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2026 Best Value Film & Video Production Schools in Illinois

[Film & Video Production](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/film-video-production/) 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 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for film & video production students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Film & Video Production Schools in Illinois

2026 Best Value Film & Video Production Schools in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in film & video production, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Film & Video Production Schools

1

Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL

$34,088 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,000 Avg Student Debt

$42,195 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in film & video production, no school beat Columbia College Chicago this year. Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,088. Film & Video Production graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career film & video production graduates make about $29,694. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.

2

Depaul University
Chicago, IL

$45,405 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,717 Avg Student Debt

$68,751 Median Earnings (10yr)

Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in film & video production, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,405. Film & Video Production graduates carry a median of $24,717 in student loans. Soon after graduation, film & video production degree recipients from Depaul University generally make around $25,028. Set against $24,717 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.

View All Film & Video Production Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.