Best photography schools by state + 2025-2026 tuition

Quick overview

• Program length: 4 years (120–128 credits on average) for a bachelor’s degree.
• Core courses: 
  • History of Photography
  • Digital Photography 
  • Camera Operation
  • Digital Imaging
• Most affordable option in-state:  Fitchburg State University – $970 per year
• Most expensive option in-state: New York University – $72,082 per year
• Most affordable option out-of-state:  Minot State University – $7,598 per year
• Most expensive option out-of-state: New York University – $72,082 per year
• Best photography schools – Top 5: 
  • MIT
  • Stanford University
  • Yale University 
  • New York University 
  • University of California-Berkeley

Program overview: What to expect from a bachelor’s photography degree

Length: Most bachelor’s photography degrees take 4 years to complete full-time.
Credits: Typically 120–128.
Format: Many of the best photography schools in the US now offer hybrid and online options alongside traditional in-person programs. Hybrid and online programs have a lower overall cost of attendance. 

How long does a photography degree take?

How long it takes a student to complete their bachelor’s degree in photography depends on factors such as:

• Mode of learning – online asynchronous or on-campus
• Pace of learning – number of credits taken in a semester, credits covered in summer semesters, and so on.
• Enrollment status – full-time students complete the program faster than part-time students

Degree level	Standard duration	Credit required	Accelerated option
Associate’s	2 years	60-70 credits	11 months
Bachelor’s	4 years	120 credits	3 years or less
Master’s	1-2 years	30-60 credits	1 year
Combined (Bachelors + Master’s)	6 years (4+2)	150 + credits	5 years

Core courses 

Photography programs feature a wide range of courses covering everything from the history of photography to the development of technical skills and niche expertise in a concentration track of the student’s choice. The exact choice of courses depends on the student, as each student chooses electives that align with their career goals.

However, here are the core courses in a photography degree which enable students to develop the skills needed to lead a successful career in the photography industry.

• History of Photography
• Digital Photography 
• Camera Operation
• Digital Imaging 
• Post Production 
• Color Theory and Design 

Top 5 of the best photography schools in the US

Here is a list of the top 5 photography colleges in the US, as sourced from highly-rated and credible sites.

Top 5 Colleges for a Bachelor’s Accounting Degree
Rank	College/University	Private/ in-state resident tuition	Non-state resident tuition
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$64,310	$64,310
2	Stanford University	$67,731	$67,731
3	Yale University	$69,900	$69,900
4	New York University	$72,082	$72,082
5	University of California, Berkeley	$17,478	$55,080

Comprehensive list of the best photography schools and tuition by state

The following list contains the best photography schools in the US by state alongside the 2025-2025 tuition. It is important to note that the overall cost of attendance includes other expenses and fees alongside tuition.  

• Tuition rates mentioned are for the academic year 2025-2026 as updated on 30th September, 2025 – unless specifically mentioned otherwise.
• Academic year tuition rates are based on students taking 15 credit hours per semester and 30 per year. 
• Most colleges charge different rates for additional credits taken in a semester. 
• Some colleges charge a block tuition rate for students taking anywhere between 12 – 18 credits per semester. 
• Not all universities and colleges offer a digital photography degree. Thus, some of the listed colleges and universities offer alternate programs such as a visual arts and media degree alongside the option to choose photography as a concentration track. 

Best photography schools and tuition for the academic year 2025-2026
State	Top 3 schools	Private/ in-state resident tuition	Non-state resident tuition
California	University of California, Berkeley Academy of Art University Stanford University	$17,478 $35,569 $67,731	$55,080 $35,569 $67,731
Texas	University of Houston Texas State University  East Texas A&M University	$11,567.7 $12,220 $7,824	$27,491.4 $24,520 $17,616
Florida	University of Central Florida Ringling College of Art and Design Barry University	$5,954 $54,400 $34,600	$22,482 $54,400 $34,600
Virginia	Virginia Commonwealth University Eastern Mennonite University University of Richmond	$17,240 $44,800 $67,840	$40,404 $44,800 $67,840
Massachusetts	Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Fitchburg State University	$64,310 $16,233 $970	$64,310 $33,782 $7,050
Alaska	University of Alaska Anchorage University of Alaska Fairbanks	$7,230 $11,190	$25,230 $29,190
North Carolina	Duke University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina State University at Raleigh	$70,265 $7,020 $9,028	$70,265 $43,152 $33,993
Ohio	Columbus College of Art and Design Art Academy of Cincinnati University of Dayton	$42,200 $38,625 $50,610	$42,200 $38,625 $50,610
Hawaii	University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Hawaii – West Oahu University of Hawaii – Maui College	$11,520 $7,488 $3,930	$33,552 $20,448 $10,350
Indiana	Huntington University Taylor University Purdue University	$33,144 $51,918 $9,992	$33,144 $51,918 $18,802
Georgia	Savannah College of Art and Design Emory University Georgia State University	$41,130 $67,080 $5,830	$41,130 $67,080 $15,010
New Jersey	Rutgers University – New Brunswick New Jersey Institute of Technology Montclair State University	$14,933 $17,312 $15,678	$35,758 $36,062 $26,394
Michigan	Michigan State University Wayne State University Western Michigan University	$16,916 $15,388 $15,816	$44,300 $32,740 $19,736
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania State University Drexel University Temple University	$20,644 $61,842 $22,248	$41,790 $61,842 $39,072
Colorado	Rocky Mountain College of Design University of Colorado Boulder University of Northern Colorado	$20,190 $14,606 $12,882	$20,190 $44,748 $28,370
Arizona	University of Arizona Arizona State University Northern Arizona University	$13,900 $12,975 $12,096	$43,100 $35,167 $29,568
New York	New York University Syracuse University Rochester Institute of Technology	$72,082 $66,580 $60,774	$72,082 $66,580 $60,774
Illinois	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Loyola University Chicago Bradley University	$23,426 $54,530 $42,860	$46,498 $54,530 $42,860
Montana	Montana State University University of Montana Rocky Mountain College	$8,946 $9,188 $37,006	$33,782 $34,212 $37,006
Kentucky	Western Kentucky University University of Kentucky Murray State University	$12,072 $13,908 $10,320	$27,000 $35,164 $15,672
Alabama	University of Alabama University of Montevallo Oakwood University	$11,684 $12,510 $20,722	$34,542 $25,980 $20,722
Maine	Maine College of Art & Design Husson University Colby College	$43,458 $22,754 $72,910	$43,458 $22,754 $72,910
Utah	Brigham Young University Weber State University Utah Valley University	$6,888 (latter-day saint) $5,768.44 $6,674.28	$13,776 (non Latter-day Saint) $16,756.02 $18,992.38
New Hampshire	New England College Keene State College Southern New Hampshire University – online degree	$41,584 $12,048 $10,260	$41,584 $24,406 $10,260
New Mexico	University of New Mexico New Mexico State University New Mexico Highlands University	$11,445 $8,558 $7,280	$34,594 $26,884 $12,200.4
Oregon	University of Oregon George Fox University Portland State University	$16,755 $43,710 $12,999	$46,077 $43,710 $34,599
Maryland	Maryland Institute College of Art Towson University University of Maryland Eastern Shore	$56,500 $12,186 $5,923	$56,500 $31,332 $17,468
Washington	Eastern Washington University Western Washington University University of Washington	$7,776 $8,523 $13,406	$24,963 $27,690 $44,640
Arkansas	University of Arkansas University of Central Arkansas Harding University	$8,092 $10,994 $26,490	$29,146 $18,854 $26,490
Missouri	University of Central Missouri Washington University Maryville University of St. Louis	$8,910 $68,240 $24,766	$17,820 $68,240 $24,766
Minnesota	University of St. Thomas Minneapolis College of Art & Design Minnesota State University, Mankato	$54,800 $46,464 $10,280	$54,800 $46,464 $20,400
Tennessee	Belmont University University of Tennessee – Knoxville Middle Tennessee State University	$43,750 $11,560 $11,071	$43,750 $30,704 $33,931
Louisiana	University of Louisiana at Lafayette McNeese State University Louisiana Tech University	$11,472 $9,448 $7,806	$25,200 $10,448 $15,172
Wyoming	University of Wyoming Central Wyoming College Casper College (AFA)	$5,400 $9,870 $8,820	$22,020 $22,470 $21,420
South Carolina	University of South Carolina Anderson University Coker University	$12,688 $35,380 $33,217	$37,376 $35,380 $33,217
Mississippi	Mississippi State University University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi University for Women	$10,604 $9,998 $8,647	$28,736 $11,998 $8,647
Wisconsin	University of Wisconsin – Whitewater University of Wisconsin Green Bay Concordia University Wisconsin	$9,047 $12,186 $36,000	$19,147 $44,210 $36,000
Idaho	Brigham Young University Idaho University of Idaho Idaho State University	$4,944 (member) $9,400 $8,914	$9,888 (non-member) $28,636 $28,240
Iowa	University of Iowa Iowa State University Morningside University	$11,622 $11,092 $39,680	$33,710 $30,140 $39,680
Connecticut	Yale University University of Connecticut Albertus Magnus College	$69,900 $17,010 $41,518	$69,900 $39,678 $41,518
West Virginia	West Virginia University Marshall University Shepherd University	$10,752 $9,388 $6,904	$30,432 $20,390 $16,248
Rhode Island	Rhode Island School of Design The University of Rhode Island Rhode Island College	$63,966 $15,148 $10,107	$63,966 $36,070 $26,666
Vermont	Vermont State University Middlebury College Bennington College	$10,704 $70,120 $67,850	$21,408 $70,120 $67,850
Nevada	University of Nevada, Reno University of Nevada, Las Vegas Nevada State University	$10,309 $10,196 $7,290	$28,941 $28,828 $22,765
Nebraska	Hixson-Lied College of Art and Performing Arts University of Nebraska Omaha University of Nebraska Kearney	$11,100 $9,232 $7,020	$30,330 $24,514 $15,330
Kansas	Fort Hays State University University of Kansas Kansas State University	$6,111.90 $11,298 $12,694	$18,434.10 $30,177 $30,388
Delaware	University of Delaware Drexel University Wilmington University	$15,280 $61,842 $12,870	$40,840 $61,842 $14,250
North Dakota	University of North Dakota North Dakota State University Minot State University	$9,791.28 $9,868 $7,598	$14,687.28 $14,802 $7,598
South Dakota	University of South Dakota Black Hills State University Northern State University	$9,687 $9,014 $9,824	$13,299 $12,206 $12,057
Oklahoma	University of Central Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Oklahoma State University	$9043.5 $5,370 $13,920	$19930.5 $23,490 $29,440

Important Notice!

• Digital photography colleges are limited, so many of the options listed above offer alternative programs to a digital photography degree for aspiring photographers.
• Only two universities in Alaska offer a fine arts or a photography degree. 
• Murray State University offers discounted tuition rates at $10,872 per year for residents of:
  • Tennessee
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • South Carolina
  • Virginia 
  • West Virginia

What factors affect tuition rates?

Several factors affect tuition rates for an undergraduate degree. These include:

• School type– private schools charge more than public colleges and universities
• State residency status – state residents pay a lower tuition when attending public colleges within the state than non-state residents.
• Funding opportunities – available scholarships, grants, and so on. 
• Number of credit hours – most schools charge a set block rate for a set number of credits per semester (12-18). Students taking more credits will pay additional fees and will be charged the standard per-credit rate for additional credits taken.

Photography degree – ROI statistics

Here is an estimate of the Return on Investment (ROI) a photography degree offers. Keep in mind, this is just an estimate calculated using the median cost of getting a photography degree from different types of educational institutions and assuming the graduate opts for formal employment as a professional photographer. Photography business owners and freelance photographers may be able to earn more or less in a year, and ROI calculations for them will look different. 

Total Education Cost (4 years)

• Public In-State: $30,151.04
• Public Out-of-State: $123,120
• Private College: $166,101.80

Return on Investment (ROI over 10 years of earnings)

• Public In-State: 1310%
• Public Out-of-State: 245%
• Private College: 156%

Take a deeper look into factors that affect ROI and get tips on how to increase your Return on Investment in our photography degree career overview and ROI guide.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What can you do with a photography degree?

A photography degree opens a variety of career paths for graduates. They can choose to pursue a specialization in a chosen niche or keep their options open to find a market niche that meets their career goals and that they enjoy. Moreover, they can also start their own photography business or venture into the freelance or contract photography market. The options are endless. 

However, if formal employment is what you seek, here are some photography related career opportunities you can explore.

Job title	Average annual salary	Job outlook (2030)
Professional Photographer	$42,520	2%
Videographer	$70,570	3%
Art Director	$111,040	4%
Studio Manager	$53,399	6%
Creative Director	$129,330	4%

Is it worth pursuing a degree in photography?

Whether pursuing a photography degree is worth it or not depends on your career goals and aspirations. However, here is a cost/benefit analysis to help you get an idea of the financial benefit you can potentially gain from a photography degree.

Cost Vs Reward
Factors	Estimated sum
Average tuition (4 years)	Public in-state: $30,151.04 Public out-of-state: $123,120 Private college: $166,101.80
Average starting salary	$42,520
Mid-career salary	$70,614
Payback period	In-State public: 0.71 years ( 8–9 months) Out-of-State public: 2.9 years Private college: 3.9 years

For an in-depth career overview and ROI analysis, visit: “Photography Degree Career Overview and ROI”

What are the best photography schools in the US?

Some of the best photography schools in the US include:

• MIT
• Yale University
• Stanford University
• University of California – Berkeley
• New York University

What education is best for a photographer?

A photography degree is essentially the ideal degree for a photographer. If you are an aspiring professional, consider enrolling in a digital photography degree. However, some other programs, such as a visual arts and media degree, can also lead to digital photography careers. Here is a detailed comparison of the two.

Categories	Photography	Visual Art and Media
Level	Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s	Bachelor’s, Master’s, MFA
Focus	Technical and creative aspects of photography: lighting, composition, editing, digital/film photography	Broad focus on creative expression: painting, sculpture, digital arts, film, animation, design, and media studies
Best for	Students passionate about photography as a profession (commercial, portrait, fine art, freelance)	Students interested in diverse creative fields and media industries (advertising, film, design, digital content)
Cost	$30K–$166K (depending on public vs. private tuition, 4 years)	$35K–$180K (varies by institution and program)
Duration	Typically 4 years (Bachelor’s)	Typically 4 years (Bachelor’s), 2–3 years (Master’s/MFA)
Career outcomes	Professional photographer Photojournalist Commercial/wedding photographer Editor Art director Photography teacher	Visual artist Animator Graphic designer Multimedia specialist Art director Curator Film/media producer
Avg. salary	$42,520 (BLS, 2025)	$53,180 (BLS, 2025) – varies by role
Practical training	High emphasis on hands-on training with cameras, studios, and editing software	Practical projects across different media; strong emphasis on creative experimentation and digital tools