Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignPrivate (for-profit)

San Francisco Film School

San Francisco, California·Private for-profit, 2-year·Far West·sanfranciscofilmschool.edu

San Francisco Film School has open admission, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). 67% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data. Fall enrollment is 127 students, and 216 enrolled over the full 12-month year (2024). Source: IPEDS.

Acceptance
100%
Open admission
Graduation (150% time)
67%
—
Total enrollment
127
peer median 181
Avg net price
$32,354
+$5.3k vs Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
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AboutOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsCampus safetyFacultyPeersDocuments

About

San Francisco Film School, also formerly known as the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking and FilmSchoolSF, is a private, for-profit vocational film school in San Francisco, California. The school was founded by Stephen Kopels and Jeremiah Birnbaum in 2005 and works in conjunction with Fog City Productions, a local independent production company, to teach students the art and craft of filmmaking. The programs include an Associate of Applied Sciences in Digital Filmmaking, a Professional Certificate program, workshops, and a GAP Year Semester Program.

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
67%
Full-time retention
25%

Pell equity

36.8pp gap
Pell recipients
100%2 of 2
Non-Pell (all)
63%12 of 19
Subsidized loan, no Pell
100%3 of 3
No Federal Aid
56%9 of 16

Pell recipients here graduate at a 36.8-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 2 Title IV programs, 0 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 2 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
2
Passing
0
0.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

2programs
  • Passing0 · 0.0%
  • No Data2 · 100.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
0
No data
2

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Council on Occupational Education

Accredited since 2013Next review Dec 2031
PreaccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Council on Occupational Education

Accredited since 2012Next review Dec 2025

Action history · 13

  1. Jun 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Occupational Education
  2. Mar 2021Approved for Distance Education
    Council on Occupational Education
  3. Dec 2020Approved for Distance Education
    Council on Occupational Education
  4. Dec 2020Approved for Distance Education
    Council on Occupational Education
  5. Nov 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Occupational Education

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$31,770
$30–48k$31,772
$48–75k$33,228
$75–110k—
$110k+—

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$32,354
+$5,290vs Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design median $27,065
Federal loans
19.9%

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 64 students received $439K in Pell grants, alongside $676K in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
64
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$439K
$438,667 total
Direct Loans
$676K
112 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
’20
0k
’21
0k
’22
0k
’23
0k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$270K
56 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$405K
56 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 32 borrowers who entered repayment, 5 (15.6%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
15.6%
+13.3pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
32
Defaulted
5
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
15.3%
2017
22.7%
2018
13.5%
2019
15.6%
2020*
5.4%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at San Francisco Film School

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs1
UndergraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

12 total completions
01Visual/Performing Arts
12100.0%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
127
12-mo unduplicated
216
Undergraduate
216
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
86%186
Women
14%30

Race / ethnicity composition

Unknown
96.9%
White
2.4%
Two or more
0.8%

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 141 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
0
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

No criminal offenses reported.

By location

0total

    VAWA offenses

    0
    Domestic violence
    0
    Dating violence
    0
    Stalking
    0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

    Hate crimes by bias

    No hate crimes reported.

    Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

    CategoryArrestsReferrals
    Weapons00
    Drugs00
    Liquor00

    Residence-hall fires

    No residence-hall fires reported.

    Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

    Student-faculty ratio

    Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

    IPEDS
    Student-to-faculty
    8.0:1
    Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
    13

    San Francisco Film School vs Peer comparison

    The peer institutions San Francisco Film School selected for federal comparison reporting.

    IPEDS
    6-yr gradRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
    This institutionPeer median

    A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

    Carnegie
    SubjectSan Francisco Film School
    		—Open admission127$32,354Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin
    		—Open admission305$19,564Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
    		—Open admission8,504$13,367Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Culinary Institute Inc
    		—Open admission316$30,428Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Delta College of Arts & Technology
    		—Open admission326$19,789Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Douglas Education Center
    		—Open admission178$27,348Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    FINE Mortuary College
    		—76.5%185$27,385Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Jna Institute of Culinary Arts
    		—Open admission15$19,404Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts
    		—68.2%70$24,783Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Louisiana Culinary Institute
    		—37.5%77$28,869Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    MediaTech Institute-Dallas
    		—Open admission217$18,873Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    MediaTech Institute-Houston
    		—Open admission62$16,906Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Miami Media School
    		—100.0%28$29,429Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
    		—42.8%251$48,620Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Theatre of Arts
    		—100.0%10$32,663Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Worsham College of Mortuary Science
    		—92.0%183$26,781Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    Peer group median—76.5%181$27,065

    Institutions like San Francisco Film School

    Explore the federal data for institutions in San Francisco Film School's comparison group.

    IPEDS
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignTexas

      Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      305
      Net price
      $19,564
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignColorado

      Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      8,504
      Net price
      $13,367
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignTexas

      Culinary Institute Inc

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      316
      Net price
      $30,428
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignLouisiana

      Delta College of Arts & Technology

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      326
      Net price
      $19,789
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignPennsylvania

      Douglas Education Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      178
      Net price
      $27,348
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignMassachusetts

      FINE Mortuary College

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      76.5%
      Enrollment
      185
      Net price
      $27,385
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignPennsylvania

      Jna Institute of Culinary Arts

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      15
      Net price
      $19,404
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignTexas

      KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      68.2%
      Enrollment
      70
      Net price
      $24,783
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignLouisiana

      Louisiana Culinary Institute

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      37.5%
      Enrollment
      77
      Net price
      $28,869
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignTexas

      MediaTech Institute-Dallas

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      217
      Net price
      $18,873
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignTexas

      MediaTech Institute-Houston

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      62
      Net price
      $16,906
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignFlorida

      Miami Media School

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      100.0%
      Enrollment
      28
      Net price
      $29,429
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignNew York

      New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      42.8%
      Enrollment
      251
      Net price
      $48,620
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignCalifornia

      Theatre of Arts

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      100.0%
      Enrollment
      10
      Net price
      $32,663
    • Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & DesignIllinois

      Worsham College of Mortuary Science

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      92.0%
      Enrollment
      183
      Net price
      $26,781

    Reports & documents (1)

    Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

    Frequently asked questions about San Francisco Film School

    Quick answers to the questions most often asked about San Francisco Film School.

    What is the acceptance rate at San Francisco Film School?

    San Francisco Film School has an open admission policy, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). Some programs, such as nursing, may have separate selective admission. IPEDS does not collect an admit rate for open-admission colleges.

    What is the graduation rate at San Francisco Film School?

    At San Francisco Film School, 67% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data.

    How many students attend San Francisco Film School?

    San Francisco Film School reports a total enrollment of 127 students per the latest IPEDS.

    What is the average net price at San Francisco Film School?

    The average net price at San Francisco Film School is $32,354 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

    Where is San Francisco Film School located?

    San Francisco Film School is located in San Francisco, California 94104-2835.

    About the data on this page

    Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

    IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
    Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
    National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
    College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
    Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
    U.S. Department of Education
    FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
    Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
    U.S. Department of Education
    DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
    Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Federal Pell Grant & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
    Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
    Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
    Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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