%

45. University at Buffalo

New York State | Buffalo

For Cinematography

#56 in North America

#168 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 86%

46. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts | Cambridge

For Cinematography

#57 in North America

#172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,519

47. Northwestern University

Illinois | Evanston

For Cinematography

#58 in North America

#174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,341

48. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minnesota | Minneapolis

For Cinematography

#59 in North America

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

49. Dartmouth College

New Hampshire | Hanover

For Cinematography

#60 in North America

#176 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $17,322

50. Fordham University

New York State | New York City

For Cinematography

#61 in North America

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $45,368

51. University of Notre Dame

Indiana | Notre Dame

For Cinematography

#62 in North America

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,083

52. College of William and Mary

Virginia | Williamsburg

For Cinematography

#63 in North America

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1438
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

53. Purdue University

Indiana | West Lafayette

For Cinematography

#65 in North America

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

54. Vanderbilt University

Tennessee | Nashville

For Cinematography

#67 in North America

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,689

55. Middlebury College

Vermont | Middlebury

For Cinematography

#68 in North America

#195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,912

56. Case Western Reserve University

Ohio | Cleveland

For Cinematography

#69 in North America

#197 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1485
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,351

57. CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York State | New York City

For Cinematography

#70 in North America

#202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 9,116
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1961

The best cities to study Cinematography in the United States based on the number of universities and their ranks are New York, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.