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Motion picture director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a motion picture director. Motion picture directors usually study photography, communication, or graphic design. 73% of motion picture directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 63 real motion picture director resumes to see exactly what motion picture director education sections show.
The most common colleges for motion picture directors are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online motion picture director courses to help get the education required to be a motion picture director.
What education do you need to become a motion picture director?
What degree do you need to be a motion picture director?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 10%
- Diploma, 3%
What should I major in to become a motion picture director?
- Photography, 15%
- Communication, 13%
- Graphic Design, 10%
- Animation, 10%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for motion picture directors
| Motion picture director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 8.70% |
| Arizona State University | 8.70% |
| San Diego State University | 8.70% |
| New York University | 4.35% |
| University of California - Los Angeles | 4.35% |
Best majors for motion picture directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 15.0% |
| 2 | Communication | 12.5% |
| 3 | Graphic Design | 10.0% |
| 4 | Animation | 10.0% |
| 5 | Management | 5.0% |
Best colleges for motion picture directors
The best colleges for motion picture directors are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A motion picture director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for motion picture directors. 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 motion picture directors.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
20 best online courses for motion picture directors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for motion picture directors
The most affordable schools for motion picture directors are California State University - Long Beach, hunter college of the city university of new york, and queens college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for motion picture directors 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 motion picture directors.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for motion picture directors
The hardest universities for motion picture directors to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for motion picture directors 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 motion picture directors 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for motion picture directors
The easiest schools for motion picture directors to get into are Wayland Baptist University, curry college, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a motion picture director 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 motion picture directors.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average motion picture director salary by education level
| Motion picture director education level | Motion picture director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,947 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,527 |
Motion picture director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025