Where to study video editing in the USA
Graduate editing programmes in the US include AFI Conservatory's MFA Editing, Chapman's editing emphasis, USC's editing specialty and SCAD's MA in Editing. UNCSA offers an undergraduate BFA in picture editing. Below are 26 options, including lower-cost community college certificates.
This is an independent list, not a ranking. Each programme was checked against its own official page in October 2026. The software column lists only what the official page names.
Jump to: editing programmes · major film programmes · community colleges · short courses
Programmes that specialise in editing
Graduate and undergraduate programmes where editing is a named degree, emphasis or concentration.
| Course | Where | Level and length | Editing software named | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MFA Editing AFI Conservatory | Los Angeles, CA | Postgraduate, 2 years | Not stated | First-year students edit up to three narrative short films and assistant-edit at least three more. |
| MFA Film Production (Editing emphasis) Chapman University, Dodge College of Film and Media Arts | Orange, CA | Postgraduate, 2 years (52 credits) | Not stated | Includes a Visual Effects for Editors course and an oral thesis defence. |
| MFA Film & Television Production (editing specialty) USC School of Cinematic Arts | Los Angeles, CA | Postgraduate | Not stated | Editing is one of six MFA specialties, alongside producing, directing, cinematography, production design and sound. |
| MA in Editing Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) | Savannah, GA and Atlanta, GA | Postgraduate | Not stated | Electives include Theory of Motion Picture Editing and Color Correction; ends with a final project. |
| BFA, Picture Editing & Sound Design UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) | Winston-Salem, NC | Undergraduate, 4 years | Avid, Pro Tools | Students are accepted into the concentration at the end of Year 2 after a portfolio review. |
| Motion Pictures & Television (Editor emphasis) Academy of Art University | San Francisco, CA | Undergraduate and Postgraduate (AA, AAS, BFA, MA, MFA, Certificate) | Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve | Available on campus and online; editing is one of six areas of emphasis. |
Major film programmes
Large film schools where editing is taught as part of a broader production degree.
| Course | Where | Level and length | Editing software named | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFA Film and Television NYU Tisch School of the Arts | New York, NY | Undergraduate, 4 years (128 credits, implied by 8-semester plan) | Not stated | Kanbar Institute has run since 1965; Sight & Sound production courses in the second year. |
| BA Film, Television and Digital Media UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television | Los Angeles, CA | Undergraduate, 4 years | Not stated | Film Editing (FILM TV 154) is a required course; senior year includes a professional internship. |
| BA Film and Television (Editing and Sound Postproduction concentration) Columbia College Chicago | Chicago, IL | Undergraduate | Not stated | Editing and Sound Postproduction is a named concentration within the BA. |
| Film Bachelor of Science Full Sail University | Winter Park, FL | Undergraduate | Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro | Campus only; classes start monthly. |
| BFA Filmmaking Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ | Undergraduate | Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve | Students make films from their first semester; seniors complete a thesis film. |
| Bachelor of Science in Film Production The Los Angeles Film School | Los Angeles, CA | Undergraduate | Avid Media Composer | Facilities include an Avid Editing Lab and a Dolby-approved dubbing stage. |
| BFA Film, Television, and Media Arts Emerson College | Boston, MA | Undergraduate | Not stated | Students can spend a semester at Emerson Los Angeles. |
| BS Radio-Television-Film University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | Undergraduate | Not stated | UT in Los Angeles and UT in New York programmes available. |
| BFA Cinematic Arts (Post Production track) Texas State University | San Marcos, TX | Undergraduate | Not stated | New degree from autumn 2026 with a post-production elective track. |
Community college certificates and associate degrees
Lower-cost routes, often with post-production or editing certificates that can be finished in one or two years.
| Course | Where | Level and length | Editing software named | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film: Post Production Certificate Colorado Film School, Community College of Aurora | Denver area, CO | Certificate | Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Creative Suite | Covers editing, sound design, colour grading and VFX; an AAS in Post Production is also offered. |
| Television and Radio: Video Post-Production, Certificate of Achievement Pasadena City College | Pasadena, CA | Certificate | Not stated | Includes a Digital Non-Linear Assistant Editing course. |
| Filmmaking: Editing Specialization (Level 1 Certificate) Houston Community College | Houston, TX | Certificate, 2 semesters full-time (21 credits) | Not stated | All courses count towards the AAS in Filmmaking. |
| AS Film Production Technology Valencia College | Orlando, FL | Undergraduate (associate degree) | Not stated | Students crew on partner film and TV productions. |
| Film Production (AS and Certificate of Achievement) Santa Monica College | Santa Monica, CA | Undergraduate (associate degree) / Certificate | Not stated | Film courses held at the Center for Media and Design. |
Short courses and certified training
Intensive workshops and authorised training centres, mostly aimed at people working towards Avid, Adobe or Blackmagic certification.
| Course | Where | Level and length | Editing software named | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Editing workshops New York Film Academy | New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA | Short course, 2 days to 15 weeks (e.g. 4-week full-time Avid Digital Editing) | Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve | Students build an editing reel from their workshop projects. |
| Six Week Intensive Art of Editing Manhattan Edit Workshop | New York, NY | Short course, 6 weeks | Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve | Training partner for Adobe, Avid and Blackmagic; licensed by the New York State Department of Education. |
| Avid Media Composer courses and certificate programmes Key Code Education | California and online | Short course | Avid Media Composer | Avid Learning Partner; Media Composer Assistant Editor Program leads to Avid Certified Specialist. |
| Avid Media Composer courses (MC 101 to MC 400) Future Media Concepts | Online and training centres | Short course | Avid Media Composer | Avid Authorized Education Center, established 1994. |
| Introduction to Avid Media Composer (FILM TV X 479.28) UCLA Extension | Los Angeles, CA | Short course, 12 weeks (4 units) | Avid Media Composer | Counts towards the UCLA Extension Post-Production certificate and Film Editing specialisation. |
| Video Editing Certificate Noble Desktop | New York, NY | Certificate, 90 hours | Adobe Premiere Pro | Free retake within one year. |
Choosing a programme
- Graduate editing programmes (AFI, Chapman, USC, SCAD) suit people who already edit and want to cut narrative work with a cohort of directors.
- Community college certificates are the lowest-cost structured route, and several are specifically about post-production.
- Avid training centres are the fastest way to the certification many assistant editor roles ask for.
Also in the UK: where to study video editing in the UK.
Missing or out of date?
Programme directors and admissions teams: if your programme should be listed or a detail has changed, email [email protected] with a link.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best film school for editing in the US?+
There's no single best, but programmes dedicated to editing include AFI Conservatory's two-year MFA Editing, Chapman University's MFA with an editing emphasis, USC's MFA editing specialty, SCAD's MA in Editing and UNCSA's BFA in Picture Editing and Sound Design.
Can I study video editing at a community college?+
Yes. Examples include Pasadena City College's Video Post-Production certificate, Houston Community College's Filmmaking Editing Specialization certificate and the Colorado Film School's Film Post Production Certificate at the Community College of Aurora.
How do I get Avid certified in the US?+
Through an Avid Learning Partner or authorised training centre, such as Manhattan Edit Workshop, Key Code Education, Future Media Concepts or the New York Film Academy, or through schools that run Avid courses as part of their degrees.
Written by Philip Brumpton, a product designer who builds KeyCut. Last checked October 2026.
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