ArtCenter College of Design
The film program inside this design conservatory counts Michael Bay and Zack Snyder among its graduates and puts a particular emphasis on the visual. Students choose from three tracks — directing, cinematography and editing — with courses including a PSA and commercial workshop.
Biola
Just outside Los Angeles, Biola’s Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts has benefited from a multimillion-dollar investment that has given it production facilities that rival programs decades its senior. As faith-based content continues to find mainstream audiences, Biola combines Christian values with serious creative ambition.
Cal State Long Beach
With annual tuition coming in at less than $7,000 for California residents, a B.A. in cinematic arts from Long Beach allows students to pursue an education in film while worrying less about debt in the uncertain early postgraduate years.
Azusa Pacific University
Offering both B.A.s and BFAs in cinematic arts, Azusa’s unique entertainment executive concentration is geared toward students looking to take classes on subjects like marketing, financing and packaging.
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Pace University
This Lower Manhattan school offers both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in filmmaking — the former focused on production, the latter incorporating historical and analytical study. Dedicated courses cover casting, story development and the film remake, and students have access to both digital cameras (ARRI, Blackmagic) and Bolex 16mm equipment.
City College of New York
The Harlem-based school’s affordable MFA program (tuition is $305 per credit for residents and $602 for nonresidents) covers both fiction and nonfiction filmmaking, for which the free biweekly Documentary Forum brings in film screenings and panel discussions that augment coursework.
SUNY Stony Brook
The MFA program is guided by indie film legend (and honorary Oscar winner) Christine Vachon of Killer Films, with a focus on writing, directing and producing. In addition to creative and practical production courses, producing students can expect classes on distribution and finance strategy.
Purchase College
The conservatory-style program in the public liberal arts school gives an overview of the major positions on a film set, with students then choosing a concentration in their final two years. While most film programs focus on commercial filmmaking, Purchase, with alumni like Azazel Jacobs, offers an experimental film production degree.
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Our Criteria
In order to decide which programs make up The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 25 American Film Schools list — and where they end up within the list — information is collected about the year-over-year changes to the school’s faculty, facilities, curriculum, tuition and financial aid/scholarships. Also taken into consideration are the alma maters of the filmmakers behind awards-season contenders, box office breakouts and film festival winners. Note: THR has started a Top U.S. Animation Schools list, so the film programs that focus on animation, such as Rhode Island School of Design and CalArts, are not included on this list.
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