Film editing is an essential part of cinema production – but where do people learn how to edit films? One place is college; so we’re going to show you the best colleges for film editing, with tuition costs, program information, and links to learn more. By the end, you’ll have know pertinent details about the best colleges for film editing.
Note: *The listed tuition rates vary by entry and are subject to change. Some are listed by semester, some by year. This is because all tuition rates were taken directly from their institutions, as they were listed.
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Best Colleges for Video Editing
University of California, Los Angeles
Best Colleges for Video Editing • UCLA Film School College Experience by bestdressed
2022-2023 estimated undergraduate tuition and fees: $13,804
2022-2023 estimated graduate tuition and fees: $18,143 (California residents), $33,245 (non-California residents)
The School of Theater, Film, and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles (otherwise known as UCLA) is one of the most well-regarded schools in the United States, public or private.
The School offers major and minor undergraduate degrees in Film, Television, and Digital Media, as well as graduate degrees in Animation, Cinema and Media Studies, Cinematography, Documentary, Producers Program, Production/Directing, and Screenwriting.
Best Colleges for Film and Video Editing
Conclusion
UCLA doesn’t offer a program specifically for “Film Editing” – but many programs in the School of Theater, Film, and Television incorporate film editing into their studies.
Top Colleges for Film Editing
University of Southern California
Good Colleges for Film Editing • USC Film Students in Conversation With The Hollywood Reporter
2022-2023 estimated undergraduate tuition and fees: $63,468
2022-2023 estimated graduate tuition and fees: $63,468
The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts is huge; boasting divisions focused on Animation + Digital Arts, Cinema & Media Studies, Interactive Media & Games, and more.
Students at the USC film school can expect to pursue just about any cinematic specialization, from Minor degrees in “Comedy Writing” and “Themed Entertainment” to Major degrees in “Film and Television Production.”
Best Editing Colleges
Conclusion
The prestige of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts comes at a hefty cost; expect to apply for financial aid as part of the process.
Best Schools for Video Editing
New York University
Best Film Editing Programs • M. Night Shyamalan on Getting Accepted to NYU Film School
2022-2023 estimated undergraduate tuition and fees: $31,948-$35,916 (per semester, depending on units)
2022-2023 estimated graduate tuition and fees: $32,963-$37,061 (per semester, depending on units)
The New York University Tisch School may not have as many programs as the other similarly esteemed private institution on this list like USC. But it does have some interesting programs for students interested in editing.
The Tisch School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Cinema Studies — as well as innovative programs in Interactive Telecommunications and Interactive Media Arts.
Top Colleges for Film Editing
Conclusion
The New York University Tisch School is one of the most venerated art schools on the East coast; producing notable alumni like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, and many, many more.
Best Colleges for Video Editing
AFI Conservatory
Best Colleges for Video Editing • Editing at the AFI Conservatory
2022-2023 estimated graduate tuition and fees: $62,049
The American Film Institute Conservatory is one of the most competitive institutions in the world; estimates for acceptance range from 5% to less than 1% (depending on the program).
That may sound intimidating… and it should. But it should also sound exciting! Especially considering AFI offers a dedicated MFA in Film Editing. The Film Editing program tasks fellows with working on eight films in two years.
Best Colleges for Film and Video Editing
Conclusion
As a “graduate-level only” institution, AFI is able to focus its programs on critical practice; which is a great fit for film editing students. As such, it’s naturally considered one of the best colleges for film editing.
Best Schools for Video Editing
Chapman University
Good Colleges for Film Editing • Chapman University Dodge College Tour
2022-2023 estimated undergraduate tuition and fees: $30,145 (per semester, depending on units)
2022-2023 estimated graduate tuition and fees: $23,468 (per semester for the MFA Film Production program)
The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University has risen up rankings of the best film schools for its state of the art design and increasing list of notable alumni.
Chapman University offers a bevy of undergraduate minors and majors in film — as well as a slew of graduate majors. Undergraduate students interested in film editing will want to look into the “Film and Television Production” major, while graduate students interested in film editing will want to look into the MFA “Film Production” program.
Best Editing Colleges
Conclusion
Chapman University isn’t exactly located in the heart of Hollywood – but in the grand scheme of things, it’s no more than a hop, skip, and a jump away, located in Orange, California.
UP NEXT
Best Film Schools for Filmmakers
We touched on some of the best film schools in the world – but there are so many more than what we went over here. In our next article, we break down the best film schools for future filmmakers, from animation at RISD to cinematography at NFTS. By the end, you’ll know about great film programs around the world.
Up Next: Best Film Schools →
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