Film Schools by the Numbers: A Data Study of 51 Programs
Where are film schools, and what do they actually offer? To answer that with numbers rather than impressions, we analyzed our own directory of 51 well-known film and media programs — 43 across 18 U.S. states and 8 notable schools abroad. Every figure below is computed directly from that directory, the same dataset behind our A–Z listings and comparison pages. It is a snapshot of a curated set of programs, not a census of every film school on Earth — but within that set the patterns are clear and verifiable.
The headline findings: private institutions slightly outnumber public ones (28 to 23); the MFA is the single most common degree level (59% of programs); and California and New York alone account for 15 of the 43 U.S. programs.
Geographic distribution
Grouping the 51 programs by U.S. Census Bureau region (plus a bucket for the 8 international schools) shows film education concentrated on the coasts: the West and Northeast lead, with the South and Midwest behind.
| Region | Schools | Share |
|---|---|---|
| West | 13 | 25% |
| Northeast | 13 | 25% |
| South | 10 | 20% |
| Outside the U.S. | 8 | 16% |
| Midwest | 7 | 14% |
U.S. programs by state
The 43 U.S. programs span 18 states. California (8) and New York (7) — home to the Los Angeles and New York production hubs — are the clear leaders.
| State | Schools |
|---|---|
| California | 8 |
| New York | 7 |
| Florida | 4 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Texas | 3 |
| Georgia | 2 |
| Massachusetts | 2 |
| Connecticut | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Ohio | 1 |
| Utah | 1 |
| Washington | 1 |
| Colorado | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 |
| Minnesota | 1 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| Oregon | 1 |
Public vs. private
The directory is close to evenly split: 28 of 51 programs (55%) are at private institutions and 23 (45%) are at public institutions. Several of the largest, lowest-cost-to-residents programs are public state universities, while many conservatory-style and arts-college programs are private — one reason it pays to compare both when cost matters.
| Control | Schools | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Private | 28 | 55% |
| Public | 23 | 45% |
Which degree levels are offered
Counting how many of the 51 programs offer each common film-school degree level (a program can offer more than one) shows the MFA as the most widely offered credential, present at 30 programs (59%). Undergraduate degrees are close behind — the BA at 24 programs (47%) and the BFA at 23 (45%). The research doctorate (PhD) is the rarest of the four, offered at just 5 programs (10%), reflecting that most film education is professional/studio rather than academic-research oriented.
| Degree level | Programs offering it | Share of all programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (BA) | 24 | 47% |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) | 23 | 45% |
| Master of Fine Arts (MFA) | 30 | 59% |
| Doctorate (PhD) | 5 | 10% |
Looked at by stage rather than by specific degree, 36 of 51 programs (71%) offer at least one graduate credential (MFA, MA, MS, or PhD), and 42 (82%) offer at least one undergraduate degree — many offer both.
By country
The directory is U.S.-focused — 43 of the 51 programs are in the United States — alongside 8 widely recognized schools in 7 other countries.
| Country | Schools |
|---|---|
| United States | 43 |
| United Kingdom | 2 |
| France | 1 |
| Russia | 1 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Germany | 1 |
| China | 1 |
| Canada | 1 |
Methodology & sources
Every figure on this page is computed directly from the List of Film Schools directory (51 programs as of June 2026) — the same dataset behind our listings and comparison pages. Institutional facts (location, public/private control) are cross-checked against U.S. Department of Education data (College Scorecard / IPEDS), the Carnegie Classification, and each school's official site. Regions follow the U.S. Census Bureau’s four-region definition. Degree counts reflect the broad degree levels listed for each program; a program offering multiple levels is counted in each. This is a curated directory, not a complete census of all film schools, so shares describe this set of programs. See our full methodology for how the directory is compiled.
Frequently asked questions
How many film schools are in this directory?
This study covers all 51 film and media programs currently listed in the List of Film Schools directory — 43 in the United States across 18 states and 8 notable programs in 7 other countries.
Are most film schools public or private?
Among the 51 listed programs, 28 are at private institutions (55%) and 23 are at public institutions (45%).
Which degree level is most common at film schools?
Across the directory, the MFA is the most commonly offered degree level (30 of 51 programs, 59%), followed by the BA and BFA. In total, 36 of 51 programs (71%) offer some form of graduate study.
Which U.S. state has the most film schools in this directory?
California leads the directory with 8 listed film and media programs.
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