Education
FSU film school ranks No. 1 for undergraduate, No. 3 for graduate programs in inaugural national ranking
Key Points
- FilmSchool.org’s new rankings put FSU among the best in the nation for value, student success and career outcomes.
- FSU was the only university with two programs among the top three.
Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts has earned two top-three national rankings, with its undergraduate film program rated No. 1 and its graduate program No. 3 in FilmSchool.org’s inaugural data-driven ranking.
The ranking evaluates film programs using measures including student outcomes, affordability, selectivity, faculty and class size, and student and alumni satisfaction. FSU was the only university with two programs among the top three.
“This recognition reflects what has always been at the heart of our program: giving talented students the training, resources and opportunities they need to become working filmmakers,” said Reb Braddock, dean of the College of Motion Picture Arts. “We are especially proud that this ranking recognizes not only the quality of our programs, but the value we provide our students and the success they achieve after graduation.”
FilmSchool.org evaluated participating programs using data supplied by the schools along with student and alumni reviews.
“This recognition reflects what has always been at the heart of our program: giving talented students the training, resources and opportunities they need to become working filmmakers.”
– Reb Braddock, dean of FSU’s College of Motion Picture Arts
Programs were scored on a 10-point scale, with student and alumni reviews incorporated into several measures.
FSU’s undergraduate program earned an overall score of 7.781 out of 10 and received the ranking’s highest scores for selectivity and affordability and value. The program has a 6% acceptance rate and a 98% yield, meaning nearly all students offered admission chose to enroll. It also has a 5-to-1 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 10.
Student outcomes also helped propel FSU to the top. The undergraduate program has a 97% graduation rate, with 92% of graduates employed in film, television or media within 12 months of graduation. FilmSchool.org gave the program an 8.94 out of 10 for student success and career development.
Affordability was another factor in FSU’s strong showing. FilmSchool.org gave the undergraduate program an 8.08 out of 10 for affordability and value, the highest score among the programs ranked. According to data submitted for the ranking, 86% of FSU undergraduate film students receive scholarships, with an average award of $15,000. The college also provides industry-standard equipment for student productions as part of tuition.
FSU’s graduate program earned an overall score of 7.075 out of 10. It reported a 5-to-1 student-faculty ratio, an average class size of six and a faculty that is 100% active in the industry. The program also reported a 90% graduation rate and a 90% employment rate in film, television or media within 12 months of graduation.
The ranking also considered industry accomplishments, including film festival recognition and major awards. FSU students and alumni have amassed 4,000 film festival awards and featured screenings. The 2026 ranking included 17 programs that submitted data to FilmSchool.org and had at least one student or alumni review on the site.
The recognition follows another strong national showing for the College of Motion Picture Arts. Earlier this year, The Hollywood Reporter ranked FSU No. 13 overall and No. 4 among public film schools, marking its seventh consecutive year as the nation’s No. 4 public film school.
