Cinematographer education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a cinematographer?

You need a bachelor's degree in film studies to be a cinematographer. A bachelor's degree is typically required, although some industries will accept associate degrees or certificates. A bachelor's degree in film studies requires a general knowledge of the production of motion pictures. You become familiar with the critique, history, and structure of films. A cinematography student becomes well-versed in many parts of the trade. You become familiar with sound and lights, production, crew, and more. There are several certificate programs available that relate to cinematography. These are offered in several areas of the profession. The certificates usually take one to two years to complete. The following areas are just a few of the options: Filmmaking Acting Producing Design Formal education is essential for someone who is looking to get into cinematography. The width and depth of the experience and knowledge you obtain during this time are necessary for the ever-changing film industry. This is especially true with the amount of technology now incorporated into films.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a cinematographer. Cinematographers usually study photography, communication, or fine arts. 73% of cinematographers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,312 real cinematographer resumes to see exactly what cinematographer education sections show.

The most common colleges for cinematographers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.

There are also many online cinematographer courses to help get the education required to be a cinematographer.

What education do you need to become a cinematographer?

What degree do you need to be a cinematographer?

The most common degree for cinematographers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of cinematographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 73%

Associate, 13%

Master's, 6%

High School Diploma, 6%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a cinematographer?

You should major in photography to become a cinematographer. 53% of cinematographers major in photography. Other common majors for a cinematographer include communication and fine arts.

Photography, 53%

Communication, 11%

Fine Arts, 6%

Digital Media, 5%

Other Majors, 25%

Most common colleges for cinematographers

Cinematographers often get their degrees at Full Sail University, New York University, and Columbia College Chicago. Here are the most common colleges for cinematographers in the US based on their resumes.

Cinematographer common college	Percentages
Full Sail University	16.31%
New York University	12.77%
Columbia College Chicago	9.22%
Temple University	5.67%
Savannah College of Art and Design	4.96%

Show more common cinematographer colleges

Best majors for cinematographers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Photography	52.8%
2	Communication	10.5%
3	Fine Arts	5.7%
4	Digital Media	5.3%
5	Journalism	2.8%

Show more common cinematographer majors

Best colleges for cinematographers

The best colleges for cinematographers are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A cinematographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cinematographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cinematographers.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. Texas State University

San Marcos, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,280

Enrollment

34,187

6. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. American University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$48,459

Enrollment

7,485

9. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$48,522

Enrollment

6,557

10. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Enrollment

31,441

20 best online courses for cinematographers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for cinematographers

The most affordable schools for cinematographers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for cinematographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cinematographers.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cinematographers

The hardest universities for cinematographers to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for cinematographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cinematographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

7. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

14%

SAT average

1,531

8. Hamilton College

Clinton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

21%

SAT average

1,446

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cinematographers

The easiest schools for cinematographers to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and la roche college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cinematographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cinematographers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

5. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

6. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

9. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average cinematographer salary by education level

According to our data, cinematographers with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $76,476 annually. Cinematographers with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $70,106.

Cinematographer education level	Cinematographer salary
Bachelor's Degree	$76,476
Some College/ Associate Degree	$70,106

Cinematographer education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a cinematographer?

What is the best college for Cinematographers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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