USC, NYU Top THR Film School Rankings Again

The Hollywood Reporter has published the fifth edition of its annual list ranking the top 25 film schools in the United States. In spite of the fact that tax incentives have resulted in an increase in film production in other parts of the country, California and New York still remain the best places to receive a film education, as indicated by the two schools ranked in the first and second position both this year and last year (University of Southern California and New York University).

To determine the ranks of each school for this year’s list, THR toured campuses and interviewed industry experts, university deans and various alumni — including writer-director Joss Whedon (“The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” who actually admitted to choosing Wesleyan University, which ranks ninth on the list, for the weather and the weed).

Considerations toward prestige, networking potential, practical experience and access to cutting-edge equipment also factored into the rankings of the institutions, resulting in a few differences from last year.

Although the schools in the top eight positions remain unchanged, THR dropped DePaul University and California State University, Northridge, replacing them with Ithaca College and the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena.

Take a look at the full list, along with explanations for each ranking, here.

READ MORE: Sean Penn and Hollywood Blacklist Victims Share Stories with The Hollywood Reporter 65 Years Later