2026 Best Value Film Studies Schools in Illinois
[Film Studies](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/film-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for film studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Film Studies Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in film studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Film Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Chicago the best value for a degree in film studies in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Film Studies graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in film studies will find it at Columbia College Chicago, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $34,088 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for film studies graduates is $26,000. Film Studies graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $29,694 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
