2026 Best Film Studies Schools in District of Columbia

Film Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their film studies programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for film studies students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Film Studies Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Film Studies in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall film studies education in District of Columbia.

Top Schools in Film Studies

1

American University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

52 Film Studies Degrees Awarded

$39,108 Median Starting Salary

American University tops our 2026 ranking of the best film studies schools. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. American University awarded about 52 film studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their film studies degree from American University earn around $39,108 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete this degree. Read more about the film studies program at American University

2

Howard University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

10 Film Studies Degrees Awarded

$58,495 Median Starting Salary

Howard University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in film studies, ranking #2. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. About 10 film studies degrees were awarded at Howard University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, film studies degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. Students borrow a median of $25,498 to complete this degree. See the full film studies program report for Howard University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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.